Picking AFC Championship Game MVPs for Every Broncos Super Bowl Run
New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson added another milestone to his growing legacy by capturing the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals MVP award on Monday. In recent years, the NBA has embraced conference finals MVP trophies as a way to recognize the defining performances that send franchises to the championship round. While the NFL has never created an equivalent honor for conference championship weekend, it is difficult not to wonder which Denver Broncos legends would have earned the distinction during the franchise’s eight AFC title-winning seasons.
Some choices are obvious, while others spark legitimate debate decades later. From John Elway authoring “The Drive” to Von Miller terrorizing Tom Brady in the 2015 AFC Championship Game, the Broncos have produced no shortage of iconic performances on the doorstep of the Super Bowl. Here is a look at the players who likely would have captured AFC Championship Game MVP honors in each of Denver’s conference title victories:
1977 AFC Championship Game MVP: Haven Moses
Haven Moses delivered one of the greatest postseason performances in Broncos history during Denver’s 20-17 victory over the Oakland Raiders in the 1977 AFC Championship Game. He caught five passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns in the contest, emerging as the Broncos’ go-to target with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Moses’ second touchdown catch gave Denver a two-possession 20-10 lead in the fourth quarter on the way to its first Super Bowl appearance.
1986 AFC Championship Game MVP: John Elway
John Elway authored one of the most iconic performances in NFL playoff history during the Broncos’ 23-20 overtime victory over the Cleveland Browns in the 1986 AFC Championship Game. Elway completed 22 passes for 244 yards and rushed four times for 56 yards. Trailing late in regulation, Elway engineered the legendary 98-yard march known as “The Drive,” capping it with a touchdown pass to wide receiver Mark Jackson to force overtime.
1987 AFC Championship Game MVP: John Elway
John Elway once again elevated Denver on the AFC’s biggest stage during the Broncos’ 38-33 victory over the Browns in the 1987 AFC Championship Game. Elway passed for 281 yards and three touchdowns, including an 80-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Mark Jackson that gave Denver a 28-10 cushion in the third quarter. He later delivered a 20-yard touchdown pass to running back Sammy Winder in the fourth quarter to give the Broncos a 38-31 lead they would not relinquish.
1989 AFC Championship Game MVP: John Elway
John Elway delivered another dominant postseason performance during Denver’s 37-21 victory over Cleveland in the 1989 AFC Championship Game. Elway scorched the Browns’ secondary in this clash by completing 20 passes for 385 yards and three touchdowns. After Cleveland scored 21 points in the third quarter to tighten the game, Elway answered with a 39-yard touchdown pass to running back Sammy Winder in the fourth quarter to give the Broncos a 31-21 advantage.
1997 AFC Championship Game MVP: Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis powered Denver to a 24-21 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1997 AFC Championship Game. The Broncos leaned heavily on Davis throughout the contest, as he rushed for 139 yards and a touchdown while averaging 5.3 yards per carry. His eight-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter supplied the game’s opening points as Denver advanced to its fourth Super Bowl of the John Elway era.
1998 AFC Championship Game MVP: Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis once again powered the Broncos’ offense in their 23-10 win over the New York Jets in the 1998 AFC Championship Game. Davis carried the ball 32 times for 167 yards and a touchdown while averaging 5.2 yards per carry. His 31-yard touchdown run in the third quarter gave Denver a two-possession 20-10 lead that helped the Broncos pull away for good.
2013 AFC Championship Game MVP: Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning delivered a masterful performance during Denver’s 26-16 victory over the New England Patriots in the 2013 AFC Championship Game. Manning picked apart the Patriots’ defense in this matchup by completing 32 passes for 400 yards and two touchdowns. His three-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas in the third quarter gave the Broncos a commanding 20-3 lead.
2015 AFC Championship Game MVP: Von Miller
Von Miller produced one of the most dominant defensive performances in modern playoff history during Denver’s 20-18 victory over New England in the 2015 AFC Championship Game. Miller recorded five total tackles, 2.5 sacks, four quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, one pass deflection, and an interception, making life miserable for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. His second-quarter interception of Brady set up the Broncos’ second touchdown of the game.
