Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham will make his first career postseason start Sunday in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, the team that drafted him in 2019. With starter Bo Nix sidelined by injury, Stidham gets the chance he has waited years for.
Stidham, 29, has only two career starts, both with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. In his first start, he threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-34 overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers. That performance impressed Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, who saw Stidham’s competitiveness up close.
“He’s a great friend of mine and he is a competitive individual,” Crosby said on his podcast. “I witnessed him go against the 49ers, I think it was Week 17. … He was out there slinging the ball, confident, breaking tackles.”
Crosby recalled how Stidham, while running the scout team against the Raiders’ starting defense, never backed down from confrontations. “He was talking (expletive) back to me and I was like, ‘OK, I like this guy.’ I know I can go in the foxhole with him. He’s tough as hell.”
Stidham’s journey has been long. A fourth-round pick by New England, he was initially seen as a potential successor to Tom Brady. But the Patriots signed Cam Newton, and Stidham made only a few appearances before missing most of 2021 with a back injury. He was traded to the Raiders in 2022 when Josh McDaniels became head coach.
After his two starts in Las Vegas, Stidham signed with the Broncos in free agency, hoping to compete for a starting job. He made two starts in 2023 but has not thrown a pass in the last two seasons as Nix’s backup.
McDaniels, now coaching the Patriots’ offense, knows Stidham well. “Smart, accurate, great human being,” McDaniels said. “Worked hard, great teammate. Just hasn’t had an opportunity, based on the situations and those kinds of things. … He’ll be ready to go this week, for sure.”
Stidham expressed gratitude for his time in New England and excitement for the chance. “At the end of the day, I’m very appreciative of New England for giving me a shot in this league,” he said. “I’ve only had two play-callers in my (career), Sean (Payton) and Josh (McDaniels). … Really just fired up for the opportunity for these guys in this locker room.”
Crosby believes Stidham can lead Denver to victory. “They already have a top defense. They already have a good running game. They’ve got a good O-line,” Crosby said. “I think he just needs to be himself. Don’t go out there trying not to lose. You gotta go out there and let it rip.”
