Gardner Minshew back for revenge in Philly, shares anecdote about HC

Quarterback Gardner Minshew became a fan favorite in Jacksonville for his penchant to always speak what was on his mind and his different hairstyles. With Trevor Lawrence entrenched as the starter and C.J. Beathard on the roster, the Jaguars decided to trade Minshew to the Philadephia Eagles.

The third-year quarterback recently had a sitdown with Philadelphia’s media and talked about the time he met Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni — the Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator at the time — during the 2019 draft process. So what did the two do when they met? Have dinner? Discuss X’s and O’s? Play H-O-R-S-E, of course.

"The most we talked about anything was actually when he was in Indianapolis. I took a draft visit and we were playing ball H-O-R-S-E. It was getting pretty competitive and I had a button-up on and I had to take that off because the game was getting a little too competitive. I think that really stood out. I think that might’ve actually played a role in why I’m here."

So who won that game? Sirianni. Minshew says he got distracted and even though he took his shirt off, it didn’t help, “and he just continued to beat me. That’s why I’m back, I’m back for revenge”. Here’s the clip in case you want to watch it.

It’s always fun to hear what Gardner Minshew has to say.

Minshew had success right off the bat, starting 12 games and completing 60.6 percent of his passes for 3,271 yards with 21 touchdowns and just six interceptions in his rookie campaign. The fact that he always spoke candidly only increased his profile in the national media. Last year, he was placed on the COVID-19/reserve list. When asked if he had caught the virus, he responded in a way only he would, “it took a look at me and it ran away”.

There was a report North Korea was planning to ban mullets, Minshew asked U.S. president Joe Biden what they were going to do about it. More recently, he said he hadn’t gone to the bathroom in weeks in preparation for the Jaguars’ quarterback battle, because ‘number two wasn’t an option for him”. In the end, he lost the competition to Lawrence, but that hasn’t changed his approach to playing football. He told the media he’s fired up about being in Philadelphia and excited to be part of the Eagles’ quarterback room.

What’s next for Gardner Minshew in Philadelphia?

Minshew is currently the third in the Eagles’ quarterback room. Jalen Hurts is the starter and Joe Flacco is the backup. However, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Minshew earn a significant amount of playing time in 2021. Hurts has yet to prove he’s the long-term answer at quarterback in Philly and Flacco could be in the twilight of his NFL career.

Sure, the former Cougar is facing an uphill battle to play but he’s the kind of player that will always give his best, so don’t rule out the possibility of him starting in the regular season. After all, nobody expected him to start, let alone play well in his rookie year.