Broncos head coach Sean Payton praised QB Jarrett Stidham’s arm strength and accuracy.

18 January 2026

Payton on Sunday said Stidham — who will start the AFC title game with Bo Nix (ankle) sidelined — has “a lot to his ball” and has consistently demonstrated a strong arm in practice. Stidham on 197 regular season attempts over six seasons has completed 59.5 percent of his throws and averaged a decent 7.2 yards per attempt. It’s possible Stidham can manage the Denver offense well enough to make the Broncos competitive against whoever they play in the AFC title game in Denver. He likely won’t be asked to do much, however. Stidham hasn’t thrown a regular season pass since 2023.