Jarrett Stidham to start AFC Championship for Broncos after Bo Nix injury

Cbssports reports Jarrett Stidham will start for the Denver Broncos in Sunday's AFC Championship against the New England Patriots after Bo Nix sustained a season-ending ankle injury in the divisional-round win over the Buffalo Bills.

If the Broncos beat the Patriots, Stidham would become the 13th backup quarterback in NFL history to start in a Super Bowl; of the previous 12, eight went on to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The 29-year-old Stidham has not started a non-exhibition game since 2023 and has not attempted a pass in a non-exhibition game in over two years, and none of those earlier backup starters began their conference title game without having started another game that season.

Given his lack of recent game reps, Stidham starting the AFC title game is an unusual development, and only a Broncos win on Sunday would determine whether he joins the list of backup QBs who have started on pro football's biggest stage, a group that includes names such as Kurt Warner, Tom Brady and Nick Foles.

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Sports, Jarrett Stidham, Bo Nix, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Afc Championship