Sean Payton Says Jarrett Stidham ‘Pissed Off’ DC Vance Joseph for Making Defense Look Bad

Jarrett Stidham will start for the Broncos in the AFC championship after Bo Nix’s shocking injury.

Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham practices before the game at Empower Field at Mile High. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Broncos are heading to the AFC championship, but will be without starting quarterback Bo Nix when the game kicks off in Denver next Sunday.

Shortly after the Broncos’ win over the Bills went final on Saturday, coach Sean Payton came back out to the podium to share that Nix had broken a bone in his ankle and that he’d be out for the rest of the team’s postseason run. Starting in his place would be backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham.

It’s a heartbreaking turn of events for Denver and Nix, but the NFL is a next man up league, and on Sunday, Payton spoke on the confidence he has in Stidham to get the job done.

"I know how he was coached in New England. I know exactly how he was coached in New England," Payton said. "And then I know how [Patriots OC Josh] McDaniels felt about him ... but ultimately ... it's our three years here, our three years watching him day in and day out that you guys don’t have access to. He will be ready to go, and ready for the moment."

Payton explained that while the rest of the world hasn’t seen Stidham play in a while, he knows what his backup is capable of based on how he’s played against the Broncos’ defense in practice.

“One of Stiddy's great strengths is his mental aptitude and his progressions and understanding plays,” Payton said. “There would be practices I'm looking at [DC] Vance [Joseph] getting pissed off because Stiddy's making our defense look bad. He's very accurate. He's got a lot to his ball."

Payton also cited the success that many teams have had with backup quarterbacks when playing in important games, from Nick Foles’s run with the Eagles to his own experience in New Orleans when Teddy Bridgewater had to step in for an injured Drew Brees.

It’s no surprise that Payton has faith in his quarterback, but hearing that he’s made the Broncos defense—one of the best in the NFL—look bad in practice is an encouraging tidbit. We’ll see if Stidham is ready for the moment come Sunday.

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