Jarrett Stidham Steps Into the Spotlight as Denver’s Postseason Run Turns on a Backup QB

Jarrett Stidham is no longer a contingency plan. With Denver’s starting quarterback Bo Nix sidelined by a season-ending ankle injury suffered in last week’s dramatic playoff win over Buffalo, Stidham is set to start the AFC Championship Game against New England—an opponent that adds extra intrigue given Stidham’s early-career ties there. The Broncos are one win from the Super Bowl, and the storyline has shifted from “how far can Denver go?” to a sharper question: can Stidham deliver steadiness, situational football, and just enough explosive play to keep the run alive?

Nix underwent surgery after finishing the divisional-round game despite the injury, and Denver has publicly emphasized belief in the roster’s resilience. But the practical reality is unavoidable: postseason football compresses margins, and the quarterback’s decision-making becomes the largest variable. For Stidham, this is the rarest kind of opportunity—his first start with everything at stake.

Jarrett Stidham’s “business as usual” approach, and why it matters

Stidham has framed his preparation as unchanged, leaning on routine rather than emotion. That might sound like the standard quarterback cliché, but it’s also the clearest path for a backup stepping into a high-leverage week. When the lights get brighter, the goal isn’t to become someone else—it’s to execute the offense on time, protect the football, and win the down-to-down battles that keep the game in manageable situations.

This approach also reflects Denver’s likely blueprint. In a championship setting, coaches typically protect a newly inserted starter by emphasizing:

• Quick-game concepts to reduce pressure and speed up decisions

• Defined reads off play-action and movement throws

• Layered route combinations that create “safe” completions

• Red-zone efficiency without forcing hero-ball

For Stidham, the job is less about volume passing totals and more about controlling the game’s temperature: avoid giveaways, sustain drives, and capitalize when the defense or special teams creates short fields.

What Denver’s practice week signals about the offensive plan

Denver’s on-field work this week has hinted at a “stabilize the structure” mindset. Stidham has taken the first-team reps, while the backfield picture has improved with J.K. Dobbins returning to practice after time away due to foot surgery. Even if Dobbins’ workload is managed, his presence changes the math: it gives Denver another credible option to pair with the run game, helps keep the offense on schedule, and expands play-action possibilities.

That’s especially important for a quarterback who hasn’t had many starts in the pressure cooker of meaningful January football. A functioning run game doesn’t just create rushing yards—it creates predictable second-and-mediums, slows down exotic pressure packages, and gives a backup quarterback the kind of clean, repeatable reads that make an offense feel “normal.”

The matchup: how New England can test Jarrett Stidham

New England’s defensive identity is built on forcing hesitation—changing looks late, flooding throwing lanes, and baiting quarterbacks into believing a window exists when it doesn’t. For a quarterback stepping in, that creates two priorities:

1. Pre-snap clarity
   Stidham will have to be sharp in protections and confident in identifying pressure indicators. If the defense wins early by making him uncertain, the offense can get stuck in long-yardage situations where the playbook shrinks.

2. Middle-of-the-field discipline
   Defenses often tempt quarterbacks with intermediate throws that look open for a beat. The safest postseason formula is taking the profit when it’s there and throwing the ball away when it isn’t—especially early.

Denver’s receiving group has voiced strong confidence that Stidham will be ready, and that buy-in matters. It can show up in small ways: sharper routes, better scramble-drill spacing, and improved contested-catch urgency on third down. In January, those details swing series outcomes.

Stidham’s résumé: limited starts, but a quarterback who’s been around

Stidham is in his seventh NFL season and has bounced through multiple quarterback rooms, appearing in 19 regular-season games with four starts. That history cuts both ways. On one hand, it means he’s seen different systems and coaching styles—useful when a week turns chaotic. On the other, it underscores how rare it is for him to have a long runway as “the guy.”

That’s why Denver’s framing of this moment has been less about reinventing the offense and more about leaning into what already works. The Broncos don’t need Stidham to become a headline machine. They need him to convert the “hidden downs” that decide playoff games:

• Third-and-4 conversions to extend drives

• Two-minute management before halftime

• Red-zone touchdowns instead of field goals

• Avoiding negative plays on early downs

What to watch on game day: early decisions, tempo, and turnovers

If you’re trying to predict how Stidham’s start will go, watch the first 15 minutes more than the box score.

Key indicators:

• Early completion percentage and timing: Are the first few drives built on rhythm throws?

• Sack avoidance: Even one or two coverage sacks can flip field position and momentum.

• Turnover margin: Denver can win with conservative passing if the ball is protected.

• Red-zone sequencing: The best way to reduce pressure on a backup is finishing drives with touchdowns.

This weekend isn’t a referendum on Stidham’s career as much as it is a test of Denver’s roster depth and composure. The Broncos have reached the doorstep of the Super Bowl with a first-year starter; now they’ll try to take the final step with a backup who has waited years for a moment like this.