After QB Bo Nix’s Season-Ending Injury, Broncos Need Out-Of-Practice Jarrett Stidham To Come Through For Them

The Denver Broncos will advance to the conference championship for the first time since Peyton Manning was their quarterback, but they will need to proceed without their current QB, Bo Nix.

Nix broke his ankle at about the six-minute mark in overtime. It was on a QB run where he lost two yards. Nix stayed in the game and attempted a 30-yard pass to Marvin Mims. The Buffalo Bills committed a pass interference penalty, which allowed the Broncos to move the ball up 30 yards. Nix knelt the football, which stopped the clock and set up the Will Lutz game-winning field goal.

Nix showed a lot of grit playing through a serious injury. However, it’s simply not safe for him to play anymore. His season is over, and he’s expected to be ready for Week 1 of 2026. 

In the place of Nix will be Jarrett Stidham. He started his career with the Patriots in 2019, where he was Tom Brady’s backup. In 2020, he got to play a bit more after Brady left, but didn’t start a game. 

After going unsigned in 2021, he joined the Raiders in 2022. He would start the final two games of the season. Despite losing both games, he put up a great fight against the 49ers and a decent fight against the Chiefs, both playoff teams that season.

Stidham signed with the Broncos in 2023. He started the final two games of the season again. In Week 17, he obtained his first NFL victory against the Chargers. Week 18, he lost to his former team, the Raiders.

Week 18 of 2023 was the last time he threw the football in a game. He’s been the Broncos’ backup for the past two seasons, but hasn’t been needed outside of kneeling at the end of games. We’ve seen backup QBs like Nick Foles lead their team to victory, but most backup QBs who won big games had a lot more snaps under their belt than Stidham.