DENVER — The questions came fast, but Jarrett Stidham didn’t blink. Thrust into the most high-pressure role in sports—starting quarterback in a Conference Championship game due to injury—the veteran didn’t flinch at the podium Wednesday.
With rookie sensation Bo Nix officially sidelined by a fractured right ankle suffered in Saturday’s overtime thriller against the Bills, the 15-3 Denver Broncos now hand the keys to Stidham. His assignment? Beat the 16-3 New England Patriots, the very team that drafted him in 2019, for a ticket to Super Bowl 60.
Stidham walked into the media room at Centura Health Training Center wearing an orange hoodie and a white cap, looking every bit the starter Sean Payton needs him to be. He didn’t offer platitudes about pressure. He offered a reality check.
“I think what I always go back to in any game, regular season, preseason, the AFC Championship—it’s still the same game,” Stidham told reporters. “Obviously, there are implications and the winner advances, but at the end of the day, it’s still football. That’s how I view it.”
The numbers, however, paint a steeper climb. Stidham hasn’t started a game since the end of the 2023 season. Now, he faces a Bill Belichick-less Patriots defense that has terrorized opponents all year. Yet, his message was clear: he isn’t trying to be Bo Nix. He’s trying to be the guy who can manage a game in 24-degree weather at Mile High.
“This is not about myself. My thoughts and prayers have been with Bo since Saturday night. It’s crushing because he’s one of my best friends… But I know all of us on offense want to go out there and make him proud this Sunday.” — Jarrett Stidham, Broncos Quarterback
“He’s been waiting for this moment for the entirety of his career. He’s more prepared than anybody would be in this situation… We have the utmost confidence in Jarrett to play well and lead our team forward.” — Mike McGlinchey, Broncos Right Tackle
The stakes couldn’t be higher. A win on Sunday sends the Broncos to Santa Clara for Super Bowl 60 on February 8, where they would face the winner of the NFC Championship clash between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams. For Stidham, it’s a chance to rewrite his career arc from journeyman backup to Denver legend in sixty minutes. For the Patriots, it’s a chance to spoil the party against their former draft pick.
Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. ET this Sunday. The forecast calls for freezing temperatures, but the heat on Stidham has never been higher.
