# 2015–16 NFL playoffs
The 2015–16 [NFL playoffs](https://www.edgepedia.org/nfl-playoffs) was the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league)'s postseason tournament for the 2015 season, running from the January 2016 wild-card round through [Super Bowl 50](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl-50) on February 7, 2016, in which the Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-10 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.[1](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-outlast-panthers-claim-third-super-bowl-title-0ap3000000634371) It was the Broncos' third Super Bowl title.[1](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-outlast-panthers-claim-third-super-bowl-title-0ap3000000634371)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Champion | Denver Broncos, third Super Bowl title, 24-10 over Carolina in Super Bowl 50[1](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-outlast-panthers-claim-third-super-bowl-title-0ap3000000634371) |
| Super Bowl 50 | February 7, 2016, Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California; attendance 71,088[2](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2025/DEN.pdf) |
| Super Bowl MVP | Linebacker Von Miller: 2.5 sacks, six total tackles, a pass defended, and two forced fumbles[2](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2025/DEN.pdf) |
| Top seeds | Carolina Panthers (15-1) in the NFC and Denver Broncos (12-4) in the AFC[3](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2015/playoffs.htm) • [4](https://time.com/4199076/super-bowl-50-2016-what-to-know/) |
| Championship games | Broncos 20, Patriots 18 (AFC); Panthers 49, Cardinals 15 (NFC)[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE_y3iCUnck) |
| Historic firsts | Peyton Manning, at 39, became the oldest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl and the first to win one with two different teams; Gary Kubiak became the first person to play in and coach the same team in a Super Bowl[2](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2025/DEN.pdf) |
| Aftermath | First time since 2003 that both Super Bowl teams missed the playoffs the following season[6](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-panthers-miss-playoffs-after-super-bowl-50-0ap3000000763687) |
## The playoff field
The NFC sent the league's best regular-season team into the postseason: the [Carolina Panthers](https://www.edgepedia.org/carolina-panthers) finished 15-1 as South Division champions and the conference's number-one seed, followed by the [Arizona Cardinals](https://www.edgepedia.org/arizona-cardinals) (13-3, West champions), the [Minnesota Vikings](https://www.edgepedia.org/minnesota-vikings) (11-5, North champions), and the Washington Redskins (9-7, East champions).[3](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2015/playoffs.htm) In the AFC, the New England Patriots earned the East title at 12-4, winning the tiebreaker over the Cincinnati Bengals on win percentage in common games.[3](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2015/playoffs.htm) The Denver Broncos, also 12-4, held the AFC's top seed.[4](https://time.com/4199076/super-bowl-50-2016-what-to-know/)
Before the games began, the league adjusted its postseason officiating setup. The NFL Competition Committee unanimously recommended, and Commissioner Roger Goodell approved, a limited adjustment to officiating procedures for the 2015 playoffs.[7](https://www.nfl.com/news/adjustment-to-officiating-procedures-for-playoffs-0ap3000000603051)
## Wild card and divisional rounds
In the divisional round, the [Kansas City Chiefs](https://www.edgepedia.org/kansas-city-chiefs) traveled to New England on January 16, 2016 and lost the AFC Divisional Playoff Game 27-20.[8](https://www.footballdb.com/seasons/nfl/2015) In the NFC, Carolina hosted Seattle on January 17 and won 31-24 before a crowd of 74,287 in [Charlotte, North Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/charlotte-north-carolina); the league's game summary records fines of $25,000 each against Carolina and Seattle for that game.[9](https://edge-operations.nfl.com/media/hfjn4oid/2024-record-fact-book-incl-supplemental.pdf)
## Championship Sunday
**AFC.** The Broncos held off the Patriots 20-18, surviving a late New England comeback drive to reach Super Bowl 50.[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE_y3iCUnck) Denver's defense, which had carried the team through a season in which the offense struggled, again set the tone against [Tom Brady](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-brady) and the Patriots.[1](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-outlast-panthers-claim-third-super-bowl-title-0ap3000000634371)
