Doug Marrone Explains Decision to Bench Mike Glennon for Gardner Minshew

After nearly two months of Minshew Mania being planted on the sideline, a big of magic was permitted to once again hit the field in Jacksonville after Mike Glennon failed to seize his opportunity.

It felt all game long as if head coach Doug Marrone was just putting off the inevitable by keeping Gardner Minshew II on the bench in favor of Glennon, but Minshew finally got his first snap under center since Week 7 once Glennon threw an interception on the first possession of the second half.

The interception would open the door for a Titans touchdown on the ensuing drive to put them in a 31-3 hole. The crowd's chants for Minshew were finally answered as a result.

“Mike threw the pick and then we were behind and I really wanted to try to get a spark and thinking that Gardner could extend plays and make some plays with his feet, and he did that," Marrone said following the loss.

Minshew did do just that. One year after Minshew came in off the bench and provided a second-half spark in Week 13 of 2019, Minshew did the same in Week 14 in 2020.

Jacksonville had three points, 99 yards of offense, four punts, and one turnover after Glennon played seven drives. Jacksonville's luck instantly got better with Minshew running the offense as the second-year passer completed 5 of 7 passes for 48 yards and a touchdown in his first drive, ending the drive with a five-yard touchdown to Keelan Cole.

"Yeah, it felt great to be back in there. It’s something that I really missed. I miss the comradery with the guys. I miss being out there," Minshew said Sunday.

"As much as you’re always a part of the team, it’s just something different when you’re really out there with the guys and that’s always special. I thought we got in a rhythm, it was kind of up and down, but I think we can finish drives better.”

Glennon, meanwhile, completed 13 of 23 passes (56.5%) for 85 yards (3.7 yards per attempt) and an interception at the time of his benching, giving him a passing rating of 46.5. Minshew finished the game 18 of 31 (58.1%) for 178 yards (5.7 yards per attempt) and a touchdown with an 85.1 passer rating.

Neither quarterback played well on Sunday but Minshew clearly gave the offense more of a boost. Despite this, Marrone declined to say post-game which quarterback will be his option moving forward, even though he has his answer made up.

"As far as moving forward, again, I haven’t spoken to both guys so just out of respect for them, obviously I have in my mind what I want to do but I’m actually going to make sure I speak to them first, before I do something through the media," Marrone said. "I don’t want them to find out from what I say because after the game everything happens so quickly for me.”

Minshew started the first seven games of the season before a thumb injury on his throwing hand forced him to the sideline for six weeks. Rookie quarterback Jake Luton got three starts before being pulled for Glennon in Week 12, while Minshew has entered each of the last two weeks as the backup.

"It’s been different for sure. I was just trying to help Mike [Glennon] anyway I could," Minshew said Sunday. "Just help the team in any way I could, through preparation and practice. But there’s always that itch and there’s really nothing to scratch that except getting out there and playing.”

Marrone will now have to decide which quarterback he wants to potentially end his tenure as Jaguars head coach with. Will he roll with Minshew, who began the year as his starter after going 6-6 in 2019, or return to Glennon despite him turning the ball over four times in the last six quarters?

It remains to be seen what the answer is, but one can likely safely assume Minshew will start the final three games of the season. The Jaguars have exhausted every other option, after all.

“I don’t know, that’s not my call. I’m going to try to help the team score points and help the team get better in any way I can," Minshew said.

"Whatever they need me to do, I’ll do. But obviously there’s nothing like being out there and being under center.”