The Denver Broncos ended up in an unenviable position during the 2025-26 NFL Playoffs when quarterback Bo Nix fractured his right ankle, sidelining him for the rest of the year and forcing the team to pin its Super Bowl hopes on his backup, Jarrett Stidham.
Almost immediately, however, the Broncos began expressing confidence in the rarely used quarterback.
“One of Stiddy’s great strengths is his mental aptitude and his progressions and understanding play,” head coach Sean Payton told the media the day after Nix’s January 17, 2026 injury.
That’s not just coach-speak — Stidham had the confidence of his teammates as well.
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“I have no doubts that he’s going to go out there and play his butt off,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey told reporters. “And I think our team is in a perfect position with Stiddy moving forward, and we’re lucky to have him.”
Despite having the trust of his peers, Stidham entered the 2025-2026 AFC championship week as a relative unknown on a national scale. Keep scrolling for everything to know about Nix’ backup.
Jarrett Stidham Was Once Meant to Be Tom Brady’s Successor
Jarrett Stidham Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty ImagesThe New England Patriots drafted Jarrett Stidham in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, hoping he would develop into a replacement for the legendary Tom Brady. Stidham backed up Brady in the 2019 season and, when the three-time MVP left the franchise in early 2020, it looked like the path was clear for Stidham to make a name for himself.
Instead, the Patriots signed Cam Newton that summer, again relegating Stidham to the bench. After missing the entire 2021 season with an injury, he was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in May of 2022.
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Jarrett Stidham Met Wife Kennedy at Baylor University
Jarrett Stidham spent his true freshman season at Baylor in 2015, where he made an immediate impact for the Bears. That’s also where he met his wife, Kennedy Stidham (née Brown), who was on Baylor’s soccer team. Even though Jarrett transferred to Auburn after one year, the two stayed together and eventually married in 2019.
Jarrett and Kennedy Stidham Have 3 Kids
Jarrett and Kennedy Stidham Courtesy of Jarrett Stidham/InstagramJarrett and Kennedy Stidham welcomed daughters Lennon in 2022 and Nella in 2025, as well as son Madden in 2024.
When the couple announced Nella’s arrival in October 2025, officially becoming a family of five, WAGs from around the league congratulated them via Instagram.
“Can’t wait to meet the perfect baby girl,” Miami Dolphins quarterback Zach Wilson’s wife, Nicolette, wrote.
Laura Kruk, fiancée of Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster added, “Congratulations.”
Fittingly, Nix’ wife, Izzy, hosted a surprise baby shower for Kennedy in September.
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Before the 2025-26 Playoffs, Jarrett Stidham Had Not Thrown a Pass in 2 Years
Jarrett Stidham has his team’s trust, but that is almost entirely based on his performance in practice. In fact, Jarrett entered the 2025-26 playoffs having not thrown a pass in a regular season game in two years.
That didn’t seem to worry Mike McGlinchey.
“He’s more prepared than anybody would be in this situation,” McGlinchey said. “And he can ball. Like, he can flat-out play quarterback. And we’ve seen it every single day of practice.”
Payton added, “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.”
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Jarrett Stidham Will Become 7th QB to Not Start a Game Until the Playoffs
Jarrett Stidham is poised to enter exclusive company when he takes the field against the Patriots in the AFC title game. He will be the seventh quarterback ever to make his first start of the season in the playoffs, joining Roger Staubach, Gary Danielson, Frank Reich, Joe Webb, Connor Cook and Taylor Heinicke.
Of those six, Reich, who played for the Buffalo Bills, was the only one to win his debut, helping Buffalo to two wins in the 1992 playoffs. Webb, of the 2012 Minnesota Vikings, was the only one who had not thrown a single pass all year.
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