Jarrett Stidham Details How He Found Out He’d Start Afc Title Game After Bo Nix Injury

Jarrett Stidham has been unexpectedly thrust into nan spotlight pursuing nan devastating wounded to Bo Nix. With Nix retired for nan remainder of nan play owed to a fractured bony successful his ankle, Stidham will make his first commencement successful complete 2 years erstwhile nan Broncos look nan Patriots successful nan AFC title crippled connected Sunday.

The wounded to Nix came connected nan Broncos’ last thrust successful their 33–30 overtime triumph complete nan Bills connected Saturday, and was a astonishment since Nix vanished retired nan crippled and location was nary nationalist denotation he was earnestly wounded until coach Sean Payton announced nan wounded to nan media successful a 2nd property conference.

Speaking to reporters connected Wednesday, Stidham recalled noticing Nix was successful “some benignant of pain” connected nan sideline aft nan past drive. At that constituent though, they had nary thought nan severity of nan wounded arsenic they celebrated moving connected to nan AFC title game. Stidham said he and third-string backmost Sam Ehlinger were later some successful nan room pinch Nix arsenic doctors looked astatine him. Nix went to acquisition X-rays while Stidham went to ablution and get dressed. When he went backmost to nan training room, he recovered astir nan injury.

“Devastating for him, obviously,” Stidham said. “My bosom goes retired to him, everything he intends to this team. Obviously we wouldn’t beryllium successful this position without Bo. I cognize each of america connected discourtesy and nan full squad want to spell retired location and make him proud.”

Stidham added, “This is not astir myself first of all. Obviously my thoughts and prayers person been pinch Bo since Saturday night. It’s crushing because he’s 1 of my champion friends.”

Stidham is not nan first backup backmost to commencement a playoff crippled aliases effort to lead his squad to nan Super Bowl. In 1990, nan Giants won a Super Bowl pinch Jeff Hostetler aft Phil Simms went down precocious successful nan regular play pinch a surgery foot. More recently, nan Eagles mislaid backmost Carson Wentz successful 2017 to a torn ACL. Nick Foles filled successful and led Philadelphia to their first Super Bowl title.

Manzano: Why Jarrett Stidham Gives nan Broncos a Chance Against nan Patriots

Of course, nan large quality is those injuries took spot during nan regular season, giving Hostetler and Foles clip to set earlier a agelong playoff run. Stidham will beryllium making his first commencement of nan twelvemonth successful nan AFC title game, pinch small room for correction arsenic he tries to springiness nan Broncos a changeable astatine making nan Super Bowl.

Though location is plentifulness of uncertainty surrounding really Stidham will perform, aggregate members of nan Broncos person expressed assurance successful Stidham to lead them aft Nix’s injury.

Tackle Mike McGlinchey said of Stidham, “This feline conscionable loves football, and he’s been absorbing everything we’ve been doing. He’s been fresh for his opportunity.”

“I person nary uncertainty successful my mind that Jarrett’s going to beryllium ready,” wide receiver Courtland Sutton said, via Zac Stevens.

"He's gonna rip it. And that'll beryllium our approach,” Payton said. “He's sewage this calm demeanor that I deliberation suits him well.”

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