Two Years Without a Throw, One Win From the Super Bowl: Jarrett Stidham Unlikely NFL Moment

The NFL has a habit of delivering storylines that feel too strange to be real, and this postseason might be one of its finest examples. Just when it seemed the script for the Super Bowl was beginning to settle, everything shifted in the space of a few chaotic minutes on Saturday night.

The Denver Broncos had just taken down the Buffalo Bills, a gritty playoff win that pushed them to within one victory of the Super Bowl. The celebrations were still echoing around the stadium when head coach Sean Payton dropped a bombshell: quarterback Bo Nix, the engine behind Denver’s remarkable season, had broken his ankle on one of the final plays.

In an instant, Denver’s championship dream looked fragile. Nix, in only his second NFL season, had guided the Broncos to the AFC’s top seed and within touching distance of Super Bowl glory. Now, his postseason was over.

And then came the next twist. The man tasked with keeping Denver’s Super Bowl hopes alive is Jarrett Stidham — a quarterback who has not thrown a pass in an NFL game for two full years and has barely featured as a starter in seven seasons.

Jarrett Stidham Steps Into the Spotlight at the Perfectly Wrong Time

Stidham’s sudden promotion is historic. When he lines up in the AFC Championship game, he will become the first quarterback since Roger Staubach in 1972 to make his first start of the season in a conference championship.

As if that wasn’t strange enough, fate added another layer of drama on Sunday. The New England Patriots — the franchise that drafted Stidham back in 2019 — secured their place in the AFC Championship and will travel to Denver this weekend.

So now, the man once viewed as a potential heir to Tom Brady will face Drake Maye, the Patriots’ latest franchise quarterback and Brady’s long-term successor, with a place in Super Bowl 60 on the line.

For a league obsessed with narratives, this one feels almost deliberately crafted.

From Tom Brady’s Shadow to NFL Journeyman

New England Patriots quarterbacks Tom Brady and Jarrett Stidham warm up during the 2019 season

Jarrett Stidham’s NFL story has been anything but straightforward. Selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2019 draft, he arrived in New England just two months after their sixth and most recent Super Bowl triumph.

He spent his rookie season as Tom Brady’s backup during the legendary quarterback’s final year in Foxborough. When Brady left for Tampa Bay, many assumed Stidham would be given a genuine chance to take over. Instead, Bill Belichick signed Cam Newton, pushing Stidham into a competition with a former MVP.

Newton won the job, though Stidham did see limited action as injuries and inconsistency crept in. By 2021, New England had moved on again, selecting Mac Jones in the first round. Stidham underwent back surgery that year and did not play a single snap.

A trade to the Las Vegas Raiders followed in 2022, where he finally made his first two NFL starts late in the season. Another move came in 2023, this time to Denver, where he has remained firmly in a backup role.

After seven seasons, the numbers are modest: 20 games played, four starts, eight touchdown passes, eight interceptions. On paper, it hardly screams “Super Bowl quarterback.”

Why Coaches Keep Believing in Jarrett Stidham

Yet, despite his limited game time, Stidham continues to earn trust behind the scenes. Josh McDaniels, who coached him in New England, brought him to Las Vegas. When McDaniels returned to the Patriots under new head coach Mike Vrabel, there was even internal discussion about re-signing Stidham as Drake Maye’s backup.

Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a Patriots linebacker, is a fan.

“I think he sees things really well,” Vrabel said. “He’s athletic enough to extend plays. The accuracy, the decision-making — he’s really decisive.”

Those qualities matter now more than ever.

Sean Payton’s Confidence and the Backup Quarterback Blueprint

Losing a starting quarterback usually ends Super Bowl dreams. But NFL history says otherwise. Twelve quarterbacks have led their teams to a Super Bowl after beginning the season as backups, including a certain Tom Brady in 2001.

Sean Payton is well aware of that history.

“There’s always a chance,” said former NFL coach Phil McGeoghan. “Losing Nix takes the wind out of the sail, but the reason they still have a chance is the defense and the coaching staff. Sean Payton can protect Stidham. He’s a very smart play caller.”

Payton’s reputation as an offensive mind is well-earned. Against Buffalo, he even dialed up a trick play that saw offensive tackle Frank Crum score his first career touchdown reception — a reminder that creativity will be crucial.

Stidham hasn’t thrown a competitive pass in two years, but Payton insists that won’t define him.

“It’s our three years here, watching him day in, day out,” Payton said. “He will be ready to go and ready for the moment.”

Defense, Pressure, and a Path to the Super Bowl

Much of Denver’s confidence comes from its defense. Under coordinator Vance Joseph, the Broncos have been relentless, leading the league in sacks in each of the past two seasons. They rank among the NFL’s best in rushing defense, red-zone defense, and points allowed.

Payton believes Stidham has been sharpened by facing that unit in practice.

“There’d be practices where I’m looking at Vance like, ‘Are you kidding me?’” Payton said. “Stiddy was making our defense look bad. He’s very accurate. He has a lot on his ball.”

That defensive pressure could be decisive against Drake Maye, who is enjoying a sensational rookie season. The 23-year-old has led New England to a 14-3 record, boasts the league’s best completion percentage, and is firmly in the MVP conversation.

But he is also vulnerable. Maye has been sacked frequently and has already turned the ball over five times in two playoff games.

“Denver can confuse and rattle him,” McGeoghan explained. “Their pressure schemes are complex, and Maye is still learning.”

NFL analyst Phoebe Schecter agrees.

“He holds the ball a long time,” she said. “The Broncos’ defensive line will be licking their chops, especially thinking about sack fumbles. That defense is why Denver can win.”

An NFL Fairytale Waiting for Its Final Chapter

Jarrett Stidham career has lived in the margins — backup roles, short opportunities, quiet exits. Now, with no warning and no warm-up, he is one game away from the Super Bowl.

He doesn’t need to be spectacular. He just needs to be steady, protected by Sean Payton’s play-calling and backed by one of the NFL’s most aggressive defenses.

Two years without a pass. Seven seasons of waiting. One chance to rewrite everything.

That is the NFL at its most unpredictable — and its most compelling.