Bo Nix's Two Superpowers Won't be Easy for Jarrett Stidham to Replicate But He Must

The good news, the Broncos' players surrounding Jarrett Stidham can help him pull it off.

Dec 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) and quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) run out for player introductions prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Jarrett Stidham has been given the opportunity of a lifetime. It's what every backup quarterback across the fruited plain dreams of.

Although Stidham has not thrown a pass since the 2025 season began, he will start at quarterback for the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game vs. the New England Patriots. There are many examples of backups leading a team to Super Bowl triumph, but Stidham's opportunity is unprecedented because no one has ever stepped in this late without throwing a pass, and that includes the great Roger Staubach in 1972.

Bo Nix's efforts over 17 regular-season games and last week's 33-30 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round have afforded Stidham this opportunity to become a backup legend. Stidham appreciates and understands that he and the Broncos wouldn't be here without Nix's Mile High Magic.

"My heart goes out to him and everything that he means to this team because obviously we wouldn’t be in this position without Bo," Stidham said on Wednesday. "I just want to go… I know all of us on offense and I know the whole team, we want to go out there and make him proud this Sunday.”

Replicating Nix's Superpowers

It's often said that Nix's superpower is avoiding the sack. I would add his clutch gene, that uncanny ability to deliver his absolute best when the chips are down, to his list of superpowers.

Can Stidham avoid the Patriots' pass rush, playing behind a top-rated Broncos offensive line led by two All-Pros? I like his chances. What I'm not sure about is how Stidham will comport himself in those gotta-have-it moments.

At least Stidham understands the importance of clutch-time quarterbacking.

“I think there are a few things that go into it. Obviously, being prepared and having a plan for those types of situations," Stidham said on Thursday. "Whether it’s having a plan in two-minute situation when you’re down a couple of scores, and you have to score fast, all those types of things come into play. Then, obviously, just being able to execute."

Preparation is always key. Sean Payton emphasizes situational football in practice, and that ante has been upped since the Broncos began preparing for this playoff run.

The good news is, Stidham is renowned for his preparation. Poise under fire is also crucial, and Payton said this week that Stidham's preparation and calmness are "elite." It's an encouraging message emanating from Broncos HQ, but it has to come out in the wash on gameday.

"Obviously, Bo has done a great job of that, and he’s put that on display a ton this year," Stidham said. "You have to have trust in the guys around you and that sort of thing. So like I said, I think there’s just a couple of things that go into that.”

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Will to Win

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 16: Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) lines up at quarterback during a preseason game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on August 16, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. | Dustin Bradford / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

When it comes to the two-minute drill — when it comes to find-a-way-make-a-way situations — willpower is the penultimate attribute that separates the good from the great. Nix's will to win in critical situations — when the game is on the line — has emerged as a bona fide elite trait.

Nix's will to win is rare. It can't be easily replicated by another quarterback, but all those triumphant experiences that Nix led this season were shared by the 10 other guys on offense, not to mention the big-time plays the Broncos' defense has made in the clutch.

Some of that late-game belief and fourth-quarter willpower had to rub off on Nix's teammates, even if by osmosis. That's why Payton challenged his calloused team to elevate its game around Stidham, who hasn't played in a meaningful NFL game in over 700 days.

“He’s practicing repping. So when I say callus, though—battle-tested," Payton explained. "I’m not listening, and I say this respectfully, and I told the team this. I said, ‘I’m not worried about ‘Stiddy’ in this game. I’m worried about everyone else, all right, and how we play.’ That really is the truth.”

Inclement Weather Forecast

Jan 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; A view outside the stadium before the game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

With Sunday's weather in Denver expected to be in the teens and snowy, it will be interesting to see how Payton game-plans for Stidham. There was hope that running back J.K. Dobbins would be activated for the AFC championship, but he was ruled out on Friday.

How Payton is going to manufacture a ground attack without Dobbins in this do-or-die opportunity to advance to Super Bowl 60 is anybody's guess. The conditions will require some ground-and-pound, but that hasn't been — let's just say — the Broncos' strong suit since Week 10 when Dobbins went down.

Payton has greenlit Stidham to "let it rip," and that message began on the very night that Nix's season-ending ankle injury was announced. The elements might throw a wrench in that wheel, but then again, Payton has never been the type to bow to conventional thinking, so why would he bow to the weather?

What Broncos Country can trust is that Payton will have a good plan for Stidham. Whether the Broncos can execute it against a top defense like New England's remains to be seen, but I'm cautiously optimistic, especially because this game will be played at Empower Field at Mile High with fans in full-throated attendance.

“I think we’ll just see how the game unfolds. That’s obviously up to Sean, how he wants to call the game to start out," Stidham said. "Just really excited to get out there, and I think once the ball is snapped, that first play, it’s just football at that point so it’ll be fun.”

If the best predictor of the future is the past, then we can safely assume that the AFC championship game is going to come down to the final minutes. That's just been how the cookie has crumbled for the Broncos this season.

In order for Stidham to really kick off the 'Stiddy City' legend, the time will come when he'll have to deliver in the clutch like his close friend, Nix.