Former Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik has made the New York Jets’ 53-man roster, and that alone says plenty about how quickly he’s adjusted to the pro game.
The Jets announced their roster after the preseason wrapped up this weekend, and Klubnik landed on it as one of only two quarterbacks in the room. That means he’ll open the 2026-27 season behind starter Geno Smith, with head coach Aaron Glenn making the role clear on Monday.
“He’s our backup quarterback,” Glenn said on Monday, “and he’ll do a good job.”
Klubnik’s preseason work was steady rather than flashy. He saw action in several series for New York and finished with 134 passing yards on 16 completions, 22 rushing yards and an interception. Even so, his practice habits helped separate him from the competition, with the Jets moving on from quarterbacks Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe before settling on Klubnik.
For Clemson fans, the setup feels familiar. Klubnik arrived as a five-star recruit in the 2022 class, spent his first season backing up junior DJ Uiagalelei, and then made his mark in Clemson’s ACC Championship game that year by helping the Tigers beat North Carolina.
He took over as the starter the next three seasons and eventually guided Clemson to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. By the time his college career was over, Klubnik had piled up 10,123 passing yards and 73 touchdowns, ranking third and fourth in Clemson history in those categories. He also became one of only five quarterbacks in program history to make 40 starts.
That kind of résumé is part of why the Jets are betting on him for the long haul, and it’s also why Dabo Swinney expects the rookie to keep climbing.
“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’s experience makes it unlikely Klubnik is handed the job right away, but the path is there. If the Jets decide they need a change, the former Clemson star is now in position to be the one they turn to.
In Other News...
Clemsons D-Line Has A Growing Problem Before The LSU Opener
Clemsons defensive line entered the late-summer stretch already under a little scrutiny, and the situation around senior tackle Vic Burley only adds to the uncertainty. Burley remains indefinitely suspended after his arrest on a misdemeanor public disorderly conduct charge, and the case has moved to a conditional discharge that includes probation, education programs and community service if he completes the terms. For a team heading into a major opener, any absence along the interior is worth watching.
Dabo Swinney said Burley is not currently part of Clemsons top defensive tackle group, and there is no timeline yet for his return. That leaves the Tigers trying to sort out a position where depth and rotation matter as much as raw talent, especially this close to the LSU matchup. The longer the situation lingers, the more it turns a single disciplinary issue into a real roster problem. [Read more 🡒]
Dabo Just Added Real Tension To LSUs Opener With Kiffin
Dabo Swinney used a Sept. 1 press conference to give Lane Kiffin an unusually warm public nod, reflecting on the first time the two crossed paths back in the mid-2000s when they were assistant coaches. Swinney called Kiffin one of the best coaches in the business, a notable bit of praise with Clemson and LSU set to open their season against each other in a game that already has plenty of built-in intrigue.
The matchup carries extra edge because it is the first time the two will be on opposite sidelines as head coaches, adding another layer to a heavyweight opener between two programs trying to make an early statement. Swinneys comments only sharpen the spotlight on a meeting that has been a long time coming, and one that should tell plenty about where both teams stand right out of the gate. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Heads To LSU With A QB Situation Fans Didn't Want
For the third straight year, Clemson went into Week 1 without a public depth chart, keeping the focus on a quarterback race that never seemed to settle down in the days before the opener. Head coach Dabo Swinney waited until late Tuesday to make his decision, and the delay only added to the uncertainty surrounding a team heading into a high-profile trip to LSU with more questions than Clemson fans expected.
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 🡒]