On a November afternoon in the desert, the Arizona Cardinals chose to place their season in the hands of a young man who, only weeks ago, sat third in line behind the starter. Gardner Minshew II's elbow ligament will be repaired on Wednesday, closing his year and opening a door for Carson Beck, a third-round pick whose long and winding college road has finally led him to a moment that few of his age ever reach. Whether that road has prepared him for the pressure of a Sunday against the Rams is a question only the coming game can answer.
Cardinals Hand Rookie Carson Beck the Starting Job After Gardner Minshew's Season-Ending Elbow Injury
Third on the depth chart a week ago, now the starter
Mark
Why does this one matter beyond one injury?
Mimi
Because it reshuffles the whole quarterback room in about a week. Brissett was traded, Beck moved up to backup, and now he's the starter.
Mark
What did the coach say about him?
Mimi
LaFleur called him a pro since being drafted in the third round and mature, and credited Georgia and Miami for shaping him.
Luke
That's the coach talking about his own player. It's a fair read of the team's view, but it isn't an outside measure of how he'll play.
Mark
Is there any NFL evidence at all?
Mimi
One game. In the Hall of Fame Game in August he went 15 of 19 for 188 yards and a touchdown.
Luke
A preseason game, and he missed other preseason time with a rib injury. It's a good sign, not a forecast.
Mark
And the college record?
Mimi
Strong last year at Miami: 72.4% completions, 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a trip to the title game. But he regressed at Georgia before that.
Luke
Also worth saying what we don't know: how long Minshew's recovery takes beyond this season, and how Beck handles a full week of starter reps. Those first reps come this week.
Le Pouls
- Gardner Minshew II's elbow injury ended his season, forcing the Cardinals to scramble for a new starter with little time to prepare.
- A trade of Jacoby Brissett last week pushed Beck from third string to Minshew's backup, and now to the top of the depth chart.
- Beck's first regular-season NFL start arrives Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET against the Los Angeles Rams, with his first reps as the No. 1 this week.
- Preseason flashes and a record-setting final college season give the coaching staff reason for optimism, but the real test starts now.
On a November afternoon in the desert, the Arizona Cardinals chose to place their season in the hands of a young man who, only weeks ago, sat third in line behind the starter. Gardner Minshew II's elbow ligament will be repaired on Wednesday, closing his year and opening a door for Carson Beck, a third-round pick whose long and winding college road has finally led him to a moment that few of his age ever reach. Whether that road has prepared him for the pressure of a Sunday against the Rams is a question only the coming game can answer.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur delivered two pieces of news at once: Gardner Minshew II is finished for the season, and rookie Carson Beck will step in as the starter. Minshew has an ulnar ligament injury in his elbow and is scheduled for surgery Wednesday, which ends his year and hands the offense to a player who was third on the depth chart not long ago.
The path was quick. Beck sat behind Minshew and Jacoby Brissett until last week, when the Cardinals traded Brissett and moved Beck up to backup. Now he is the starter, and his first regular-season start comes Sunday against the Rams. This week brings his first reps as the No. 1 quarterback, and LaFleur says he is eager to watch him run the offense.
Beck's résumé is unusual. A third-round pick in the 2026 draft, he is 24 and has spent six years in college, five at Georgia and a final season at Miami. He was not Georgia's full-time starter until his junior year, and he transferred after struggling as a senior. At Miami he rebounded, leading the Hurricanes to the national championship game and posting strong numbers, including a 72.4% completion rate.
His preseason was limited by a rib injury, but he impressed in the Hall of Fame Game, completing 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown. Sunday will show whether that college success and preseason promise hold up in a real NFL game.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur delivered two pieces of news at once: quarterback Gardner Minshew II is done for the season, and rookie Carson Beck will take his place as the starter.
Minshew has an ulnar ligament injury in his elbow, LaFleur said, and he is scheduled for surgery Wednesday. That ends his year and hands the offense to a player who, not long ago, was third on the depth chart.
The path to this point was short. Beck was the No. 3 quarterback until last week, when the Cardinals traded Jacoby Brissett. That move made Beck Minshew's backup in Week 9. Now he is the starter, and his first regular-season NFL start comes Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams at 4:05 p.m. ET.
Beck was a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. LaFleur described him as someone who has operated like a pro since the day Arizona selected him, and said he was mature when the team drafted him. The coach credited the cultures at Georgia and Miami for that development. This week brings Beck's first reps as the No. 1 quarterback alongside the rest of the starters, and LaFleur said he is looking forward to watching him run the offense.
The evidence from the pros so far is thin but encouraging. A rib injury limited Beck's preseason work, yet he stood out in the Hall of Fame Game against the Carolina Panthers in August, completing 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown.
He arrives at 24 after an unusually long college career: six years, five at Georgia and a final season at Miami. He did not become Georgia's full-time starter until his junior year, and he transferred to Miami after regressing in his senior season at Georgia.
The move paid off. Last season at Miami, Beck led the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Across 16 games he completed 72.4% of his passes, the best figure in the ACC, for 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Sunday against the Rams will be the first real test of whether that college résumé and a strong preseason showing carry over to a regular-season NFL game.
Citations marquantes
Beck has been a pro since being drafted and was mature when Arizona took him, helped by the cultures at Georgia and Miami.— Mike LaFleur, Cardinals head coach (paraphrased)
Envie de l'histoire complète ?
Lire l'original sur Fox News ↗