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NFL Championship Weekend: Eight players who could carry their team to the Super Bowl
Only four teams are left standing as Championship Sunday arrives, with the AFC and NFC titles - and a trip to Super Bowl LX in San Francisco - hanging in the balance.
As the New England Patriots travel to face the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks lock horns, this weekend is shaping up to be one of the most exciting Championship Sundays in a long time.
Which players are going to decide the outcome? Whose performance will make the difference between heartbreak and a date with destiny? Read on to find out.
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Jarrett Stidham, Quarterback - Denver Broncos
Stidham might not be the best player on the field Sunday, but he’s unquestionably the story.
The moment the Denver Broncos lost Bo Nix to a season-ending ankle injury late in their Divisional win over the Buffalo Bills, everything changed. In the blink of an eye, Jarrett Stidham went from backup to the man responsible for leading the No. 1 seed to Super Bowl LX.
He's barely taken a snap all season, and now he draws the team that drafted him, facing a Patriots defense that made life hell for C.J. Stroud a week ago.
Expectations are low, but the NFL has a habit of humbling assumptions, especially when a career backup finally gets his moment. Let's not count Stidham out just yet.
Nik Bonitto, Edge Rusher - Denver Broncos
Even if Stidham exceeds expectations, it may not matter if the Broncos' defense can't contain Drake Maye.
The Patriots' offensive line showed major cracks against the Houston Texans , allowing five sacks of Maye. In Bonitto, Denver have a talented edge rusher who can take full advantage.
Bonitto recorded 14 sacks and two forced fumbles in the regular season. His form has carried over into the postseason, with a sack and two forced fumbles in the Divisional Round against the Bills.
Look for Bonitto, Jonathan Cooper, and Zach Allen to create havoc this weekend.
Drake Maye, Quarterback - New England Patriots
Maye is on the verge of taking the Patriots to their first Super Bowl since 2019 in only his second season in the league.
The MVP candidate has been clinical all year, throwing for 4,394 yards, posting a league-high 72% completion rate, adding 35 touchdowns, and rushing for 450 yards.
Despite not playing his best games in the playoffs so far, Maye has still found ways to score against the excellent defenses of the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans.
Maye's ability to spread the ball and use all the weapons available to him has arguably been one of his strongest points this season. He'll need to do the same again on Sunday to help the Patriots win the AFC title.
Will Campbell, Offensive Tackle - New England Patriots
The Patriots’ offensive line has been the weak link throughout the postseason. Ten sacks and six quarterback fumbles in just two games isn’t a formula for winning anything, let alone a Super Bowl.
He allowed two sacks and another five pressures on Maye last weekend, making that 3 sacks and 10 pressures for the postseason.
Now facing a third elite defence in a row, Campbell - the fourth overall pick from 2025 - will have to step up against even more talented opposition.
The task at hand is a tall one, but if Campbell can do his best to contain Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, the Patriots could advance.
Puka Nacua, Wide Receiver - Los Angeles Rams
The 177th overall pick from BYU in 2023 has been nothing short of world-class this season. His connection with Matthew Stafford seems otherworldly at times.
Nacua will share the same stage with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, with the two NFC West standouts locked in a season-long race for Offensive Player of the Year.
Nacua has already made his presence felt in the playoffs, piling up 167 receiving yards across two games. At this point, it feels inevitable that the number keeps climbing.
The Seahawks sit first in just about every category that matters: points allowed per game (16.6), points per play (0.265), yards per play (4.5), opponent third-down rate (32.93%), and touchdowns conceded (1.7 per game).
That leaves the Rams with little choice but to push the ball downfield. And when they do, a lot of that responsibility is going to fall on the shoulders of Nacua.
Kamren 'Kam' Curl, Safety - Los Angeles Rams
Curl had a stellar performance in the last round of the playoffs, racking up 13 tackles and one interception on a snow-covered Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears.
With the likes of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and tight end A.J. Barner going over the middle, the Rams will need players like Curl to step up again this week.
The 26-year-old has completed a career-high 122 tackles in the regular season along with two sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble and 1.5 stuffs. He'll hope to carry over his red-hot form into Lumen Field.
Kenneth Walker III, Running Back - Seattle Seahawks
With Zach Charbonnet now out for the remainder of the postseason, Seattle's run game is in Walker's hands the rest of the way.
The 25-year-old came up big last week, rushing for 116 yards and three touchdowns in the 41-6 thrashing of divisional rivals the San Francisco 49ers .
After topping 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, the Michigan State graduate will be central to the Seahawks' plans on Sunday. Whilst the Rams will key in on the threat Walker poses, that doesn't necessarily mean they can stop him.
Ernest Jones IV, LB - Seattle Seahawks
This will be Jones' third time facing his former team this season, and by combining for 18 tackles and one stuff in the previous two contests, the 26-year-old is clearly motivated to show the Rams what they're missing.
His performances at the heart of this Seattle defense have been a major factor in why this unit has been dubbed the second coming of the 'Legion of Boom'.
Jones leads the unit in tackles (126) and interceptions (5) this year, and will undoubtedly be leaned on once again to come up big against the run and pass this weekend. Expect a mammoth game from the Seahawks' defensive captain.
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