Just days before the New England Patriots take on the Broncos in the AFC Championship game, veteran analyst Stephen A. Smith warned the team about the consequences of losing.

After Bo Nix was ruled out of the Championship game with a right ankle injury, Jarrett Stidham, who hasn’t thrown the ball since 2023, will be the starting quarterback.

And Stephen A. Smith has made the expectation clear.

"We ain't seen Jarrett Stidham. You ain't heard his name. There's an APB out for that brother. ...New England, I swear to you, you lose this game, oh trust you me, the offseason ain't going to be pleasant to you brothers. You better win this d*** football game. I'm telling you right now. I'm speaking on behalf of Bostonians and New Englanders everywhere."

While most teams have a backup quarterback with some playing time, Stidham hasn't thrown a pass since the 2023 season. That pass came against the Raiders in Week 18, and it ended in an interception. 749 days later, he found out about taking over the starting role for a Championship game.

New England is cautious. As Patriots defensive play-caller Zak Kuhr explained, "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."

And going up against him will be Drake Maye. Although he has plenty of fumbles this season (11), Maye also scored 31 touchdowns for 4,394 yards. More importantly, his teammates like Stefon Diggs have shown faith in his game calls.

It's a Reunion For The New England Patriots

Fans may remember that Stidham was once a Patriots player. Spending two seasons as a Patriots player, Stidham moved to the Raiders and then the Broncos.

However, the QB is not letting that affect his preparation. "At the end of the day, I'm not focused on anything but Sunday. What is my job on each and every play? How can I help my teammates succeed on Sunday? I do not care about anything outside of the next five days and what my job is. That's the only thing I'm focused on."

As Stidham becomes the only player since Roger Staubach in 1972 to make his first start in a Conference Championship game, Stephen A. Smith's warning will ring in the Patriots' head.

Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar