Denver's veteran backup quarterback who stepped in for an injured Bo Nix and started the AFC Championship Game.
Jarrett Stidham spent the better part of a decade as a well-regarded backup before his career-defining moment arrived in January 2026, when Bo Nix's broken ankle thrust him into the starting lineup for Denver's biggest game of the season. The seventh-year pro out of Auburn has always been known as a steady presence in the quarterback room, and last season he finally got to prove it on the field.
Path to the league
Stidham started two seasons at Auburn under Gus Malzahn, throwing for 3,158 yards with 18 touchdowns against six interceptions in 2017 en route to second-team All-SEC honors and a berth in the SEC Championship Game. The New England Patriots drafted him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Stidham spent his first three NFL seasons backing up in New England before a stint with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he closed out a season as the starter. He signed with the Broncos as a free agent in March 2023 and has served as Denver's primary backup quarterback ever since.
2025 season recap
Stidham was Denver's backup for most of 2025 before Bo Nix's ankle injury in the divisional round forced him into the starting job for the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots, where he completed 54.8 percent of his passes for 133 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort. For his career, Stidham has thrown for 1,422 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Jarrett Stidham
- Pro Football Reference: Jarrett Stidham
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Passing
1 games played▶Passing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CMP | ATT | YDS | TD | INT | RTG | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | broncos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.6 | - |
| 2024 | broncos | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.6 | 100.0 |
| 2023 | broncos | 3 | 40 | 66 | 496 | 2 | 1 | 87.7 | 31.8 |
| 2022 | raiders | 5 | 53 | 83 | 656 | 4 | 3 | 89.2 | 59.7 |
| 2020 | patriots | 5 | 22 | 44 | 256 | 2 | 3 | 54.7 | 12.2 |
| 2019 | patriots | 3 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 18.8 | 0.1 |
▶Rushing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | broncos | 1 | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | 0 | -1 |
| 2024 | broncos | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1.3 | 0 | 8 |
| 2023 | broncos | 3 | 9 | 8 | 0.9 | 0 | 4 |
| 2022 | raiders | 5 | 14 | 84 | 6.0 | 0 | 11 |
| 2020 | patriots | 5 | 7 | 7 | 1.0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2019 | patriots | 3 | 2 | -2 | -1.0 | 0 | -1 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Quarterback
- Group
- offense
- College
- Auburn
- Hometown
- Stephenville, TX, USA
- Age
- 30
- Status
- active
Latest news about Jarrett Stidham
All news →Packers Rout Broncos 33-13 in Preseason Week 2
Green Bay Packers 33, Denver Broncos 13 at Empower Field at Mile High. Kyle McCord went 12 of 19 for 118 yards.
Tua Tagovailoa Calls Falcons Debut 'Not Up to Standard' in Blowout Loss
Update: Atlanta named Tagovailoa its Week 1 starter against Pittsburgh on Sept. 7, with Michael Penix Jr. inactive as he works back from his torn ACL and coach Kevin Stefanski calling it a week-to-week decision.
Broncos Rout Falcons 27-7 in Preseason Week 1
Denver Broncos 27, Atlanta Falcons 7 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Jarrett Stidham went 9 of 15 for 131 yards with 1 touchdown.
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