Cade Klubnik’s NFL path is already looking a lot like the one that made him a Clemson name in the first place: patience, growth, and a spot behind an established starter before getting his shot.
The former Tigers quarterback made the New York Jets’ 53-man roster after the NFL preseason wrapped up this weekend, and he enters the 2026-27 season as one of just two quarterbacks on the team. That means Klubnik will open the year backing up Geno Smith.
“He’s our backup quarterback,” head coach Aaron Glenn said on Monday, “and he’ll do a good job.”
Klubnik’s preseason numbers were modest but enough to keep him in the picture. He played in several series for New York and finished with 134 passing yards on 16 completions, along with 22 rushing yards and an interception. Even so, the Jets decided to keep him around, cutting Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe before settling on Klubnik.
What likely helped him most was the way he handled himself throughout practice. That was enough for Glenn to trust him as the No. 2 quarterback heading into the season.
It’s a familiar setup for Klubnik, who arrived at Clemson as a five-star recruit in the 2022 class. He spent his first season behind junior DJ Uiagalelei before bursting onto the scene in Clemson’s ACC Championship game that year, when the Tigers beat North Carolina.
Klubnik then took over as Clemson’s starter for the next three seasons and helped lead the program to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. By the end of his Clemson career, he had piled up 10,123 passing yards and 73 touchdowns, ranking third and fourth in program history in those categories. He also became one of just five quarterbacks in Clemson history to make 40 starts.
That kind of résumé has already left an impression on his college coach. Dabo Swinney said he didn’t get to watch the first game Klubnik was part of in the 2026 postseason, but he’s eager to see what comes next.
“He’s gonna play a long time,” he said. “He’s a really talented quarterback, and that’s why he got drafted, and you know they’ve seen that too, right out of the gate. So hopefully he stays healthy; if he does, he’ll be going to be one of those guys you look up and he’s played quite a while.”
Smith gives the Jets the veteran presence under center to start the year, so Klubnik may not be asked to step in right away. But if New York needs a change, the rookie out of Clemson is now the next man up.
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Clemson Heads To LSU With A QB Situation Fans Didn't Want
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Swinneys wait ended with Christopher Vizzina getting the nod over freshman Tait Reynolds, but even that announcement came with the sense that the competition has not exactly been closed off. In the buildup, Swinney made it clear he did not see either quarterback as a true lock, which leaves Clemson entering a difficult road game with the starter identified, but the situation around the position still feeling very much in motion. [Read more 🡒]