Sean Payton on Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham: ‘Watch out”

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 final two games of that season after the Broncos benched Russell Wilson, and he held the job throughout the offseason and into training camp, even with Bo Nix on the roster. As we know, Bo would end up winning the quarterback competition, but one could argue that Stidham had the better overall summer that season. He played well and played well again this past preseason when he looked accurate, made plays down the field, and used his legs. Now, a preseason game is not even close to the AFC Championship Game, but the last time we saw Stidham play, he looked good.

Chase Daniel, who served as Drew Brees’ backup with the Saints, said last night that Payton is not going to change the gameplan all that much. We are going to see Stiddy slinging the ball, and the gameplan is not changing all that much with him under center.

If the Broncos want to reach the Super Bowl, they are going to need Stidham to sling the ball and repeat his preseason success in the AFC Championship Game. It’s a completely different animal, and this will be Stidham’s first postseason game and the biggest game of his career, but he has a shot to lead the Broncos to the Super Bowl and become a legend in Broncos history.

Go shock the world, Stiddy!