Patriots Apparently Considered Notable QB Reunion Last Offseason
New England eventually signed Joshua Dobbs as its backup QB
Jarrett Stidham will face the Patriots on Sunday, but there’s a world in which he would’ve been on New England’s sideline for the AFC Championship Game.
Stidham will fill in for Bo Nix this Sunday when the Denver Broncos host the Patriots for the right to play in Super Bowl LX. Of course, New England used a fourth-round pick on Stidham in the 2019 NFL Draft before trading him to the Las Vegas Raiders three years later.
During his Monday news conference, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel revealed he and other front office staffers considered a Stidham reunion last offseason.
“I like Jarrett,” Vrabel told reporters. “I know that we did a lot of work on him in the offseason here of free agency.”
The Patriots eventually signed veteran Joshua Dobbs as their backup quarterback. Thankfully, they haven’t needed him this season, as Drake Maye has started every game and avoided any injuries.
Stidham hasn’t thrown a pass in a regular season game since 2023, when he made his last start for the Broncos. In 20 career games (four starts), Stidham completed 59.4% of his passes for 1,422 yards and eight touchdowns along with eight interceptions.
The Patriots and Broncos will kick off from Empower Field at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. The winner will face either the Los Angeles Rams or Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl, which will be held at Levi’s Stadium, the home of the San Francisco 49ers.
