How Jarrett Stidham’s Time With Raiders Gives Perspective on Championship Weekend

The Las Vegas Raiders' divisional foe, the Denver Broncos, will try to advance to the Super Bowl with a former Raiders QB leading the way. Multiple former Raiders shared their thoughts.

Jan 7, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham (3) throws against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders are at home, as they missed the playoffs again. While this has become a regular occurrence for the Raiders, the rest of the AFC West has continued to trend upward, most recently the Denver Broncos. Denver is in the playoffs for the second season in a row.

After spiraling into mediocrity for years, the Broncos hired a competent head coach, Sean Payton, and drafted a solid quarterback, Bo Nix, who still needed development. Nix progressed quickly, notably after facing the Raiders at home in his rookie season.

Denver's Blueprint

The Raiders landed Nix, and have not missed the playoffs since. They had not won more than eight games in the eight seasons before Nix was drafted. Denver is a game away from the Super Bowl in just Nix's second season in the league. It's amazing what a competent coach and quarterback can do.

Still, Las Vegas will watch former Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham lead the Broncos on championship weekend following Nix's injury against the Buffalo Bills last weekend. This presents a different challenge for both the Broncos and their opponent on Sunday.

Las Vegas Raiders Derek Carr (4) gets sacked by Pittsburgh Steelers Cameron Heyward (97) during the second half at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on December 24, 2022. Pittsburgh Steelers Vs Las Vegas Raiders Week 16 | Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former Raiders Head Coach Josh McDaniels, now with the New England Patriots, praised Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who is set to replace Nix on Sunday in the AFC Championship. McDaniels and Stidham spent time together in Las Vegas for a season.

“Smart, accurate, great human being. Worked hard, great teammate. Just hadn’t had an opportunity, based on the situations and those kinds of things. But, just enjoyed working with him, enjoyed my time with him," McDaniels said ahead of Sunday's matchup against Stidham.

Oct 30, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels checks his play sheet on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of their game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr also recently shared his thoughts on Nix's situation, specifically. Carr also suffered a season-ending injury at a critical point in the Raiders' season in 2016. Carr noted his ability to identify with what Nix and the Broncos are going through at the moment.

“My heart absolutely just broke because I know that feeling. Literally. ‘Hey, guess what? You got to this point, we have 12 wins, we have one more game left, and you’re hitting the playoffs,’ and it’s over. All that work, all that excitement, all those passes, all the hits, it doesn’t matter. It’s over. For you," Carr said.

Jan 7, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham (3) is chased by Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis (56) in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

As the Raiders look to rebuild their roster from the ground up, they can look to the Broncos for an idea of how to turn things around quickly. They could also hire Davis Webb from the Broncos' coaching staff to help their efforts. Time will tell.

Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) scrambles against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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