**NFC.** Carolina produced a dominant performance, routing Arizona 49-15.
## Super Bowl 50
Super Bowl 50 matched the NFL's number-one defense, Denver's, against the league's top-scoring offense, Carolina's, led by league MVP quarterback [Cam Newton](https://www.edgepedia.org/cam-newton).[1](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-outlast-panthers-claim-third-super-bowl-title-0ap3000000634371) • [2](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2025/DEN.pdf) The Panthers entered as 4.5-point favorites with the over/under set at 45 points.[4](https://time.com/4199076/super-bowl-50-2016-what-to-know/)
Denver authored one of the greatest defensive performances in [Super Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl) history. [Von Miller](https://www.edgepedia.org/von-miller) set the game's course early, strip-sacking Newton for a touchdown in the first quarter and strip-sacking him again later, with the Broncos recovering both times; the second takeaway came with the game still in reach for Carolina.[10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukmu4DPgtOo) Denver's pass rush repeatedly hit Newton, including a [DeMarcus Ware](https://www.edgepedia.org/demarcus-ware) sack to end the first half, and C.J. Anderson's 2-yard touchdown run iced the 24-10 win.[10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukmu4DPgtOo) Carolina's chances slipped away on details: Graham Gano missed a 44-yard field goal, Jonathan Tolbert lost a fumble that Denver recovered, and Josh Norman was flagged for defensive holding on a third-and-goal.[10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukmu4DPgtOo)
Miller won the Super Bowl MVP with 2.5 sacks, six total tackles, a pass defended, and two forced fumbles.[2](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2025/DEN.pdf) The victory carried personal history for the Broncos' principals. Head coach [Gary Kubiak](https://www.edgepedia.org/gary-kubiak), in his first season leading Denver after general manager [John Elway](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-elway) fired coach John Fox following the previous year's playoff loss, became the first person to play in and serve as head coach for the same team in a Super Bowl.[2](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2025/DEN.pdf) • [1](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-outlast-panthers-claim-third-super-bowl-title-0ap3000000634371)
## Aftermath
Neither finalist returned to the postseason. The 2016 season made Super Bowl 50 a one-year peak for both franchises: the Broncos and Panthers were both eliminated from playoff contention in December 2016, with Carolina sinking to a 1-5 start, and it marked the first time since 2003 that both Super Bowl squads failed to make the playoffs the following season.[6](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-panthers-miss-playoffs-after-super-bowl-50-0ap3000000763687) • [11](https://as.com/us/us/2016/12/26/nfl/1482781896_380386.html)
## References
1. [Broncos outlast Panthers, claim third Super Bowl title, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-outlast-panthers-claim-third-super-bowl-title-0ap3000000634371)
2. [Denver Broncos 2025 Media Guide: Postseason Game Recaps](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2025/DEN.pdf)
3. [2015 NFL Playoff Standings, Pro-Football-Reference.com](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2015/playoffs.htm)
4. [Everything You Need to Know About Super Bowl 50, Time](https://time.com/4199076/super-bowl-50-2016-what-to-know/)
5. [Super Bowl 50 Set: Panthers vs. Broncos (Championship Sunday recap), NFL YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE_y3iCUnck)
6. [Broncos, Panthers miss playoffs after Super Bowl 50, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-panthers-miss-playoffs-after-super-bowl-50-0ap3000000763687)
7. [Adjustment to officiating procedures for playoffs, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/adjustment-to-officiating-procedures-for-playoffs-0ap3000000603051)
8. [2015 NFL Season: Postseason results, The Football Database](https://www.footballdb.com/seasons/nfl/2015)
9. [Playoff Game Summaries, 2024 NFL Record & Fact Book](https://edge-operations.nfl.com/media/hfjn4oid/2024-record-fact-book-incl-supplemental.pdf)
10. [Super Bowl 50 - Panthers vs. Broncos | NFL Full Game, NFL YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukmu4DPgtOo)
11. [Broncos y Panthers: de la Super Bowl al fracaso en 2016, AS](https://as.com/us/us/2016/12/26/nfl/1482781896_380386.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › National Football League › NFL playoffs and championship games › Titles symbols to N*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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