The Chargers’ loss to the Texans clinched the Broncos’ first division title in 10 years.

DENVER — For the first time since Von Miller was at the height of his career and Peyton Manning had one last fling left in his otherwise broken-down body, AFC West glory has returned to Denver.

The Broncos clinched the AFC West Division title while watching from their man caves Saturday evening as the Houston Texans beat the Los Angeles Chargers, 20-16 at SoFi Stadium.

It is the first division title for the Broncos since the 2015 season, when the defensive standout Miller and quarterback Manning used their No. 1 AFC playoff seed to win two home playoff games, then upset Carolina in Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The Chargers’ loss Saturday meant their 11-5 record cannot catch the 13-3 Broncos as there is but one game remaining, even if that last game is against each other.

The 2025 Broncos can do no worse than the No. 3 AFC playoff seed but they are currently in even better position as they hold the No. 1 seed tiebreaker over New England, which is 12-3 and plays Sunday at the 3-12 New York Jets.

The Jacksonville Jaguars, who are 11-4 after defeating the Broncos last week, can still jump the Broncos in the playoff-seed race but they would have to beat the Colts and Titans in their final two games and hope the Chargers beat the Broncos on Jan. 4 at Empower Field at Mile High. The Chargers have currently clinched the No. 7 AFC playoff seed. Even with a win against the Broncos next weekend the Chargers can do no better than the No. 5 seed, which means playing their first-round playoff game on the road. 

The Broncos started this season 1-2 with back-to-back heartbreaking losses to the Colts and Chargers but they bounced back to take the AFC West lead by week 7 and held on thanks to an 11-game winning streak that included some unlikely comebacks.

In fact, the Broncos have already set a new NFL record with 12 come-from-behind wins this year with the finale left to play against the Chargers. Broncos head coach Sean Payton figures to go full-out with his regulars next week as his team will probably have to win their final regular-season game to outmaneuver New England and Jacksonville in securing the No. 1 playoff seed.

The perks that come with the No. 1 seed: A first-round playoff bye, a guaranteed home game in the second round and, with a second-round win, another home game in the AFC Championship.

Not that the No. 1 seed is the be-all, end-all. The No. 1-seeded team has only won 10 of the past 28 Super Bowls — four from the NFC and six from the AFC.

Ten years after the Broncos won Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium, this year’s Super Bowl 60 will be held at none other than Levi’s Stadium. It hasn’t been a smooth journey for the Broncos since their last division title and Super Bowl. Following 2015, the Broncos went nine consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance and had eight consecutive losing seasons.

They were 5-12 as recently as 2022. That miserable season prompted new Broncos owner Greg Penner to fire first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett and replace him with Payton, who previously had a successful 15-year run in New Orleans.

Then Payton and general manager George Paton selected quarterback Bo Nix with the No. 12 overall pick in the first round of the 2024 draft and the Broncos have since clinched two consecutive playoff appearances.