Mile High Report
The Denver Broncos won what may go down as one of their most memorable postseason victories over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, and the vibes were high in Mile High. However, shortly after the victory, Sean Payton announced to the world that quarterback Bo Nix, who led this team to victory, broke a bone in his ankle and would be out for the rest of the season.
Gut punch.
Next man up is preached league-wide, and the Broncos had a share of players step up for them vs. the Bills. Wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey caught a deep touchdown pass, backup safety had a key interception of Josh Allen, backup center Alex Forsyth has been starting, and now, the Broncos will be relying on the “next man up” at quarterback.
Veteran backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will start for the Broncos in the AFC Championship game and have a chance to be an unlikely hero and lead the team back to the Super Bowl. While many will be doubting the Broncos, what’s new, head coach Sean Payton had a message for anyone doubting Jarrett Stidham.
Watch out.
Payton told reporters that quarterback Jarrett Stidham is ready for this opportunity and preached his overall belief in him. He continued by saying he entered the season with a backup quarterback who he believed is capable of starting for several teams and warned all doubters to “watch out”.
“He knows… In fairness to what you’ve seen, which is very limited, he’s ready. He’s ready. I’ve said this at the beginning of the season, I feel like I have a number 2 [quarterback] that’s capable of starting for a handful of, a number of teams. I know he feels the same way. So watch out. Just watch. He’s experienced, he’s played in games.”
The confidence Payton has in Jarrett Stidham dates back to his first year with the team in 2023. Signing Stidham was a priority for the team, and Payton spoke highly of him and once again told reporters he believes that Stidham can be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
“I think he’s young, but I think he’s someone that we had a good grade on coming out. We like the player. I think he played well in the 2 starts he had this year. If you study closely the San Francisco game, he’s smart at the line of scrimmage and so, there were a couple of directions, really, with that position. There were a handful of No. 2s that either I had worked with, or we felt comfortable with. but in this case, I think, it’s a No. 2 that his arrow is moving in a direction (motions upward) where we feel like he can become an NFL starter in our league. So, the evaluation was pretty crystal clear for all of us. I think he’s someone that’s going to be great in the room. He’s smart. And, so, that was quietly an important signing for us.”
Stidham did start the...
