Gardner Minshew didn’t just survive his first big test as Arizona’s starter. He turned it into a statement.
After coming off the bench to spark a 33-30 comeback over Dallas on Sunday, Minshew is now set to keep the job when the Cardinals host the Seattle Seahawks this week. Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur made that clear at Monday’s press conference, and he didn’t hide how impressed he was with what he saw.
"The production was pretty wild," LaFleur said on Minshew's three touchdown, 188-yards passing day. "In terms of the amount of points, and just moving up and down the field."
LaFleur also praised the way Minshew has handled himself behind the scenes and in the huddle.
"[Minshew's] a competitor, and he's always prepared. He's preparing like he's the starter.
He's preparing like he's going to be in there for whatever snap. He supported Jacoby at a high level too.
He's been a great backup for him, been great for the room, and look forward to the challenge that we have this week with him."
That challenge comes against a Seahawks team sitting at 4-4 and chasing a much-needed win as it tries to keep pace with San Francisco, which is 6-1 in the NFC West.
For Minshew, this is the kind of spot he seems to keep finding himself in: a one-year, $5.75 million deal, a sixth NFL franchise, and another chance to make the most of an opening that wasn’t supposed to be his. At 30, he’s back in the spotlight again, and the question now is whether he can do more than just keep Arizona afloat. Can he actually drag the 3-5 Cardinals into the postseason and force his way into the long-term conversation?
The Cardinals’ decision to move on from Jacoby Brissett mid-game last week says plenty about where they are headed. It sure doesn’t look like a team ready to punt on the season. And with the trade deadline approaching, Arizona hasn’t shipped out any other starter besides the unhappy Marvin Harrison Jr.
That gives Minshew a real runway, at least for now. He’ll have a decent supporting cast around him too, with Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, Budda Baker, and Josh Sweat all in the mix.
Even if this ends up being nothing more than a short-term audition, Minshew seems positioned to keep himself employed. A few solid starts, a couple wins, and he could still end up back in the league as a backup for as long as he wants.
The schedule doesn’t exactly roll out the red carpet. Arizona heads to Seattle on Sunday, then gets the Rams at home before a trip to Arrowhead to face Kansas City.
After the comeback against Dallas, Minshew sounded like a quarterback who knows exactly what kind of team he’s walking into this stretch with.
"Shoot, we’ve had some rough goes at it to start the year, and our guys just keep going," Minshew said following the stunning comeback. "Guys are dropping, guys are playing through stuff, and it was awesome to see the heart of this team."
Elsewhere around the NFL, New England Patriots wideout Kyle Williams nearly had his second touchdown of the season wiped out before a Mike Vrabel challenge confirmed he completed the catch. Replay showed the bobble started only after Williams had crossed the goal line.
Williams’ lone grab was a 43-yard strike from Drake Maye in a 24-19 win over Miami, and it pushed his yards-per-reception mark to 27.1 on seven catches. He also played 83 percent of the snaps, a season high with AJ Brown, Romeo Doubs, and Mack Hollins all out.
There were plenty of other Cougar notes from around the league. Chau Smith-Wade was pressed into action for Carolina on Thursday Night Football against Green Bay after starter Will Lee was injured, and he responded with three tackles while playing a season-high 48 snaps in a 27-19 loss.
For the Chargers, linebacker Daiyan Henley had a rough night in a 24-9 loss to the Rams. He was hit with a holding penalty on what should have been a sack in the third quarter, and he also helped allow Puka Nacua to pile up 11 catches and a touchdown underneath.
Rams cornerback Jaylen Watson turned in another strong performance in that same game, finishing with four stops and helping hold Justin Herbert without a touchdown and to two interceptions. But there was also a tough update after the game, with NFL insider Ian Rapoport reporting: "Watson is expected to have shoulder surgery that will end his 2026 season, coach Sean McVay said. A surprising and frustrating outcome for the big ticket free agent who has been undergoing tests the last few days."
Seattle offensive tackle Abraham Lucas was part of a run game that managed only 81 yards in a 34-17 loss to Chicago on Monday Night Football, and now he’ll be back on the field against Minshew and the Cardinals this Sunday.
Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu added eight tackles in a 27-10 win over Philadelphia on Sunday Night Football, while Kansas City safety Jaden Hicks logged 18 snaps and two tackles in a 28-24 loss to Denver.
Dallas safety Jalen Thompson is eligible to come off injured reserve after missing four weeks, though coach Brian Schottenheimer said he’s "unsure" whether Thompson’s practice window will be opened this week. The Cowboys could have used him against Minshew’s comeback.
One more note from the ex-Coug crowd: Tennessee’s Cameron Ward and the 1-7 Titans pushed Joe Burrow and the Bengals to the brink before falling 43-36 in overtime. Ward also posted the first 300-yard, two-touchdown, no-interception game of his pro career. Still, at 4-21 through two seasons, Ward now has the worst winning percentage of any quarterback in NFL history who has started at least 25 games.