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Good morning! Be nice to your ball kids today. Inside:
Backup Plan: Jarrett Stidham’s championship moment
Jarrett Stidham is the most important person in sports today. The Broncos backup QB’s job is to stay ready, but you could forgive him if he was jolted by Bo Nix’s broken ankle last Saturday. That injury knocked Nix out of today’s AFC Championship against the Patriots (3 p.m. ET, CBS) and put Stidham in a position that may be even more daunting than it sounds.
That’s because of this scary pair of facts from the sportswriter Rodger Sherman: The 2025 Broncos were the only team in the NFL whose backup QBs did not throw a pass. The 2024 Broncos were also the only team in the NFL whose backup QBs didn’t throw a pass. Stidham has simply been in storage since the last week of the 2023 season. The timing of Nix’s injury makes all of this even starker: The Denver starter got hurt on the winning drive in overtime against the Bills but didn’t come out of the game. Stidham didn’t so much as hand the ball off or take a knee.
Nix’s absence makes the Broncos clear home underdogs. The Patriots are 3.5-point favorites, per BetMGM. But I wouldn’t overdo it on Stidham skepticism, both because one game is a variable sample size and because Stidham will probably be well-prepared. The 29-year-old is a highly regarded NFL backup who has impressed people around the sport while doing the relatively anonymous job of backing up other QBs since entering the league in 2019. Nick Kosmider’s story on Stidham’s career is worth reading in full before kickoff. There are many good quotes in it, but I think the most convincing is from his head coach, Sean Payton: “Stiddy’s ready.”
The moment itself won’t be too big. After starting his college career at Baylor, Stidham transferred to Auburn in 2017 and led the Tigers to an Iron Bowl win over Alabama. I remember him weaving through Bama’s defense for a game-sealing touchdown run that was, in a word, gritty. (When Stidham left for the NFL, Auburn replaced him with Nix. Small world.)
But toughness and a good attitude don’t win championships on their own, so I asked Derrik Klassen (of “The Athletic Football Show”) for his read on Stidham, schematically speaking:
💬 “Stidham brings a bit of a different flavor to the offense. Whereas Nix likes to attack outside the numbers, Stidham can be more willing to throw the middle of the field, particularly from under center and off play-action. He’s got enough velocity to make those throws. Stidham also does well to lead receivers in stride on throws to all levels of the field. There’s going to be a drop in athleticism and creativity with Stidham in the lineup, which might really hurt against a Patriots front that’s turned up the heat. But Sean Payton deserves some belief when it comes to molding a game plan around his new quarterback.”
Thanks to Derrik, who knows ball. It won’t be long now.
News to Know
Alcaraz, Gauff keep rolling
We’ve reached the second week at the Australian Open, where the top seeds have largely cruised thus far. Carlos Alcaraz handled American Tommy Paul with relative ease yesterday, while Coco Gauff punched her ticket to the quarterfinals. One shocker from yesterday: Naomi Osaka — the subject of some handshake drama earlier this week — withdrew before her third-round match with an injury. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic almost landed himself an instant disqualification after a ball he smacked away in frustration came inches from hitting a ball kid:
Pittsburgh hires McCarthy as head coach
The Steelers broke with their tradition of hiring youthful, defense-first coaches, instead opting for a veteran Super Bowl winner in Mike McCarthy who’s older than Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin all were when they stepped down. A Pittsburgh native, McCarthy’s first job will be to sort out who’s taking the snaps — will Aaron Rodgers be tempted to stick around for a reunion with his old boss? Intrigue abounds.
More news:
- Alex Honnold of “Free Solo” fame successfully climbed a 1,667-foot skyscraper with no rope, live on Netflix yesterday. Incredible. Also: Please stop!
- The NBA postponed last night’s game between the Timberwolves and Warriors, hours after federal agents fatally shot a man in Minneapolis. More here.
- Guardians third baseman JosĂ© RamĂrez is on the verge of signing a long-term extension that could set him up to retire as a rare one-team superstar.
- Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler hung 46 points on No. 4 Purdue — on just 17 shots — in a statement upset.
- The USWNT dominated Paraguay in a friendly yesterday, with Trinity Rodman among the four goalscorers. Quite the week for Rodman.
Watch Guide
đź“ş EPL: Arsenal vs. Manchester United | 11:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN/PeacockÂ
Arsenal, the commanding Champions League favorites, host United for a significant fixture. United, a few weeks after firing their manager, are still in play for a Champions League spot next year after playing a shockingly short season this year. A win here would go a long way.
đź“ş NFL: Patriots at Broncos | 3 p.m. ET on CBSÂ
Stidham is not the only QB with a fascinating test on his hands. Drake Maye is going to have to make it work on the road behind an offensive line that is overmatched on paper. Winning two playoff games while allowing 10 sacks (and Maye fumbling six times) was one thing. Keeping up that practice for a third week in a row does not feel plausible.
đź“ş NFL: Rams at Seahawks | 6:30 p.m. ET on FoxÂ
A proper heavyweight fight. Every matchup in this one is good, but pay particular attention to Matthew Stafford’s mind games against Seattle’s underneath defenders. Full breakdown here.
Pulse Picks
The so-called “point-guard mentality” didn’t just make Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold better — it’s a useful mental trick anyone can try, as Rustin Dodd writes.
The Rams won a Super Bowl by trading draft picks for proven talent, but promptly imploded. Jourdan Rodrigue has the inside story on how Rams leadership decided on a hard reset that has them back within a win of the Super Bowl again.
It wasn’t Wirecutter’s top pick, but if you want to slim down your wallet and don’t want the Costanza life, love my Ridge. — Chris Sprow
Trinity Rodman’s new contract with the Washington Spirit may have felt like the end of the NWSL’s salary cap saga. It’s actually just an inflection point.
With NHL players about to return to the Olympic stage for the first time in 12 years, Pierre LeBrun sat down with Brady Tkachuk on the latest episode of “The Athletic Show” to discuss the USA-Canada rivalry and more. Stream it on Fire TV, The Athletic app or wherever you get your podcasts.
“Shrinking” returns to Apple TV for Season 3 this week. If you haven’t watched the first two seasons, I highly recommend using the next three days to catch up. Equal parts heartwarming and hilarious. — Sam Settleman
Meet the man who hired Curt Cignetti and others before they were coaching stars.
No-mess “painting” pads seem to get hours of use by my toddler every week. There’s even a sports version! Best $9 I’ve spent recently. — Torrey Hart
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Former NFL player Kevin Johnson’s death in an attack at a homeless encampment.
Most-read on the website yesterday: How Sean Payton’s approach led to Stidham’s big moment
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(Top photo: Dustin Bradford / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)