Jarrett Stidham could start for ‘a number of teams,’ Patriots coach says

FOXBORO — When Jarrett Stidham throws his first pass in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, it will be the first he’s attempted in any meaningful game since Week 18 of the 2023 season.

Zak Kuhr, who will spearhead the Patriots’ defensive effort against Stidham this Sunday, said the quarterback’s years-long layoff was more the result of situation than talent.

New England’s interim defensive coordinator on Thursday called Stidham a starting-caliber quarterback capable of being QB1 for multiple NFL franchises.

“I don’t know if it’s so much the challenge of that he hasn’t played in a while, more than just the whole team as a challenge,” Kuhr said. “He’s very capable of being a starting quarterback. He could be the starter for a number of teams. Very talented, athletic, smart. He can run better than what most people think. Strong arm, very accurate. You watch this film. But I don’t think it brings some added level of difficulty as far as preparing for it.”

Stidham has spent his entire pro career as a backup, however, first with the Patriots, who drafted him in the fourth round in 2019, then with Josh McDaniels’ Las Vegas Raiders, who acquired him before the 2022 season. The Broncos signed him in 2023, then re-signed him last offseason, paying him $12 million over two years to be second-year pro Bo Nix’s understudy.

Nix suffered a season-ending broken ankle on the final drive of Denver’s divisional-round win over Buffalo, thrusting Stidham — whose only snap this regular season was a Week 8 kneeldown — into the top spot for the AFC title game. It will be the fifth start of Stidham’s career and his first in the postseason.

Just six current Patriots players overlapped with Stidham in Foxboro, but one member of New England’s coaching staff knows him well: McDaniels, who worked with the 29-year-old signal-caller during his stints with the Patriots and Raiders.

“Smart. Accurate. Great human being,” New England’s offensive coordinator said. “Worked hard, great teammate, just hadn’t had the opportunities based on the situations and those type of things. But I just enjoyed working with him, enjoyed my time with him, and I’m sure he’ll be ready to go this week, for sure.”