For the first time since the 2012 NFL season, neither the Denver Broncos nor the New England Patriots will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
Denver failed to reach the postseason this year and New England was eliminated in the Wild Card round on Saturday evening.
The Peyton Manning-led Broncos reached the Super Bowl following the 2013 and 2015 seasons. The Tom Brady-led Patriots reached the NFL’s title game following the 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons.
A new era of young quarterbacks appears to be taking over the league. From 2003-2018, Manning, Brady and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger represented the AFC in 15 of the league’s 16 Super Bowls.
The only time one of those QBs didn’t reach the Big Game during that 16-year stretch was 2012, when the Joe Flacco-led Baltimore Ravens knocked off Denver and New England on their way to a Super Bowl win.
With Brady’s playoff loss and Rothlisberger’s injury concerns, the era of Manning, Brady and Big Ben may be coming to an end in the AFC. Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson appear to be the conference’s next generation of stars. Broncos fans can only hope Drew Lock joins them.
