Broncos QB Jarrett Stidham was heading into the game against his former team with confidence and felt that the locker room had done their best to rally around him after the injury to QB Bo Nix.

“It means a lot, any time you step into a situation like this, I just want to go out there and play the absolute best I can for the guys in this locker room,” Stidham said, via Pro Football Talk. “That’s all I care about. It’s great to have the support of the guys around me, and thankfully I’ve got a ton of amazing guys, amazing human beings in the locker room, but also amazing football players.”

Stidham recounted his bad throw instead of taking a sack in the Conference Championship, noting that he can’t place the team in a bad position with his decisions. 

“Obviously, I can’t put our team in a bad position like that,’’ Stidham said. “I was trying to throw it away. … The pressure, he just got up on me real fast and I was just trying to get rid of it. Like I said, I just can’t put the ball in a position like that. That was completely on me.” 

• Stidham on his nickname: “Tom Brady actually came up with that my rookie year, so it’s just kind of stuck. And everybody now just calls me ‘Stiddy.’” (Tomasson)
• Broncos HC Sean Payton said it “seems fairly optimistic” that Nix will be ready for training camp. (Tomasson)
• Payton on improving the team’s running game: “That will be an important study with urgency…Losing Dobbins was a tough loss.” (Tomasson)

Chargers

• New Chargers OC Mike McDaniel was asked how HC Jim Harbaugh sold him on the position: “Jim wasn’t trying to sell me on anything, … I think he recognized, he was excited about, you know, the prospect, if and only if, it was a marriage that was consensual, you know? Not a hostage situation.” (Rhim)
• McDaniel on QB Justin Herbert and the offense: “I think not relying too heavily on Justin’s ability to do above and beyond I think is critical. … That’ll be one of the first things that we’ll try to do is take a little off his plate.” (Rhim)

Chiefs

Chiefs HC Andy Reid is an advocate for former OC Matt Nagy to become a head coach once again, but is grateful the team was able to get OC Eric Bieniemy back to Kansas City.

“Matt and I have a great relationship,” Reid said, via ESPN. “Before the season even started here, I knew that he wanted an opportunity to have his own show. He’s been a head coach. He was Coach of the Year [in 2018 with Chicago Bears]. All the things I’ve said about him I still feel [that way] about him. He deserves to have a head coaching job. If not, it gives him an opportunity to go out and do his thing. I mean, somebody is missing a gem here. That’s how I feel. I would love to see him get picked up and going. At the same time, we got back a gem [in Bieniemy]. It has a chance to be a win-win here when everything is said and done.”

Nagy’s opportunities to become a head coach in this cycle are quickly dwindling, with only four teams still looking for a head coach. However, he still will likely be a premier candidate next off-season if he doesn’t land a lead job this year.

“The last three years for me have been a little bit more unique. It’s more of an organizational standpoint, structure-wise,” Nagy said. “Being a former head coach helping coach Reid out, anytime you look at what went on this year as an offense, you’re frustrated, disappointed because it’s your job as a coordinator to make sure everything is done the right way and that you succeed and win. That didn’t happen. That drives me, though. That motivates me. I don’t run from that. I’ve been through a lot in my life in coaching. I feel really good about where I’m at. I’ve prepared for several years, since I went through it, [for] the right time. Everything I went through in Chicago, it all happened for a reason. To be able to come back here in Kansas City and be here with Coach Reid and all these players, is special. It’s that time of the year, so be ready for it.“

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