Jarrett Stidham’s journey with the Denver Broncos has been anything but linear-but as the AFC Championship Game approaches, he’s right where he needs to be: at the helm of a team that suddenly finds itself one win away from the Super Bowl.
Signed back in 2023 to serve as Russell Wilson’s backup, Stidham was never expected to be the long-term answer in Denver. But the NFL rarely sticks to the script.
When Wilson was benched late in the 2023 season and the team used a high pick to draft Bo Nix in 2024, it looked like Stidham would once again be relegated to the shadows. Instead, he stayed in the thick of it-competing, preparing, and staying ready.
That work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Head coach Sean Payton, who’s never been shy about his expectations, made it clear after Saturday night’s game: “He’s ready.”
And the numbers back that up. In limited action during the 2025 preseason, Stidham showed poise and precision.
Across two games-starting one-he completed 30 of 38 passes for 376 yards, tossing four touchdowns without a single interception. He was sacked twice, but otherwise looked in full control of the offense.
That’s the kind of efficiency that earns trust in a locker room, and it’s clear Payton sees starting-caliber talent in the 27-year-old quarterback.
Now, Stidham isn’t just filling in-he’s leading the Broncos into a heavyweight matchup against the New England Patriots, the same team that drafted him back in 2019. There’s a bit of poetic symmetry in that. Once a backup in Foxborough, Stidham now gets a shot to knock off his former team with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
Denver enters the AFC title game as a home underdog, but the Broncos have embraced that role all season. And with Payton calling the shots and Stidham under center, they’re not just hoping to keep it close-they believe they can win.
Sunday’s showdown isn’t just another game for Stidham. It’s a chance to prove he belongs in the spotlight, not just as a reliable backup, but as a quarterback who can lead a team when it matters most.