Right now, the timing of Bo Nix’s injury is what makes it feel so jarring. It happens late, in overtime of a hard-fought divisional round playoff win, the kind of game that empties the tank emotionally and physically. The Broncos are celebrating a trip to the AFC Championship Game, and almost simultaneously, they’re processing the loss of their starting quarterback.
That’s usually where everything tilts.
The reaction is immediate. The conversation shifts. The Broncos are suddenly treated like a team just happy to be here. The AFC Championship Game against the Patriots is framed as an uphill battle before anyone even lines up.
But that framing misses what’s actually happening.
With Nix sidelined, Jarrett Stidham is now set to step in and start the biggest game of the season. On the surface, it sounds like an impossible situation. A quarterback making his first start of the year, on this stage, with a Super Bowl on the line. It feels dramatic. It feels overwhelming.
It also ignores the reality of who Stidham is and what this offense asks of its quarterback.
Jarrett Stidham is not a major downgrade from Bo Nix. In this moment, he might not be a downgrade at all.
That’s not diminishing what Nix has done. He’s taken a clear step forward in his second season. He’s played his best football down the stretch. He’s shown command, confidence, and growth. Losing him matters. But the idea that the Broncos’ success disappears with him doesn’t line up with how this team operates.
This offense doesn’t revolve around Bo Nix. It revolves around Sean Payton.
And right now, that matters more than ever.
Payton’s system is built for moments like this. It’s structured. It’s clear. The reads are defined. The ball is supposed to come out on time. The quarterback isn’t asked to manufacture chaos or play outside himself. The system absorbs pressure so the quarterback doesn’t have to.
That’s why this transition feels manageable instead of desperate.
Stidham isn’t being asked to save the season. He’s being asked to execute what’s already there. The Broncos aren’t rewriting their identity or shrinking the offense. They’re trusting the structure that just carried them through a divisional round win.
Stidham’s skill set fits that approach. He’s decisive. He’s comfortable operating within a framework. He doesn’t feel the need to chase big plays when they’re not there. In January football, that steadiness matters.
This moment also isn’t catching the coaching staff by surprise. Stidham was one of the first quarterbacks brought in when Payton arrived in Denver. That wasn’t accidental. It was about trust. Payton believed Stidham could run the offense if needed, and now that belief is being tested in real time.
The idea that Bo Nix was carrying the Broncos just doesn’t hold up. The offense has worked because it’s organized, intentional, and well-coached. Nix benefited from that structure. Now Stidham steps into the same one.
Is Nix more dynamic? Maybe. Does he bring a slightly higher ceiling? Possibly. But championship games are about reliability. They’re about staying on schedule, protecting the football, and capitalizing when the defense gives you chances.
Right now, Stidham gives the Broncos a real chance to do exactly that against New England.
This isn’t a quarterback being dropped into chaos. It’s a quarterback stepping into one of the most quarterback-friendly systems in football, backed by a staff that believes in him and a team that has already proven it can win playoff games under pressure.
Calling this a massive downgrade misses the point of what the Broncos are right now.
Bo Nix has earned his success, but he was never the engine. Sean Payton is. And as long as that’s true, the Broncos are very much alive.
Jarrett Stidham doesn’t need to save the season.
He just needs to run it.
