The Denver Broncos have made it to the AFC Championship Game for the 11th time in team history and will be looking to make a ninth trip to the Super Bowl. But leading up to the AFC Championship Game this Sunday against the New England Patriots, none of the team's past accomplishments will be talked about much.
Instead, nearly all of the focus will be placed on the fact that the Broncos are having to turn to backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham to make the start in this game. Stidham, who has only four career starts to his name, will step in for Bo Nix, who will miss the rest of the season with a broken ankle.
No quarterback in NFL history to start a conference championship game has started fewer career games than Stidham. The odds are stacked against the Broncos and frankly, many people are giving them no chance to defeat Drake Maye and the upstart Patriots, even with the game being played in Denver.
But on Monday, news broke that the Broncos are opening the practice window for running back J.K. Dobbins, giving him a chance to return to the lineup. It does seem like the Broncos may be rushing Dobbins back after a Lisfranc injury has kept him on injured reserve since Week 10, but in a lose-or-go-home situation, they may look at it like there isn't much to lose.
However, if Dobbins is at 100 percent (or close to it) and can be effective, it's a game-changer for the Broncos. After handing the ball to a running back just 10 times in the divisional round against Buffalo, the Broncos must support Stidham with a strong rushing attack in this game. No disrespect to RJ Harvey, who has had a tremendous rookie season, but Dobbins is much better suited for that role, and he was handling it quite well before the injury.
At that time, Dobbins was fifth in the NFL in rushing yards. He's always been a talented running back, but a woeful injury history has held him back. It was reported after he was hurt that there would be a chance he could return if the Broncos made it to the Super Bowl. It appears that window has been shortened and whether that has to do with the injury to Nix or not, no one will likely ever know, but the fact that Dobbins returning to the lineup is even a possibility is huge news for the team.
Dover and Cecil break down the massive news for the Denver Broncos: the potential return of star running back J.K. Dobbins. #BroncosCountry #Broncos #NFLPlayoffs2026 @JoshuaDover | @CecilLammey pic.twitter.com/3IGLjf7mWE
— Denver Sports 104.3 (@DenSports1043) January 19, 2026
The Broncos' rushing attack has suffered without Dobbins. Against New England, nothing will help more than an effective ground game that keeps the Patriots honest, and not just blitzing Stidham, who hasn't thrown a pass in a game since 2013, at will.
READ: Jarrett Stidham will make NFL history in AFC Championship Game
The Broncos could not have gotten better news than this on the heels of the Nix injury. Now, we'll see if he can actually get back on the field and suit up for what would be the biggest game of his playing career to this point.
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