Sean Payton says Stidham had ‘resiliency’ in nice game after last season’s dud

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton was pleased with his team’s 27-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the preseason opener on Friday night.

The Broncos were up 24-0 at halftime, a beatdown of a weaker Falcons team in what turned into a laugher fairly early on.

And backup QB Jarrett Stidham played the whole first half, completing 9-15 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.

Stidham last appeared the in AFC Title Game, a dud from him and the entire Denver offense. The Broncos lost to the Patriots 10-7 and Stidham helped gift New England their only touchdown with a bad fumble.

But with QB Bo Nix not suiting up in the first preseason game, Stidham got a shot to get back on the field. Payton was complimentary of his outing.

“I thought he played well. I thought he did a good job in the pocket. Good throw and catch, certainly in that coverage look by Courtland (Sutton). It’s one of the things he does well,” Payton said.

Stidham hooked up with Sutton for a 40-yard completion in the first quarter that led to Denver’s first touchdown. Sean Payton was then asked about the AFC Championship disappointment for Stidham and how he approached the offseason.

“He’s been great. And it wasn’t just a disappointment for him. I was disappointed in myself, like when you lose a game like that you go back and look at it closely,” Payton said.

Payton could’ve called a field goal to put the Broncos up 10-0 over the Patriots, but declined. It’s Stidham, the entire team and coaching staff that have to flip the page to 2026.

“One of his strengths is resiliency,” Sean Payton said of Stidham. “I think he’s got a little bit of that ‘it factor’ that he can come in, get the… he’s really good with the operation. Quick, you know, with the play. His experience and comfort level with how we’re calling it. I thought he handled it well.”

And with Stidham and Sam Ehlinger in a competition for the backup QB job behind Nix, Stidham needed to play well. Ehlinger finished 10-14 in the second half for only 67 yards.

Stidham was the favorite for the job and still is after the first preseason game.

And Sean Payton likes his ability to flush what happened last season and shift the focus onward.

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