How Patriots’ Josh McDaniels Appraised Broncos QB Jarrett Stidham

The New England Patriots will encounter a familiar face when opposing Jarrett Stidham in an unexpected AFC Championship Game showdown.

With a Super Bowl spot on the line, Stidham will make his first NFL start since the 2023 season. New England’s former fourth-round pick replaces Bo Nix, who broke his ankle at the end of the Denver Broncos’ AFC Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills.

Josh McDaniels knows Stidham well from his prior stints as New England’s offensive coordinator and the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach. He offered a flattering review of the quarterback on Thursday, via CLNS Media.

“Smart. Accurate. Great human being,” McDaniels said of Stidham. “Worked hard. Great teammate. Just hadn’t had an opportunity based on the situations and those kind of things. Enjoyed working with him. Enjoyed my time with him, and I’m sure he’ll be ready to go this week. For sure.”

Stidham began his career as Tom Brady’s understudy for the Patriots in 2019, and he appeared in five games off the bench in 2020 after the icon’s departure. McDaniels gave Stidham his first starting opportunity when controversially sitting Derek Carr to end the 2022 season.

The Raiders lost two games started by Stidham, but he amassed 365 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in an overtime loss to a San Francisco 49ers squad that made the NFC Championship Game. Stidham also closed the 2023 campaign under center after Las Vegas fired McDaniels.

The Patriots aren’t daring to publicly overlook Stidham, but they’re nevertheless 5.5-point favorites to win on the road. Sunday’s AFC Championship Game starts at 3 p.m. ET on CBS.