Jarrett Stidham is preparing for the biggest game of his professional football career.
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The Denver Broncos' quarterback has spent most of his tenure in the NFL as a backup. He hasn't thrown a regular-season pass in two years. Yet, due to Bo Nix's fractured ankle, Stidham has been thrust into the limelight. He will line up as the Broncos' starting quarterback for the AFC Championship Game against the rampant New England Patriots.
Don't be fooled by Stidham's modest achievements in the NFL, though. He's no stranger to the pressures that come with professional sports. In fact, he's more familiar with them than most.
Stidham is married to Kennedy Stidham, who is the daughter of Tad Brown, the CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. The same company that owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils. With Brown at the helm, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment is now valued at $14.5 billion.
So, as you can imagine, Kennedy is no stranger to high-stakes moments and intense negotiations. It's been part of her everyday life since she was young. Stidham, who married Kennedy in 2019, is likely no stranger to that world, either. And, if he can channel some of his father-in-law's calmness under pressure on Sunday, he could make a serious name for himself, both in the city of Denver and around the NFL.
Jarrett Stidham Recently Signed a New Contract With the Denver Broncos
Don't be fooled by Stidham's lack of playing time. The Broncos signed him to a new two-year $12 million extension ahead of the 2025 NFL season, per Spotrac. You don't commit that type of money to a backup unless you're confident they can step into the spotlight, should they ever be needed.
And now, with a championship game on the line, Stidham has an opportunity to prove that his deal was $12 million well spent.
He will undoubtedly have the support of his wife, three children, Ted Brown and the entire state of Colorado cheering him on. Whether that will be enough to book Denver's spot in the SuperBowl will remain to be seen, but if there was ever a time to define his legacy in the NFL, Sunday will be that day.
