The date was March 23rd, 2023. The Denver Broncos had signed Jarrett Stidham to a two-year deal at the very start of free agency. It was the first free agency signing the Sean Payton-led Denver Broncos had made. Denver had a competent backup, which was great.
Stidham got a bit of action at the end of that 2023 season after the team had benched Russell Wilson, and Denver wanted to keep Stidham so much that they brought him back again on another two-year contract. Right now, Stidham is under contract through the 2026 NFL Season, and this relationship could continue.
Well, after being in the system for three seasons, Jarrett Stidham will start the Denver Broncos AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots. With a win over the Pats, Denver advances to Super Bowl LX. Backup quarterbacks have started in the Super Bowl before, so this isn't something that isn't impossible, and when you consider a few things, there's every reason to believe that Stidham is going to be just fine.
Sean Payton is going to have Jarrett Stidham ready to roll, and that's a fact
Firstly, Sean Payton does have a very strong track record with backup quarterbacks. The two more recent instances came in the 2019 and 2021 seasons with the New Orleans Saints:
"He has a history of success with backup QBs. ... Jameis Winston went 5-2 with Sean Payton. Teddy Bridgewater went 5-1."
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 18, 2026
Alex Smith "absolutely" believes the Broncos can win the Super Bowl with Jarrett Stidham at QB 👀 pic.twitter.com/waXhn9qfog
One massive why Sean Payton has had this type of success with backup quarterbacks is because he will tailor his gameplan to fit the quarterback. What we'll see with Stidham this coming Sunday is a gameplan that he's comfortable with and something that he can operate.
That could look a lot different than what Bo Nix is comfortable with. Stidham isn't quite as mobile, so we could see a lot more action in the pocket. Secondly, Jarrett Stidham is one of Sean Payton's 'guys.'
This is something that notably sticks out with Sean Payton. He has a ton of former players and coaches from his time in New Orleans all over the place in Denver, and there is a reason why Payton wanted to sign Stidham this quickly. Payton is going to want to shock the NFL world - he's going to try and prove everyone wrong.
A large swath of the NFL world came at Payton and the Broncos for taking Bo Nix with the 12th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but like he typically does, Payton proved people wrong and showed the world why Bo Nix is great.
He's going to do the same thing with Stidham. There's this extra sense of urgency and motivation now for Payton. The circumstances are difficult, but this is the type of situation where Payton truly thrives.