Suddenly, despite being the No. 1 seed in the conference, the Broncos became big underdogs ahead of the matchup against the New England Patriots. However, Sean Payton showed a shocking confidence in what was to come.

On the road to the Super Bowl, Payton assured that Jarrett Stidham was more than capable of taking over the starting quarterback role and that, from his perspective, he could easily be QB1 for many teams in the NFL, all while knowing that Stidham has not thrown a pass in two years.

Who is Broncos starting QB?

Jarrett Stidham will be the starting quarterback for the Broncos against the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. Interestingly, Stidham was selected by New England in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In 2022 he was with the Las Vegas Raiders, and in 2023 the QB signed with Denver.

Who is the backup QB for the Denver Broncos?

Sam Ehlinger is the backup quarterback for the Denver Broncos. This applies not only to the AFC Championship Game but also to a hypothetical Super Bowl, as Bo Nix will not return.

After the Broncos’ win over the Bills, it was confirmed that Nix suffered a fracture in one of his ankles. The injury required surgery, and according to insider Adam Schefter on X, the QB will be sidelined for at least 12 weeks.

With this news confirmed, any miraculous theories suggesting that Nix might still be able to play in a potential Super Bowl if his team defeats the Patriots today at Empower Field at Mile High are now dashed.

Full confidence in Stidham

Bo Nix’s significant setback left many in the Broncos’ facilities stunned. However, Sean Payton, a seasoned veteran of the league, has full confidence in what Jarrett Stidham can bring to the team.

“I’m not worried about Stiddy in this game,” the experienced head coach Sean Payton told reporters Friday via ESPN.com. “I’m worried about everyone else and how we play. That really is the truth.”

One step away from the goal

The Denver Broncos will face the New England Patriots today, Sunday, January 25, 2026, at Empower Field at Mile High. Kickoff for this AFC Championship thriller is set for 1:00 PM local time (3:00 PM ET), with Colorado’s own Nathaniel Rateliff scheduled to perform a powerful rendition of the national anthem just before the action begins.

Jarrett Stidham has taken over as the Broncos’ starting quarterback following Bo Nix’s injury. Fortunately, Denver is trying to help him feel more comfortable by adding two more weapons to the offense.

On Saturday, the Broncos elevated wide receivers Elijah Moore and Michael Bandy from the practice squad to the active roster. They will add depth to Stidham’s offense at a much-needed moment for the new QB1.

Who is injured for the Broncos?

In the latest injury report, the Broncos confirmed that tight end Lucas Krull, linebacker Drew Sanders, running back J.K. Dobbins, and quarterback Bo Nix are out for the AFC Championship Game.

On the questionable list are centers Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth, wide receiver Troy Franklin, and safety JL Skinner. Franklin, Forsyth, and Skinner were limited participants in Saturday’s practice, while Wattenberg was a full participant.

Who is injured for the Patriots?

On Friday, the Patriots dealt Drake Maye bad news, as a key teammate was ruled out for the AFC Championship Game. Star pass rusher Harold Landry will not participate, a crucial loss for the defense.

Linebacker Marte Mapu and wide receiver Mack Hollins are both listed as questionable. In Hollins’ case, it appears his availability will be a game-time decision against Denver.

“It means a lot, any time you step into a situation like this, I just want to go out there and play the absolute best I can for the guys in this locker room,” Stidham said to the press. “That’s all I care about. It’s great to have the support of the guys around me, and thankfully I’ve got a ton of amazing guys, amazing human beings in the locker room, but also amazing football players.” The Broncos QB is a team player to the highest of levels.

And there is reason to think the team actually has Stidham’s back. In the end, Sean Payton endorsed him and even a Patriots coach warned his own team about Stidham’s ability. So the confidence is high.

Stidham’s actual success is measured on other stuff

The way the Broncos can win this game is because of their elite defense. Stidham’s job is to not give the ball away, and try to move the chains a bit to prolong the drives so the defense gets some rest. However, the defense is the best way they win this game.

Drake Maye has a fumble problem. The Broncos could make damage and they also have a top-tier secondary. If Stidham doesn’t lose the game, the Broncos have a fair chance to win the game. Still, it will be a very hard-fought battle.

Sean Payton has to adjust massively

Sean Payton has designed quite a pass-happy offense for this Broncos team. In fact, Bo Nix had the most pass attempts this NFL season. Things must change with Stidham under center. It wouldn’t be wise to put a guy who hasn’t thrown a pass in two years to throw that much.

The Patriots have a great defense and Stidham shouldn’t be slinging it around 35-40 times. The running game should improve and Stidham’s passes should be short-to-intermediate levels. Hence, Payton must adjust his playbook.

Josh McDaniels is an old fox in this NFL business. The Patriots offensive coordinator has been around the block and he worked with Bill Belichick. During Thursday’s press conference, McDaniels said Stidham is “smart, accurate, great human being.” Then he expanded, “He’ll be ready to go this week, for sure.”

