Broncos Legend Rod Smith Says Jarrett Stidham Is Ready For Spotlight

A Denver Broncos legend is telling fans not to sweat Sunday's AFC Championship Game -- because Jarrett Stidham is ready for the big stage!!!

Two-time Super Bowl champion Rod Smith spoke with TMZ Sports this week about Stidham stepping up at quarterback after Bo Nix fractured his ankle ... and he's confident in the backup.

"I really honestly believe if this doesn’t go our way, he won’t be the reason," Smith said.

"His first completion, watch what happens to the crowd. They're going to freaking go nuts and he's just going to build. It’s going to feed into his confidence and he goes out there and plays an excellent football game."

Basically, he says to pay no mind that Stidham has not thrown a pass in a non-preseason game since the end of the 2023 campaign.

Smith highlighted that Stidham is a seven-year veteran who's been in Denver for three seasons ... noting "he knows the offense, he just doesn’t get the reps."

"No one has to worry about the quarterback position but the quarterback," Smith said. "Everybody else can just do their job."

Stidham was one of the first players signed when coach Sean Payton took over in 2023, and Smith is ready to watch him prove he can make the throws to keep the offense rolling.

The top-seeded Broncos are underdogs as they prepare to host the New England Patriots at Mile High Stadium. Still, Smith -- who played 12 years with the Broncos and is a member of the team's Ring of Fame -- is confident Denver will win and return to the Super Bowl.

"We’re the overdogs," Smith said. "We're going to overcome everything that comes our way and we’re going to find a way to win the game."