The mood in Denver this week feels nothing like a routine rivalry stretch. Something heavier sits in the air, louder too, and people keep moving with this strange sort of intention. Inside the building, officials continue to frame the Broncos–Chiefs game as the most significant moment the franchise has experienced since the 2016 AFC Championship, when Denver outlasted Tom Brady and punched its ticket to Super Bowl 50. I’ve heard from folks around the facility that the message hasn’t shifted once: this isn’t a throwaway divisional meeting. It’s the kind of spotlight the organization hasn’t tasted in almost ten years.
In a recent X post by Adam Schefter, he dropped a note that Broncos officials are comparing Sunday’s matchup with the Chiefs to that old-school Manning and Brady 2016 stretch. Kinda bold, but they sound dead serious.
The post reads, “Broncos officials consider Sunday’s game vs. the Chiefs the biggest NFL game in Denver in almost a decade, since the 2016 AFC Championship game in which Peyton Manning and Tom Brady squared off against each other for the final time in their NFL careers. On that day, Denver beat New England 20-18 to advance to Super Bowl 50.”
Broncos officials consider Sunday’s game vs. the Chiefs the biggest NFL game in Denver in almost decade, since the 2016 AFC Championship game in which Peyton Manning and Tom Brady squared off against each other for the final time in their NFL careers. On that day, Denver beat New… pic.twitter.com/7V1aMq1lqL
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 16, 2025
Why Does Sunday’s Chiefs Game Feel Similar to the 2016 Peyton-Brady AFC Championship?
Dec 31, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Kansas City Chiefs helmet after the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Kansas City Chiefs helmet after the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
According to ESPN’s Jeff Legwold (Nov. 15, 2025), players, coaches, and even front-office folks have been louder than usual about what this week means. Many people around the team seem to understand the symbolism. They haven’t been a consistent threat to Kansas City since Super Bowl 50, and maybe they’re tired of carrying that weight. This week, oddly enough, gives them the most precise shot to flip the storyline.
The parallel to January 24, 2016, didn’t come out of nowhere. Back then, Denver built its identity on punishment. I remember reading The Guardian’s recap, which painted a clear picture: Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware shredded Brady for four straight quarters, pushing him into frantic throws, weird off-balance scrambles, and eventually desperation. He ended up going 27-of-56, taking hit after hit until Bradley Roby grabbed that late interception, sealing the 20–18 win. Denver didn’t win that day with flashy offense; they won with this sharp, relentless conviction.
The 2025 Broncos squad continues to look at that game as a blueprint. Their defense, featuring Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Zach Allen, Pat Surtain II, and Ja’Quan McMillian, has propelled them to an 8–2 record, generating strong pressure rates and holding firm in the red zone. Inside the building, coaches have replayed clips from that 2016 win to convey a single idea: absolute dominance stems from controlling the tempo, rattling the quarterback, and turning pressure into panic before he even knows what he’s seeing.
And now the Chiefs walk into this mess. Kansas City brings the most dangerous puzzle in the league: Patrick Mahomes in November, backed by a defense that’s been steadier than the offense in most games. Their scoring has dipped at times, but their secondary continues to squeeze teams into tight throws and long, exhausting drives. Denver believes if this becomes a slog, it starts to feel like that Brady game from nine years ago.
The offensive comparison hits just as sharply. Manning wasn’t the star in 2016. He avoided giveaways, leaned on the run, and hit timely throws. Bo Nix is being coached into that same lane, and Legwold mentioned they’ve trimmed the offense to keep him comfortable. What they need from him on Sunday isn’t fireworks. It’s steadiness. Same recipe that worked when Manning’s arm didn’t have the old bite.
Kansas City, though, is going to stress Denver’s secondary like few teams can. Mahomes has won games through improvisation, structure, messy breakdowns, and long-winded patience. Denver thinks if their pass rush tags him early, the way Miller and Ware tagged Brady, the game shape changes fast. If they miss, well, Mahomes has erased so many deficits that counting him out feels foolish.
And then there’s the weight of the opponent. In 2016, Denver had to take down Brady to reach the top. In 2025, they have to take down Mahomes to matter again. Different timelines. But the same climb.A win hands Denver control of the AFC West and proves this rebuild has finally hit a meaningful point. A loss drags back every question they’ve been lugging around since Manning stepped off that field.
That’s why Sunday feels like a throwback.Not in nostalgia but in stakes.