He has not thrown an NFL pass for two years – now he is one game from the Super Bowl

In the midst of Saturday’s play-off celebrations, the «most unusual» NFL season in years got even stranger.

The Denver Broncos had just beaten the Buffalo Bills to move within one win of the Super Bowl when head coach Sean Payton revealed that, on one of the last plays of the game, quarterback Bo Nix suffered a broken ankle.

In his second year in the NFL, Nix has led Denver to the AFC’s top seed and the AFC Championship game, but he has now been denied a shot at Super Bowl glory.

Then as the NFL world reacted to that cruel blow, it dawned who would be tasked with keeping the Broncos’ championship hopes alive: Jarrett Stidham.

Denver’s back-up is set to become the first quarterback to make his first start of the season in the Conference Championships since Roger Staubach in 1972.

It got stranger still on Sunday as the New England Patriots, the team that drafted Stidham in 2019, booked a trip to Denver this weekend.

So now the man once seen as the heir apparent to Tom Brady will face the legendary quarterback’s eventual successor, Drake Maye, for a place in Super Bowl 60.

Two months after New England’s sixth and most recent Super Bowl win in 2019, Stidham was selected in the fourth round of the draft.

He was Brady’s back-up for his 20th and final season with the Patriots, before coach Bill Belichick signed Cam Newton in 2020, putting Stidham into a quarterback competition with the former Most Valuable Player.

Newton prevailed, although Stidham made a handful of relief appearances as the veteran struggled, so the Patriots made Mac Jones the next potential Brady successor with a first-round draft pick in 2021.

Stidham then underwent back surgery and after not playing at all in 2021, he was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, making his first two NFL starts at the end of that season.

Stidham moved on again in 2023 to Denver and has remained a back-up, so after seven seasons in the NFL the 29-year-old has played in 20 games, with just four starts.

But there is clearly something about him that New England like. Josh McDaniels was the Patriots’ offensive coordinator during Stidham’s three years at Foxborough and shortly after becoming the Raiders’ head coach, he brought in Stidham.

Then after McDaniels returned to the Patriots under new head coach Mike Vrabel in the off-season, they considered re-signing Stidham to become Drake Maye’s back-up.

During his NFL career, Stidham has completed 117 of 197 passes (59.4%), throwing eight touchdown passes and eight interceptions.

«I think he sees things really well,» added Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a Patriots player.

«I think he’s athletic enough to extend [plays]. The accuracy, the decision making – he’s really decisive in the games that we went back and watched.»

Losing your first-choice quarterback often ruins a team’s season. But 12 players have led their team to a Super Bowl after starting the season as their back-up QB, including Brady in the 2001 campaign.

And this week coach Payton reminded anyone writing off Denver that «all bets weren’t off» when other back-ups defied the odds.

«There’s always a chance,» said former NFL coach Phil McGeoghan.

«[Losing Nix] kind of takes the wind out of the sail, but the reason they have a chance is that defence and the overall coaching staff. Sean Payton can protect Stidham, he’s a very smart play caller.»

Some consider Payton an offensive genius and he gave an example why in Saturday’s win over Buffalo, dialling up a play which saw offensive tackle Frank Crum score with his first career reception.

Stidham has not thrown a pass in an NFL game for two years but Payton believes he will not be overawed, and the 62-year-old will tailor his gameplan.

That could include leaning on the run game as JK Dobbins may return. The 27-year-old running back is the Broncos’ leading rusher this season, despite missing two months with a foot injury.

«The plan always has to be built around the type and skillset of the players you’re playing with,» said Payton, whose 194 wins as a head coach include the New Orleans Saints’ Super Bowl triumph in 2010.

«Are there certain things that Bo does differently than Stiddy? Absolutely. That’s where the work begins.

«It’s our three years here, watching him day-in, day-out, that you guys don’t have access to. He will be ready to go and ready for the moment.»

Much of Payton’s confidence stems from the fact Stidham has been practising against one of the NFL’s best defences, led by defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

«One of [Stidham’s] great strengths is his mental aptitude and his progressions in understanding plays,» said Payton.

«There’d be practices where I’m looking at Vance, like getting [angry] because Stiddy is making our defence look bad. He’s very accurate. He has a lot to his ball.»

Denver have led the league for sacks in each of the past two seasons and been in the top three for rushing defence, red zone defence and fewest points allowed.

In his first full season as New England’s starting quarterback, Maye is a leading MVP contender having guided them to a 14-3 record with the NFL’s best completion rate (72%).

But only three quarterbacks were sacked more often in the regular season and the 23-year-old, who was the third overall draft pick in 2024, has been sacked 10 times and had five turnovers in the Patriots’ first two play-off games.

«Vance Joseph’s had some very sophisticated pass protection schemes, and he can confuse and rattle Maye, who is still a young man,» said McGeoghan.

«He struggled at times against the Houston defence [in the previous play-off round]. Denver’s is very much similar when it comes to pressure, and may be more complex.»

NFL analyst Phoebe Schecter added: «Coach Vrabel has talked about how Maye utilises his legs and how enamored he is by his arm, and the different arm angles [he uses to throw].

«But he is very sackable, he’s held the ball at the sixth longest rate, so the Broncos’ defensive line are going to be licking their chops at the idea of getting not just a sack, but a sack fumble. That defence is the reason why Denver can win.»

Conference seed in brackets, all kick-off times GMT

Sunday, 25 January

AFC: New England Patriots (2) @ Denver Broncos (1) – 20:00

NFC: Los Angeles Rams (5) @ Seattle Seahawks (1) – 23:30