Nick Foles Named Jaguars’ Starting Quarterback, Gardner Minshew to Resume Backup Role
After weeks of speculation, the question of who is the Jacksonville Jaguars' starting quarterback moving forward in 2019 has finally been answered as head coach Doug Marrone announced Tuesday that veteran quarterback Nick Foles would start for the team.
"I just got done with a team meeting. I have made a decision on the quarterbacks, and Nick will be our starting quarterback going forward," Marrone said in a press conference Tuesday.
"It was obviously my decision. I worked hard on it, came to it, and brought both players in this morning. Spoke to both of them. After I spoke to the players, then obviously I wanted to make sure I spoke to the team and then I wanted to get it to our media before they heard it anywhere else, where I can't control."
Foles will take the place of sixth-round rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II, who has lead Jacksonville's offense since Foles went down with a clavicle injury 11 snaps into the Jaguars' Week 1 game vs. the Kansas City Chiefs.
The decision follows Jacksonville losing 26-3 to the Houston Texans in London this past Sunday, dropping the team to 4-5 and keeping Jacksonville in third place of the AFC South heading into its Week 10 bye week.
"I got the game done on the way home from London. Stayed up, got a good night's sleep, woke up and started working on the quarterback decision right away," Marrone said Tuesday. I came to a decision, and I thought once you come to a decision, you might as well tell the people."
Marrone said the loss to the Texans was not a driving factor in the decision, which he said he made Tuesday morning. Instead, he said he looked at the body of work over the last eight games and decided to go with Foles because he thinks the veteran passer gives them the best chance to succeed over the second half of the season.
"I just go back to the experience and what he is going to be able to do," Marrone said. "I think that is going to give us the ability, a better chance of winning right now."
Foles, the ex-Philadelphia Eagles quarterback who famously won Super Bowl Most Valuable Player in 2017 after leading a 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots, signed with Jacksonville this offseason to a massive four-year, $88 million contract worth $50.125 million in guaranteed money.
Minshew went 4-4 as a starter while filling in for Foles. The rookie passer completed 61.2% of his passes and threw for 2,285 yards, 13 touchdowns, and four interceptions.
"I think what he has done, he has done a great job," Marrone said Tuesday about Minshew. I feel a whole lot different about him now than I did prior to him playing, in a very positive way."
Jacksonville plays the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11. Foles was activated from the team's reserve/injured list following the announcement and is now a member of the 53-man active roster.
