Jan. 24, 2026, 6:36 a.m. ET

Wow! Here is a Washington Redskins memory from my childhood!

I missed this earlier, but Adam Schefter had posted that Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will be only the second quarterback to make his first start of the season in a Conference Championship game. The other actually involved the Redskins way back in 1972.

Broncos starter Bo Nix was injured on his third-to-last play last week in Denver’s overtime win over the Buffalo Bills. Now the Broncos are forced to start Stidham, who has started only four games in his 6-year NFL career. He does have some other game experience, having completed 117 of his 197 passing attempts, with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.

The Redskins? Yes, for those old enough, we remember that game quite well. Washington had won nine straight during the regular season, finished 11-3, winners of the NFC East. The Redskins then defeated the NFC Central champion Green Bay Packers 16-3 at RFK Stadium in the divisional round contest on Christmas Eve, Sunday.

The previous day, Dallas looked all but beaten, trailing 28-13 on the road at San Francisco, when Cowboys head coach Tom Landry benched starter Craig Morton and inserted his starter from the previous season, when Dallas won Super Bowl VI. That was Roger Staubach, and he led an amazing comeback, lifting the Cowboys past the 49ers late, 30-28, as Dallas scored the game’s final 17 points all in the fourth quarter.

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Staubach had led Dallas to their Super Bowl VI 24-3 win over the Miami Dolphins the previous season. However, in the third preseason game of the 1972 season, Staubach suffered a badly separated shoulder, requiring surgery. Morton played the entire regular season, leading the defending champions to a 10-4 record and a playoff bid.

In the NFC Championship Game, Landry, naturally seeing how well Staubach performed in the fourth quarter against the 49ers, determined that Staubach was his starter to return to a second consecutive Super Bowl. However, on this day, the Redskins defense played its most intense game under George Allen, completely dominating the Cowboys, as Washington ran away with a 26-3 win and a trip to Los Angeles for Super Bowl VII.

At least Stidham will be playing on his home field, in front of his home fans. Staubach had to play at a very raucous RFK, where the fans were energetic for their Redskins.