Jaguars' Gardner Minshew Reflects on Physical Strides Made in Offseason

There is a lot of weight on the shoulders of second-year quarterback Gardner Minshew in 2020. The Jacksonville Jaguars starting signal-caller will be relied upon to lead the Jaguars into a pivotal season, with present and future jobs on the line.

To make sure he is up to the test, Minshew knows he will have to improve both physically and mentally. To do so, the former sixth-rounder has put an emphasis on training off of the field to get stronger, faster, and equipped to thrive in the upcoming season.

🎥 Jags QB @GardnerMinshew5 has been counted out over & over again.

BUT he has traits you can’t measure & 1 of them is a work ethic that is relentless.

He should be an inspiration to any young QB who feels overlooked.

Why not YOU? pic.twitter.com/bidymiS2jL
— QB Country (@QBCountry) May 21, 2020

“It’s been good. I’ve been trying to [improve] really every asset – bigger, faster, stronger. Really putting an emphasis on trying to figure out the best weight for me to have as much arm strength as possible, while maintaining as much speed," Minshew said Thursday.

"So just figuring that out, it’s been a fun process. I’ve had a lot of help from Coach Anthony Tumbarello. I’ve been training with him a lot down in South Florida. Also, I have been using Coach Milo’s [Tom Myslinski] stuff with the Jags, kind of a joint effort there, we’ve been able to get me moving in the right direction"

For the first time in his football career, Minshew is set to be tasked with starting 16 regular season games. The pressure on him to perform is high after a rookie season in which he went 6-6 as a starter, completed over 60% of his passes for more than 3,000 yards and threw 21 touchdowns to six interceptions.

To ensure he is able to meet the demands of the pressure, Minshew is sharpening his craft off the field, making sure to improve physically and mentally. Ever since the Super Bowl concluded, most of Minshew's days have been spent ensuring he develops.

“Since the day after the Super Bowl, I’ve been going six days a week for the last, however many months it’s been. It’s been a lot of fun seeing growth in yourself and your game," Minshew said.

“We’ve been on the same program since February, since after the Super Bowl. Lifting three days, running three days, throwing three days. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Improved arm strength, more muscle to handle hits inside and outside of the pocket, and a focus on the mechanics and footwork needed to thrive as an NFL starting quarterback have all been key components to Minshew's offseason. It won't be until the fall that Minshew and others are able to see the results of his hard work, but the early returns are already evident.

“I gained probably 10 pounds after the season and got up to like 230 then I’ve cut back down to where I’m really just holding better weight, I feel like. So now I’m anywhere like 222 to 225. More than anything with emphasis on where I feel good running and on where I feel good having enough juice on the ball," Minshew said.

Minshew has been using a local park or the football field at his old high school in Brandon, Mississippi to get his work in during the quarantine period. While the quarantine and COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for each NFL player, Minshew is attempting to make the best of a bad situation.

And while the offseason certainly isn't ideal, with Minshew unable to utilize the Jaguars' weight room, facilities, or share the field with his teammates, there are still some positives to take away from an offseason filled with physical strides and development.

"Honestly, just being able to stick to the schedule I feel like we’ve been able to refine a routine to where we’re getting really efficient work right now. I think it’s exciting when you start seeing results and you see yourself getting better," Minshew said.