To capture some old magic for the AFC Championship, the Denver Broncos are bringing back a legendary figure for a special role. Denver defeated the Buffalo Bills 33-30 in OT in the divisional round to enter their first Championship game since 2015. Ahead of this big-ticket matchup, the franchise has enlisted the help of Broncos legend John Elway for a special role. Elway led Denver to two consecutive Super Bowl titles in 1998 and 1999 before winning another Lombardi Trophy as General Manager in 2015.

“John Elway, who led the Broncos to seven AFC Championship Game victories as a Hall-of-Fame quarterback and GM, will serve as Denver’s honorary captain for Sunday’s conference championship game against the Patriots,” ESPN’sAdam Schefter reported via Instagram.

For their AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots, Elway will serve as Denver’s honorary captain. The 65-year-old was a Denver Broncos lifer, as he played 16 years for the franchise after being drafted first overall in the 1983 draft. He led the team to five Super Bowl berths, winning two (back-to-back) while throwing for 51,475 yards and 300 touchdowns before retiring. Elway was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Then in 2011, Elway took over as the Broncos’ vice president of football operations under late owner Pat Bowlen. By 2012, Elway was also named the team’s general manager, a position he would hold until 2021, when he stepped down and hired George Paton to replace him. During Elway’s time in the Denver front office, the Broncos won five AFC West crowns and went to the Super Bowl twice, winning one in 2015.

The turning point came when Elway pulled off the franchise-altering move of signing Peyton Manning, a decision that reshaped the Broncos overnight. Elway’s reign ended in 2021, when he handed the GM role to George Paton. After the Walton-Penner takeover, he stayed on briefly as a consultant before walking away for good. Now, with everything on the line, Denver could use a dose of that Elway energy on Sunday.

The Broncos are borrowing straight from the Patriots’ postseason playbook. New England has long leaned on its legends for big playoff moments, regularly naming franchise icons like Tedy Bruschi, Ty Law, and Adam Vinatieri as honorary captains to set the tone on championship stages.

Despite a home advantage, the Broncos will be without QB1 Bo Nix, who was ruled out of the playoffs after suffering an ankle injury against the Bills. Now replacing Nix, backup Jarrett Stidham is expected to take on the signal-caller responsibilities against the Patriots. Despite last starting in an NFL game in 2023, Stidham remains confident about performing in the AFC Championship game.

Stidham opens up on playing in the AFC Championship game

As Jarrett Stidham gears up for his first postseason start, the Broncos’ backup quarterback expressed excitement about taking on the Patriots in the AFC Championship matchup at Empower at Mile High. Stidham has recorded four starts in the NFL since being drafted in 2019. Despite the lack of experience on the field, the head coach Sean Payton has expressed utmost confidence in his QB2, with reports even stating that he’s been making the Broncos defense look bad in training.

Stidham’s best flashes have been loud. The defining outing came in Week 17 of the 2022 season with the Raiders, when he torched the 49ers for 365 yards and three touchdowns. He followed that stretch with another steady showing against Kansas City, throwing for 219 yards and a score against the Chiefs.

In Denver, his most controlled outing arrived late in 2023, when he went for 224 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers. The irony is impossible to miss. Despite spending years in New England’s system and learning under Bill Belichick, Stidham has never actually faced the Patriots in a regular-season game. The veteran quarterback is confident about playing his former team.

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“We’re playing in the AFC Championship,” Stidham said in a press conference. “We’re one of the last four teams playing. What’s not fun about this? We’re going to go out there, give it the best we got, and hopefully come out victorious.”

With this statement, Stidham appears to be ready for the Patriots. The Denver fans are hoping the 29-year-old can deliver a commanding performance that takes the Broncos to their first Super Bowl since 2015. Kickoff for the Championship between the Broncos and Patriots at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 25, 2026.