Jarrett Stidham could've given Auburn Tigers fans who hold a grudge against Bo Nix a victory on Sunday by getting the Denver Broncos past the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. Instead, Stidham fell short in the 10-7 snow-stricken loss, completing 17 of 31 passes for 133 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. Stidham also lost a fumble in the second quarter.
Now, the Broncos can hang their hat on the fact that their starting quarterback was injured. Nix haters can't point to an AFC title game win and a Super Bowl appearance to explain why Stidham could've had the team in the same spot had he been given the same chances.
"System QB" can't fairly describe Nix. It probably wouldn't have been fair to call Nix that had Stidham led Denver to victory, anyway. Now, there's not a single case to be made. And it makes sense why Nix's injury was seen as the unofficial end of the Broncos' season by some in the Mile High City.
Jarrett Stidham solidified himself as a career backup in AFC title game loss
Stidham is still under contract for another year with the Broncos, so he's probably not going anywhere this offseason. Had he played well in this game, there could've been a case to trade for him. Opposing GMs have no reason to be urgent about Stidham, since he just showed on a national stage that there's a reason he's been a backup since being drafted in 2019.
There's no shame in that, either. Tyrod Taylor is one of the most respected and revered players in the league. QB2 is a sweet job in the NFL, since QB1s, in certain markets, get ripped to shreds in ways even world leaders don't experience.
Nix was the big winner of the day, though, and in many ways, Denver was too for learning that their backup can keep them competitive in a defensive battle against a top AFC squad.
Stidham was not. Perhaps this fall he can change the narrative during a contract year.