Former Broncos safety T.J. Ward on Bo Nix’s backup quarterback: “I’m very confident in Jarret Stidham”

Heading into this weekend’s AFC Championship Game, there is one major unknown for the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos finished the regular season top of the AFC West with a 14-3 record and just dispatched the Buffalo Bills in a dramatic overtime win last weekend. But a freak injury to quarterback Bo Nix has ruled him out for the remainder of the season, damaging the team’s hopes of a Super Bowl triumph.

With Nix out, the Broncos will turn to backup QB Jarret Stidham for Sunday’s matchup against the Patriots. Stidham has not thrown a meaningful NFL pass since 2023 but is now tasked with leading the team to a fourth-ever championship.

Broncos stars has “complete faith” in Stidham

Fortunately he has support from a member of the last Broncos team to win a Super Bowl, former Denver safety T.J. Ward. In an appearance on the Up and Adams Show this week, Ward insisted that the backup QB can get it done for Denver.

“I’m very confident in Jarrett Stidham, man,” Ward said. “He’s a vet in his own right. He’s played for the Patriots as well. And when I seen him in the preseason, I thought he was really good... In an emergency, he’s gonna be great for us. And we are in an emergency, but we’ve seen it done.”

“We’ve seen backups carry the torch and get the team for the Super Bowl and win it,” Ward continued. “So, you know I got complete faith in the whole team, and coach Payton, and that defense, first and foremost, man. We rolled on the back of that defense the entire year. … I think we can go to the Super Bowl and win it, with Stidham.”

Of course, there is one very notable example of a backup coming in to lead a team to postseason glory. The Philadelphia Eagles’ triumph in 2017 came despite a late-season injury to starting quarterback Carson Wentz.

With Wentz ruled out, Nick Foles led the Eagles through their successful playoff run and was named MVP at Super Bowl LII. Stidham will be hoping for something similar this time around.

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