Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur has named Gardner Minshew the starter, with rookie Carson Beck serving as the backup.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur confirmed in a Monday press conference that Gardner Minshew will serve as the team’s starting quarterback. The decision follows Minshew's performance in a comeback victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
According to reports from NBC Sports and Bleacher Report, rookie Carson Beck will serve as the backup quarterback. Jacoby Brissett has been relegated to the role of emergency third quarterback.
Regarding the decision to name Beck the backup, LaFleur said, “Just think that’s the right thing to do — continue [Beck’s] development in terms of getting a little bit more reps with the scout team and all that.” LaFleur added, “He’s week-to-week in terms of he’s feeling really good right now. So, thought that was the best thing to do.”
When asked about Brissett's future with the team, LaFleur did not directly answer if he expects Brissett to remain with the club beyond the Nov. 10 trade deadline. “Only focused on this week,” LaFleur said. “He’s fully a part of this team and excited to have him still be the teammate I know he is.”
Sunday marked Minshew's first appearance of the 2026 season. In that game, he completed 17-of-23 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns. In 2026, Minshew has appeared in one game for the Cardinals, completing 73.9 percent of passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns, according to NFL Trade Rumors.
Jacoby Brissett was benched during Sunday's game after completing 10-of-23 passes for 119 yards with an interception. In eight games this season, Brissett has completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 1,719 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Minshew, 30, was a sixth-round pick of the Jaguars out of Washington State in 2019. He signed a four-year rookie deal worth $2.7 million and made a base salary of $2,540,000 for the 2021 season. The Jaguars traded Minshew to the Eagles coming out of the preseason in 2021 in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
He signed with the Colts for the 2023 season before signing a two-year, $25 million deal with the Raiders in March of last year. After the Raiders released him in March, he signed with the Chiefs. Minshew later signed a one-year deal with the Cardinals for the 2026 season.
Minshew's next assignment will be to face the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday afternoon.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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