That’s a self-warning to the team. However, that’s not the only warning they’ve received before their game against the Broncos. The fact is that while Maye is an MVP contender, his postseason play hasn’t been as great, and the Broncos have a top-tier defense.

Stidham has been praised by everyone recently

Sean Payton stated that Stidham could be a starter in plenty of teams in this league. Now, McDaniels is also praising him. Even cornerback Pat Surtain II said good things about Stidham as well. It’s a lot for a guy who has only four starts in the NFL at this point in his career.

Stidham has a career record of 1-3, completing 59.4% of his passes for eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. Those are not numbers to wow at, but everyone is taking big swings in building up Stidham’s reputation.

The AFC Championship Game is still not bringing credibility to the Pats

Many of the Patriots doubters are not done yet. One would assume that getting all the way to an AFC Championship Game would calm the claims, but the fact is the fuel has been igniting even more. In the Wild Card Round, the Chargers had basically no offensive line, hence, Patriots doubters said that was the reason they won. In the Divisional Round, CJ Stroud had four interceptions and arguably lost the game for the Texans. Finally, now against the Broncos they are not facing Bo Nix due to injury, hence going against Jarrett Stidham.

This all makes the Patriots path too easy to go to the Super Bowl. However, if they do win vs. Denver, they would be 60 minutes away from glory and no one could deny that, no matter what. The Pats are at the verge of positioning themselves as a top-tier franchise once again.

The Broncos lived a bittersweet moment on Saturday. While they defeated the Bills to advance to the AFC Championship Game, they lost Bo Nix in the final moments of the matchup to a tough ankle injury that is set to sideline him for the remainder of the 2026 NFL playoffs.

Denver is now turning the page and focusing on what comes next. In that regard, they will have to rely on Jarrett Stidham to guide the offense, and it appears the confidence in the quarterback is strong within the locker room.

Pat Surtain, Nik Bonitto set clear expectations for Jarrett Stidham

The Broncos are in the AFC Championship Game for a reason. Even Bo Nix, despite suffering a season-ending injury, has sent a warning to the rest of the NFL about his team, and the rest of the roster stands behind those words.

Pat Surtain II, the star cornerback and team captain, believes the Broncos’ season is far from over despite Nix’s injury. Surtain has expressed strong faith in Jarrett Stidham and emphasized that the defense will step up to support him in this crucial matchup.

“Honestly, bro, he’s got a lot of confidence to him,” Surtain said about Stidham on the Closed on Sunday podcast. “Before Bo (Nix) got hurt, he was on the scout team going against the first-team defense, and he was making some crazy throws during practice. I think he’s prepared for the moment. He’s a proven guy in this league. He’s got everybody behind him. People forget he has the experience of playing with Tom Brady in New England.”

Nik Bonitto, a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, echoed Surtain’s confidence. The elite pass rusher believes “Stiddy” has what it takes to lead the offense and help take the Broncos to Super Bowl LX.

“We’ve got all the confidence in ‘Stiddy,’” Bonitto said about Stidham stepping up as QB1. “I know the offense will keep it rolling. And, you know, it’s on us on the defense to help him out.”

How many Super Bowls have the Broncos played?

The Broncos are close to making history. They could become the outright second team with the most Super Bowl appearances, as they are currently tied for second with the Steelers, Cowboys, and 49ers at eight appearances each.

Denver has won three Super Bowls and lost five. If they reach Super Bowl LX and win, they would tie the Chiefs, Packers, and Giants with four Vince Lombardi Trophies.

“When we had that last drive of the game, Bo comes off the sideline and you could tell he was in some sort of pain, but, we didn’t really know. Obviously, we were all excited that we’re going to the AFC Championship Game. Then, we get back to the locker room, we didn’t really find out until the X-rays came back. It was just devastating for him. My heart goes out to him and everything that he means to this team. We wouldn’t be in this position without Bo. We want to make him proud.”

Now, the Broncos will look to reach the Super Bowl with Stidham at the helm against one of the best defenses in the NFL. In addition, Drake Maye showed throughout the entire season that he is a very strong candidate to be named MVP.

Broncos lose Bo Nix after season ending injury

Bo Nix suffered an ankle injury that required surgery. As a result, the star quarterback will not be able to return in the playoffs to help the Denver Broncos. This has caused all the attention to be focused on Jarrett Stidham.

“This is not about myself. Obviously, my thoughts and prayers have been with Bo. It’s crushing because he’s one of my best friends. I probably spend more time with him than his wife does right now. That’s just the nature of the business that we’re in. I see Bo more than I see my kids.”

For Stidham, it was very sad to see one of his close friends watch his dream of competing for a championship on the field get crushed. “You spend so much time with someone. You see how hard he works and how good of a teammate he is. And then that happens and you just feel crushed for him and everything.”

Stidham is ready to silence all the NFL doubters. “I’m just fired up for the opportunity for these guys. At the end of the day, it’s still football. That’s how I view it. I’m not treating my preparation any differently. I’m just going to go out there and play and be myself. I’m not going to try to be somebody that I’m not. I know how I can play. We all just have to play within ourselves.”

