The Denver Broncos are preparing to host the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game for the right to play in Super Bowl 60.
For the first time since the 2023 NFL season, Bo Nix will not be the team’s starting quarterback. The 25-year-old quarterback suffered a fractured ankle near the end of Denver’s divisional-round win over the Buffalo Bills.
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That will thrust Jarrett Stidham into the starting job in what will easily be the most important game of the veteran backup’s life.
Here’s what to know about Stidham as he steps into the spotlight and tries to will the Broncos to their first AFC championship in a decade.
Who is Jarrett Stidham?
Stidham is typically the Broncos’ backup quarterback. He has been elevated to the starting role for the team’s AFC championship game battle with the New England Patriots after Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury against the Bills.
Stidham, 29, has been with the Broncos since signing a free agent contract with the team ahead of the 2023 NFL season. He made two starts in relief of Russell Wilson that year but hasn’t attempted an NFL pass since, playing just 18 snaps across two seasons behind Nix.
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Now, Stidham will be tasked with helping the Broncos to complete their Super Bowl run.
Where did Jarrett Stidham go to college?
Stidham spent his freshman season at Baylor in 2015 before transferring to Auburn to play for Gus Malzahn.
Stidham was Auburn’s starting quarterback during both the 2017 and 2018 seasons. He led them to a 10-4 record and a Peach Bowl loss in 2017 – a season during which the team ranked as high as No. 2 overall in the College Football Playoff rankings – before he endured a rough junior season, completing just 60.7% of his passes and leading the Tigers to an 8-5 mark and a Music City Bowl win.
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Stidham finished his college career having completed 64.3% of his passes for 7,217 yards, 48 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. While his rocky final season capped the ceiling of his draft stock, his pure passing ability and developmental potential put him on the radar of NFL teams as an intriguing mid-round option for the 2019 NFL Draft.
When was Jarrett Stidham drafted?
Stidham was ultimately selected by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He was the 133rd pick overall and the seventh quarterback selected.
Below is a full look at the quarterbacks chosen during Stidham’s draft year:
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Round 1, Pick 15: Dwayne Haskins, Commanders
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Round 4, Pick 104: Ryan Finley, Bengals
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Round 5, Pick 167: Clayton Thorson, Eagles
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Round 6, Pick 197: Trace McSorley, Ravens
Of the 11 quarterbacks selected in 2019, only Kyler Murray remains with the team that drafted him. Four are out of the league, including Haskins, who tragically died after being struck by a dump truck in 2022.
Jarrett Stidham teams
Stidham has played for three different teams since being drafted by the Patriots. Below is a look at his career timeline:
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New England Patriots (2019-21)
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Denver Broncos (2023-present)
Stidham spent the first three seasons of his career with the Patriots before being traded to the Raiders ahead of the 2022 season. Stidham reunited with Josh McDaniels, who had been his offensive coordinator in New England, in Las Vegas but spent most of his lone season with the team backing up Derek Carr.
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Stidham then signed with the Broncos in free agency. He originally signed a two-year deal to join the team as a backup to Russell Wilson but inked a two-year extension on the eve of free agency in 2025.
Jarrett Stidham stats
Stidham has logged 20 appearances during his NFL career, but just four have come in starts. He has a 1-3 record as a starter, with his lone win coming in his first start for the Broncos at the end of the 2023 NFL season.
Below is a look at Stidham’s career stats:
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Comp./Att. (%): 117/197 (59.4%)
Stidham has been more efficient as a starter during his NFL career. Across his four starts, he has completed 62.5% of his passes for 1,080 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions with a 89.71 passer rating. By comparison, Nix has a 90.39 passer rating across his 36 career starts, postseason included.
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Broncos QB depth chart
The Broncos have three healthy quarterbacks in their organization with Nix out for the season. Below is the pecking order within the unit:
Ehlinger is in his first season with the Broncos after spending his first four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. The 27-year-old last attempted a pass in 2022, when he started three games, going 0-3 and completing 63.4% of his passes for 573 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Meanwhile, DiNucci joined Denver’s practice squad after Nix’s injury. The 29-year-old spent the 2023 season on the Broncos’ practice squad but was originally a seventh-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2020 NFL Draft.
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DiNucci made one career start for the Cowboys in 2020 and has completed 53.5% of his passes for 212 yards across three appearances. He hasn’t attempted a regular-season or postseason NFL pass since the 2020 season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is the Broncos starting QB? What to know about Jarrett Stidham
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