TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Gardner Minshew is just 30 years old, but his long hair, bushy mustache and laid-back persona give him the image of an old-school hippie, like an eccentric uncle who drops surprising gems of wisdom.
In retrospect, he had one of the moments back in May when the quarterback discussed his role with the Arizona Cardinals.
“At some point, someone’s going to be better than you and they’re gonna play,” Minshew said. “At some point, you’ll
be the best guy in the room and you’ll get a chance to play. All you really have is your opportunity to work and get better and enjoy it with the guys around you.”
After more than 7 1/2 games of waiting, he was definitely the best guy in the room on Sunday.
Minshew threw for 188 yards and three touchdowns after taking over for struggling starter Jacoby Brissett, leading a 14-point comeback to beat the Dallas Cowboys 33-30 in overtime. The aftermath to the brilliant performance was swift: Minshew was elevated to the starting role for the upcoming game against the Seattle Seahawks while Brissett was demoted to third string and is expected to be traded to the Baltimore Ravens in the coming days.
First-year coach Mike LaFleur said Minshew is ready for what's coming.
“He's been in these situations, guys," LaFleur said. "He's played really good football throughout this league and seen a lot of different things. There's no moment that's going to be too big for him. He's just ready to rock with the guys.”
Minshew's latest opportunity is nearly a year in the making after he was mostly off the radar last season as a backup in Kansas City. He subbed for the injured Patrick Mahomes in Week 16 but suffered a season-ending knee injury on the third play of the game.
Before that, he had a winding journey from the Jaguars to the Eagles, Colts and Raiders, where he had varying levels of playing time and success. The highs included a Pro Bowl selection with the Colts in 2023 and lows like a rough stretch with the Raiders in 2024 when he threw nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Minshew moves into a starting role for a banged-up but resilient team that managed to rally past the Cowboys despite losing two running backs and two receivers because of injuries during the game.
The quarterback has a 17-30 record as a starter in his career.
“We've got a bunch of dudes who have been around, here and there,” Minshew said. “Everyone's excited for the shot they have right now. We've had a ton of guys getting thrown in the mix and everyone is stepping in and fired up to do it.”
Wide receiver Michael Wilson — who had the game-tying touchdown catch in regulation that sent the game to overtime against the Cowboys — said the transition from Brissett to Minshew hasn't been too difficult.
Minshew was the team's fill-in No. 1 quarterback through much of the offseason and the beginning of training camp while Brissett negotiatied a new contract with the Cardinals.
LaFleur said Minshew has been great in any role he's been given. He doesn't expect that to change.
“All you want all these guys to be is true to who they are as people,” LaFleur said. “Don’t make stuff up. Gardner comes into work every single day, he has his own personality, and he gets to work and tries to improve. He’s been a great teammate.”
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