Jarrett Stidham is going to have to do more than just prove the doubters wrong on Sunday when his Denver Broncos host the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
He’s going to have to prove his old teammates wrong too.
Stidham has been thrust into the spotlight at the most inopportune of times here. Starter Bo Nix’s fractured ankle could not have been less timely as it forces Stidham to make his first start in over two years. Heck, he hasn’t even thrown an NFL pass in the regular season since January 2024.
And while the Broncos are getting healthy, there are still so many question marks surrounding Stidham here.
Will the moment be too big for him? Will he be able to knock the rust off? Will he have command of the offense? Can he even make all of the throws?
Funny enough, those last two questions have a very different answer than the first two. At least, that’s the case according to his old New England Patriots teammate, Cam Newton.
“During my time in New England, Jarrett Stidham was always the one, with him and Brian Hoyer, they were always prepared,” Newton said. “Always understanding who the Mike [linebacker] is, understanding the verbalization of the playbook. Just rattling off plays, finishing plays before they’re finished even coming in.”
Stidham backed Newton up during the latter’s one year with the Patriots in 2020. It was Stidham’s second year in the NFL, and Newton’s second-last.
An entire season in the same QB room is enough to get the measure of someone. Newton said that Stidham was a student of the game that had an excellent grasp of the playbook even as an NFL sophomore back then.
Stidham also attended Auburn and played under Guz Malzahn—just like Newton did when he won his Heisman Trophy in 2010.
Newton went on to say that “Stiddy” was always the person other guys went to when they wanted to check a play or an answer. Stiddy had the playbook and the football theory down. Newton also said that Stidham can “make all the throws” and “has the skill set” to succeed.
Cam Newton worries about Jarrett Stidham in the tough moments
But Newton clearly still had an issue that wouldn’t allow him to fully back his old teammate.
“The issue was, how does it translate to the game,” Newton said. “‘How does Jarrett Stidham handle the what ifs? What if his first option is not there? What if the pocket collapses? What if it’s not a perfect situation for him to be good, great? … But it’s something that is about the what ifs that concerns me the most as this game approaches.”
Considering Stidham’s lack of NFL playing time, especially in big moments like the AFC Championship Game, it’s a very reasonable and valid concern.
No doubt there’s also still a bit of salt in Newton’s wound, however. He was jealous that Philip Rivers got to come off the couch this season, and now this unheralded backup gets a chance in the AFCCG while Newton remains in his First Take chair.
Either way, “Stiddy” will hope to prove Newton wrong come Sunday.