Gardner Minshew: biography
The Flowood native, Gardner Minshew started a football career in NFL in 2019, as a rookie of Jacksonville Jaguars. He debuted on September 8, 2019, in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. In college Gardner played for Pirates in 2016, 2017 seasons and State Cougars in 2018 season. He plays at a quarterback position. As of 2019, Minshew’s net worth was unknown, but that year he signed four-year $2.7 million contract with Jaguars, including an average annual salary of $677,000.
Childhood and youth
Gardner’s birthplace was Flowood. He was born there on May 16, 1996. The boy was involved in football from an early age. His dad, Flint, became Gardner’s first instructor and helped the son develop athletic skills and learn football items. Also Gardner was very close with the other family members.
Minshew started his school football career in 2011. Studying at the local high school, Gardner tried to realize his potential by playing for the Bulldogs on the quarterback position. He did not become the starting player in his first season, appeared only in nine games, scoring six touchdowns for 473 yards. But he improved his playing in next year.
In 2012, Gardner spent 17 games with 27 touchdowns for 3 001 yards. That year Bulldogs reached the 6A state tournament’s final, but they were beaten there. In 2014 Minshew threw for 3 541 yards and 31 touchdowns, leading the Brandon to the final again. The Bulldogs won then. However, after Gardner shattered passing records in three and a half seasons as a starter at Brandon, nobody in his native state offered him a scholarship.
Minshew was inducted into the Brandon High School Hall of Fame and graduated with a 4.0 GPA. All three times, out of high school, then out of junior college and then as a grad transfer, Gardner could have walked on, but no scholarship offered. He overcame a lot of difficult stories before tweeted his commitment to Troy Trojans on December 17, 2014, where he went on an academic scholarship rather than a football scholarship.
Football career
College
After a short visit to Alabama, Minshew moved to Northwest Community College where he led his team to a national championship as a freshman, winning the championship game 66-13. He threw for a gazillion yards, and still, there were no offers from home-state schools, so he chose East Carolina for the next chapter of his college football odyssey.
In two seasons for Pirates as a part-time starter, he threw for 24 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions and finished his college education with a degree in communications. The NCAA’s relatively new rule on early graduates allowed him to transfer to another school without sitting out a year, so he decided to explore his options.
In 2018 Minshew unexpectedly received a call from Mike Leach at Washington State Cougars, whose recruiting approach was unique. Soon Minshew broke a school mark with seven touchdown passes in a game and helped to win 11 games, the best school’s result. The quarterback led the championship in a lot of stats and became one of the five best quarterbacks of the season. He was awarded as nation’s outstanding fourth-year quarterback.
In December 2018, Minshew appeared in the greatest outfit of the college football season. He rocked a mind-boggling outfit that looked like it was straight out of a 1970s porno ahead of his Alamo Bowl game against Iowa State.
NFL
On April 27, 2019, the Jacksonville Jaguars addressed the position late in the draft with a highly productive player with a slew of the college experience. They selected Minshew with the fifth selection of Round 6 of the 2019 NFL Draft. On May 9 the sides signed a four year $2.71 million contract.
Despite getting minimal reps in the practices leading up to the first season game, Gardner debuted in Jaguars’ jersey in Week 1, when starting quarterback Foles got injured in a game. The rookie set the record showed the best percentage of passes completed among all debutants in NFL history. After the game, Jaguars’ head coach was pleased with the performance of his young player and named Minshew the starting quarterback for next games.
Before Week 2, Minshew shocked social networks with his unusual style. The photo showed him living rockstar lifestyle when he jumped off the team plane rocking his best 70’s style porn outfit, complete with chain and open shirt that revealed his chest hair. Gardner’s selection of outfit did not stop him from making one of the most stylish footballers.
In the third game, the rookie led the Jaguars to a persuasive division victory over the Titans in a game nationally televised by The NFL Network. However, the first half was unsightly as penalty flags were flying a lot. Even Tom Brady decided that he couldn’t keep watching game on TV and made some angry comments.
In only his third career game and his second career start, he completed 20 of 30 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns for a passer rating of 108.2. Through three games, Minshew has completed 65 of 88 passes for 692 yards, five touchdowns and one interception for a passer rating of 110.6. Also, Minshew became the only Jaguars player since quarterback Byron Leftwich to throw a touchdown pass in their first three career games.
Personal life
As of 2019, Minshew didn’t earn as much money as most NFL quarterbacks. His quirky behavior didn’t end with his lip caterpillar and headgear. Several fans said Gardner looked like David Arquette dressed up as Baker Mayfield for Halloween. Minshew was known for several unusual pregame rituals, which garnished attention from several unique places and companies.
In September 2019, Daryn Parker, the Vice President of CamSoda, the world's best free live sex site, personally reached out to Minshew to offer him an endorsement deal for their new CamSoda Fit classes. The program was headlined by several adult entertainment stars and offered live-streamed classes several times per week.
CamSoda was hoping to add Minshew to that roster by having him lead an exercise class, in his famous jockstrap. The website also offered Minshew a role as the brand ambassador for a line of knitted intimate apparel. The company sweetened the deal by offering Minshew up to $1 million for the endorsements.
Awards and achievements
- 2018 – Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
- 2018 – Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year
- 2018 – First-team All-Pac-12
