The Denver Broncos are heading to the AFC Championship Game. But without the quarterback who got them there. Rookie sensation Bo Nix suffered a devastating ankle injury late in Denver’s 33–30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills, breaking a bone in his right ankle on one of the game’s final plays.
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The injury ended Nix’s postseason and forced Sean Payton to turn to backup Jarrett Stidham with a Super Bowl berth on the line. For many, the odds feel overwhelming. For Robert Griffin III, they feel familiar.
“I really do believe Jarrett Stidham can lead the Broncos to a Super Bowl,” RGIII said on his podcast. “It’s not uncommon for a backup quarterback to come in and lead a team to the Promised Land.”
Griffin didn’t stop there.
“Tom Brady replaced Drew Bledsoe, and they won a Super Bowl. Kurt Warner replaced Trent Green, and he won the Super Bowl with the Rams. Nick Foles replaced Carson Wentz with the Eagles and won the Super Bowl,” RGIII continued. “So God dang it, Jarrett Stidham — who was one of the best backups in the NFL — can replace Bo Nix and lead the Denver Broncos to the Super Bowl.”
Jarrett Stidham and the Broncos can still win the Super Bowl without Bo Nix.
It’s not uncommon for a backup QB to lead a team to the promised land.
Tom Brady replaced Drew Bledsoe & won.
Kurt Warner replaced Trent Green & won.
Nick Foles replaced Carson Wentz & won. pic.twitter.com/ugnKZ7mBzU
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 23, 2026
Stidham will now face the New England Patriots, the team that drafted him in the fourth round in 2019, with everything on the line.
The challenge is steep. Stidham has just four career NFL starts and a 1–3 record. His most memorable outing came in 2022 with the Raiders, when he threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns in a narrow loss. His last start came in Week 17 of the 2023 season against the Chargers, and he hasn’t thrown a regular-season pass since January 7, 2024.
Adding to the difficulty is a Patriots defense that has been ruthless this postseason, forcing six turnovers over its last two playoff games, recording nine sacks, and allowing just 19 total points.
If anyone understands the moment Stidham is stepping into, it’s Nick Foles. After Nix’s injury, the former Super Bowl MVP offered both sympathy and confidence, while slipping in a pointed jab at New England.
“I know it has been an emotional 24 hours,” Foles posted on X. “I feel for Bo and the team, and I’m sending prayers for a strong recovery. A positive note going into the game versus the Patriots is that they struggle against backup QBs in championship-type games.”
Note for the Broncos and their fans: I know it has been an emotional 24 hours. I feel for Bo and the team, and I'm sending prayers for a strong recovery.
A positive note going into the game versus the Patriots is that they struggle against backup QBs in championship-type games.
— Nick Foles (@NickFoles) January 18, 2026
Foles knows firsthand how quickly legacies can change. In 2017, he replaced an injured Carson Wentz in Week 14 and proceeded to go 5–1, culminating in a 41–33 Super Bowl victory over Tom Brady’s Patriots. Foles threw for 373 yards, three touchdowns, caught one himself on the iconic “Philly Special,” and walked away as Super Bowl MVP.
Backup quarterbacks have authored some of the NFL’s most improbable championship stories. Tom Brady replaced Drew Bledsoe in 2001. Kurt Warner took over for Trent Green in 1999. Jeff Hostetler, Jim Plunkett, and Earl Morrall all lifted Lombardi Trophies after being thrust into the spotlight by injury.
Stidham’s task is daunting. His first start in nearly three years will come on the biggest stage outside the Super Bowl, against a defense designed to confuse and punish inexperienced quarterbacks. The pressure couldn’t be higher.
However, if Stidham can steady the offense, protect the football, and let Denver’s roster do the heavy lifting, his name could join one of the most exclusive clubs in NFL history.
