Cardinals Name Gardner Minshew Starter After Overtime Win Over Cowboys
The veteran quarterback earned the job after leading three scoring drives in a 33-30 victory, displacing Jacoby Brissett who was demoted to third string.
By Jessica Abebe ·
The Arizona Cardinals have a new starting quarterback as the team enters the final stretch of its three-game losing streak against the Seattle Seahawks. The change comes after a chaotic Week 8 victory at AT&T Stadium that reversed a 17-3 deficit in overtime.
Coach Mike LaFleur announced on Monday that Gardner Minshew will start Sunday's game in Seattle. Rookie Carson Beck moves into the backup role. Jacoby Brissett, who started the first seven games, drops to the third-string position. LaFleur said he was not making the decision because of the November 10 trade deadline. "Only focused on this week," LaFleur said. "He’s fully a part of this team and (I’m) excited to see him still be the teammate I know he is."
Brissett struggled in the loss to Dallas. He completed 10 of 23 passes for 119 yards and one interception. His 41.8 passer rating was the worst of his career as a starter. With less than two minutes left in the third quarter, LaFleur inserted Minshew for his first snap as a Cardinal.
Minshew led three consecutive drives that ended in passing touchdowns during the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 17 completions on 23 attempts and a 137.3 passer rating. The Cardinals won 33-30 in overtime to improve their record to 3-5. This victory marked the fifth win for Arizona in five meetings with Dallas at AT&T Stadium.
Minshew is 33 years old and has started 47 games for five teams since the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. His last NFL appearance before this week was in Week 16 of the 2025 season. He threw eight passes for the Kansas City Chiefs before suffering a non-displaced tibial plateau fracture. The Cardinals signed him to a one-year, $8.25 million contract in March.
Brissett received a reworked one-year contract worth $15.5 million guaranteed in July. That deal came despite his 1-11 record as the starter the previous season. His record worsened to 3-16 after the Week 7 loss to the Denver Broncos. LaFleur kept Brissett on the field for one more game before making the switch.
Carson Beck, 24, will likely be listed as active for the game in Seattle. He has dealt with back spasms recently. LaFleur said Beck is feeling good and is on a week-to-week basis. The team must also manage injuries to receivers Michael Wilson and Kendrick Bourne and running back Jeremiyah Love during a three-game stretch that includes Seattle, the Los Angeles Rams, and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Cardinals currently sit 12th in the 2027 NFL draft order. Nine teams have fewer wins than Arizona despite owning a record two games under .500. Minshew aims to extend the offensive spark he created in Dallas as he prepares for his first start with the franchise.
