Stidham already beat Nix in key category in AFC Championship Game

Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) reacts during the first half in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Broncos QB Jarrett Stidham already beat Bo Nix in one key statistical category in AFC Championship Game against Patriots

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jan 25, 2026 5:46 PM ET

Jarrett Stidham isn't the top quarterback for the Denver Broncos, but he has bested starting QB Bo Nix in one key metric.

Stidham started in place of Nix in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots on Sunday. Nix, of course, broke his right ankle in a 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round and will reportedly need 12 weeks to recover from the injury.

Entering Sunday, Stidham had not started since the 2023 season. Despite that, Broncos head coach Sean Payton let the backup QB chuck the deep ball.

On Denver's second drive of the game, Stidham completed a 52-yard pass to wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. on a 3rd-and-10 at its 41-yard line. Per Next Gen Stats, the ball traveled 41 yards through the air, the longest completion by air yards by a Broncos QB this season. That set up a six-yard TD pass to WR Courtland Sutton two plays later.

Jarrett Stidham's 52-yard pass to Marvin Mims Jr. traveled 41 yards downfield, the longest completion by air yards by a Broncos QB this season.#NEvsDEN | #BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/w0Ev2bkOfb
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) January 25, 2026

Why did Bo Nix not have the longest completion by air yards for the Broncos this season?

Let's be clear: Nix does have a strong arm by NFL standards. During his rookie season in 2024, he threw a TD pass 67 yards through the air in a 30-24 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

BO NIX LAUNCH CODES

: #DENvsCIN on NFL Network
: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/qPX3R5Ap4F
— NFL (@NFL) December 28, 2024

Payton, however, hasn't let Nix use it much during his first two seasons in Denver. The 12th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft has logged a below-average 7.3 intended air yards per pass attempt during this span (via Pro Football Reference).

Payton may want to limit turnover-worthy plays. Downfield passing produces highlights, but it's riskier and can sometimes end in an interception. However, the coach may have called a deep shot early to instill confidence in the backup QB.

"That's his personality. He's gonna rip it, you know?" the coach said of Stidham on Wednesday. "That'll be our approach."

Clearly, Payton wasn't bluffing.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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