Bo Nix suffered a devastating ankle injury in the Divisional Round against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. That’s why Stidham will get the opportunity of a lifetime, with the full support of his head coach Sean Payton, who has said he isn’t worried because he sees his backup QB at a starter level in the NFL.

Broncos backup QB after Bo Nix’s injury

Jarrett Stidham will have a full week of preparation for the huge challenge of replacing Bo Nix. He is only the second quarterback in NFL history whose first start in a season comes in a Conference Championship Game. The other was Roger Staubach with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1972 season.

“Look, I think every week going back to when I was backing up Russell Wilson, I’ve always prepared the same every single week like I am the starter. Just hasn’t obviously been that way minus two weeks. So, my preparation hasn’t changed one bit. That’s just kind of how I view it.”

The Broncos had a great season with a 14-3 record, winning the AFC West over the Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, as the No. 1 seed, they will have the advantage of hosting the AFC Championship Game, but with a backup at the helm. A real uphill battle.

“He’s got this calm demeanor that I think suits him well. He’s played in big games in college football. I said this at the start of the season, I felt like our two was inside the best 32. I think everyone feels that way, but that’s why that signing was important. You don’t know when it’s happening, but I’m glad it happened. That acquisition.”

Nix was injured during overtime in the game against the Buffalo Bills. Although at first there were no signs of a problem, Payton confirmed after the victory in Denver that Bo needed surgery.

Who will be starting quarterback for Broncos vs Patriots?

Jarrett Stidham will be the starting quarterback for the Broncos against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. In recent days, Sean Payton has spoken highly of him, even though he hasn’t taken a snap in nearly two years.

Are the Broncos underdogs vs Patriots in AFC Championship Game?

Yes. The Broncos are 5.5-point underdogs before facing the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. Bo Nix’s injury has caused an impressive seven-point swing, making Drake Maye’s team a clear favorite.

J.K. Dobbins saw his impressive season with the Broncos come to an end after sustaining a foot injury. However, against all odds, the dynamic tailback has been activated off Injured Reserve (IR) and could make his return on Championship Sunday of the 2025 NFL season. He last played in Week 10, when Denver defeated the Las Vegas Raiders, 10–7. Now, Dobbins could return to NFL action 80 days after his last appearance.

Dobbins participated in Denver’s Wednesday practice ahead of the AFC title game on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High. Though nothing comes close to filling the void left by Nix’s absence, Dobbins’ potential return could help ease the pressure on Stidham. Moreover, it gives Mike Vrabel and the Patriots another thing to worry about going into the game.

Limited participant

Though being back on the practice field is great news for Dobbins and the Broncos, the 27-year-old talent out of the Ohio State University was listed as a limited participant. That means he is still not healthy enough to fully participate.

If his status doesn’t change heading into Sunday, then the odds won’t be on his side to play against New England. At the very least, not to be sent into the field consistently. For the Broncos, there isn’t much upside to using an active roster spot on a player if he can’t be trusted to go at any moment of the game. Even if that player is someone like Dobbins, who elevates Denver’s backfield to another level when healthy.

Unfortunately for Dobbins, injuries have been a common theme throughout his career. Availability is the best ability and it’s the one that leaves Dobbins out of the conversation for the top running backs in the league.

Payton warns the Pats

Brady’s successor, the Auburn product (a Baylor transfer), will get a chance to cap off a full-circle storyline. The Broncos are different with Stidham as QB1—that’s undeniable—but head coach Sean Payton has no reason to believe that’s necessarily a bad thing.

“[Stidham is] going to rip it and that will be our approach,” Payton said, warning the Patriots not to take Stidham nor these Broncos for granted. In the NFL Playoffs, anything can happen. Improbable heroes and underdog stories have occurred before. None quite like Stidham’s, though, but that might be just the perfect motivation.

The tale of the game

When the Broncos and Patriots collide, two suffocating defenses will clash, while an MVP favorite will go head to head with a veteran backup who was once in his shoes. It may not be the flashiest of matchups, but it sure has a lot of emotion behind it.

Denver and New England meet in the AFC Championship Game. Both franchises have been here before, but the young rosters on each side have not. This game will be unlike any other—it will be the biggest of their careers, with only the winner moving on to an even bigger stage.

“Denver Broncos are signing veteran quarterback Ben DiNucci to their practice squad, per source. He rejoins the team he played for two seasons ago.” He joins Sam Ehlinger, who is the other quarterback on the roster.

The Broncos seemed like favorites to reach the Super Bowl after defeating the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round, but Nix’s injury has changed all of Payton and his staff’s plans.

Who is Broncos starting quarterback?

Jarred Stidham will be the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. Bo Nix fractured his right ankle in the victory over the Bills and is out for the rest of the season.

Who is Broncos backup QB?

Sam Ehlinger would be the backup quarterback for the Broncos given the current situation with Nix. However, the arrival of DiNucci is clearly to have another QB in case of emergency.