Broncos Coach Backs Backup QB Jarrett Stidham for AFC Title

When your rookie starter goes down before the biggest game of your career, you need a coach who believes in you completely.

Jarrett Stidham is getting exactly that from Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton. After starter Bo Nix suffered a fractured ankle following Saturday's divisional round win over Buffalo, Stidham was thrust into the spotlight for next weekend's AFC Championship game.

Payton didn't mince words about his backup's readiness. "It's our three years here watching him day in and day out that you guys don't have access to," the coach told reporters. "He will be ready to go and ready for the moment."

The veteran coach's confidence runs deep. Payton revealed that Denver had targeted Stidham in the draft years ago when he coached the New Orleans Saints. He's watched how the quarterback was developed in New England and knows exactly what he brings to the table.

Payton even invoked Super Bowl magic when discussing the situation. He compared it to Nick Foles stepping in for Carson Wentz and leading Philadelphia to a championship, and Jeff Hostetler replacing Phil Simms to win a title for the Giants.

"All bets can be off," Payton said, reminding everyone that backup quarterbacks have shocked the world before.

Why This Inspires

This moment represents everything football fans love about the sport. Stidham has spent years preparing for an opportunity that might never come, throwing passes in practice while someone else got the glory.

Now he gets his shot on the biggest stage possible. At 29 years old, after bouncing from New England to Las Vegas to Denver, Stidham will lead his team one win away from the Super Bowl.

Payton's public support gives his quarterback something priceless: belief from the top. Instead of panic or doubt, the Broncos are rallying around their backup with the same confidence they'd show their starter.

If Stidham wins, he'll become just the second quarterback in NFL history to make his first start of the season in the playoffs and win. The only other? Frank Reich, who led Buffalo to one of the most dramatic comebacks in playoff history.

The road to the Super Bowl just got harder for Denver, but sometimes the best stories come from the longest odds.