ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Sell yourself to NFL teams, Gardner.
“Ummm, I’m 6-foot-1, I don’t run very fast and don’t have a super strong arm.”
That, of course, wasn’t Gardner Minshew’s elevator speech he gave NFL personnel and general managers during the draft process in the early spring. That was, in fact, the reason why those exact general managers took the elevator all the way to the sixth round before touching the uninspiring physical specimen known as Gardner Flint Minshew II.
“That’s kind of what people are drafted on nowadays,” Minshew continued, explaining why he fell in the 2019 NFL Draft.
And that’s the problem.
Height, speed, arm strength and all of the physical tools are great. But they are just that—tools. They aren’t the bolts that make or break a quarterback. They can help, certainly. But are they absolutely necessary? Absolutely not. Should those be the qualities that quarterbacks are drafted around? You know the answer.
Instead, the epidemic sweeping the country known as Minshew Mania gives an excellent idea of what qualities should be valued in finding a franchise quarterback.
“Preparation. Preparation and a lot of good people around me,” the rookie quarterback told the Denver media, leading up to his Jaguars Week 4 matchup against the Broncos.
“My dad says, the only thing you control is how hard you work. You can’t control how fast you are, you can’t control how hard throw, but you can be the hardest worker in every building you’re ever in. I heard that as early as I started sports, so that’s something that’s carried me a lot further than anything physical.”
And look how far it’s carried the 23-year old.
In an effort to not let go of football, Garnder began his college career at Northwestern Mississippi Community College before transferring way up to East Carolina. After two years on the east coast, Garnder took his talents to Washington State for one final season, where he teamed up with Mike Leach to lead the Cougars to an 11-2 record as he tossed for nearly 5,000 yards and 40 touchdowns all in a years work.
Now, as a sixth-round rookie, he’s put the best work of his career on the field.
Taking over midway through his first NFL game for an injured Nick Foles, Minshew’s been nothing short of remarkable. He’s been historically good, actually.
In his first three games—racking up a 1-1 record as the starter—his 110.8 passer rating is the best ever for any quarterback in their first three games. How ‘bout that.
“I think the confidence comes from the preparation and the belief that you are ready for it even though you haven’t done it a bunch,” he explained. “I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of great coaches and mentors around him help get me ready and I trust that preparation.”
But it’s more than just outworking everyone else in the building that’s gotten Minshew to the level where people are growing out their mustaches in honor of him.
He’s obsessed with football. And he wants it to be the love of his entire life.
“I enjoy it,” he calmly said, understanding his passion for the game. “I have fun, but if you ask anybody in the building, they’ll tell you how hard I work and how serious I do take it. I think there is a fine line where if you don’t enjoy it, then it can kind of wear you down. I just try to have as much fun as possible and that’s why I play my best, too.”
In his transfer process from East Carolina, Minshew had an offer to be Nick Saban’s backup at Alabama. Knowing he wanted to be a coach for the rest of his life once his playing career was over, this was an enticing offer as he believed this was a golden ticket to that life.
But after Leach told him he would lead the league in passing up in Pullman, Minshew understood excelling his career would benefit his future the most—whether that be as a player or as a coach.
In a “300” style speech in front of his Washington State teammates last year, Minshew revealed a story for the first time detailing just how much he loves the game of football.
At East Carolina, he took a hammer and smashed his throwing hand over and over and over again. Whack, whack, whack.
Yes, he was drinking. But he made the decision sober—it wasn’t a drunk college fit of rage. Instead, it was so he could play more football.
In an effort to get a medical redshirt year to extend his eligibility another season, Minshew attempted to break his own throwing hand. Attempt being the key word.
“It was sore as hell. That was about it,” Minshew said with a laugh, explaining what came of his failed attempt to break his hand.
Was it the smartest decision he’s ever made? Probably not. And while that instance wouldn’t suggest it, Minshew is actually brilliant.
Not only did he score a 42 out of 50 on the Wonderlic—an incredibly high score—Leach said he was one of the smartest player he’s ever coached.
Yet despite his intelligence, tireless work ethic, die-hard passion for the game and tremendous production in college, every team passed up on him at least five times. The Jaguars made sure it wasn’t six.
An aspect of Gardner that undoubtedly scared teams off was his success at Washington State came in a spread offense. But instead of being scared off by this and it being held over prospect’s heads as they enter the NFL, it should be viewed as what it is—the future.
Why? Just look at the reigning NFL MVP and the past two No. 1 overall picks. Is that enough convincing evidence?
Under John Elway, a different type of criteria has been used to evaluate most of the quarterbacks the Broncos have drafted. At the combine, John all but admitted Kyler Murray wasn’t a consideration due to his height and background.
Additionally, Reports indicated Elway was only interested in the fast, strong-armed and physically gifted Sam Darnold in the 2018 draft. Reports were quiet when it came to Baker Mayfield.
Instead, the Broncos two highest-drafted quarterbacks have both had every physical tool in the shed.
According to Vance Joseph, week in and week out, Paxton Lynch’s assets was that he was tall. Bill Musgrave, Lynch’s own offensive coordinator, said Paxton only ran eight plays at Memphis, revealing how little he had to do in college from a mental preparation side.
But he was tall, had a strong arm and could run—a similar profile to Brock Osweiler.
Maybe Drew Lock’s the Broncos answer. But he won’t be the guy because of his 6-foot-4, 225-pound stature or his laser, rocket arm, in the words of Peyton Manning. Instead, it would be because he has the Minshew work ethic. The Minshew passion for football. And a Gardner ‘stache probably wouldn’t hurt, either.
Speaking of Peyton, while height was never an issue with the future Hall of Fame quarterback, as he was the prototypical 6-foot-5, did No. 18 have ideal speed? Not quite.
Sorry, but arm strength wasn’t always his biggest strength, either, as people outside of Denver called him noodle arm toward the end of his career.
But Peyton unquestionably had it all above the neck. And how’d that turn out?
Gardner Flynn Minshew II might not have a long illustrious career in the NFL. He very well could be a flash in the pan, remembered for his mustache and for taking the league by storm in his first three games.
But the traits he, and many other past, current and future quarterbacks, embody should never be overlooked when evaluating the most important position in sports.
“I think leading is—I don’t know about leading by example, but I think you have to lead the charge. You have to be there right on the front lines with your guys. They have to know that you aren’t afraid of mixing up with them and that you’re going to fight with them every step of the way,” Minshew said, giving another reason why his teammates and coaches have so easily rallied around him early on in his career. “That’s kind of what I’ve always hung my hat on.”
As Minshew hangs his hat on his ‘stache, the rest of the NFL, including the Broncos, shouldn’t lose sight of the traits that have allowed the mustache to become famous.
