Larry Henry JrGardner Minshew stepped in for the Philadelphia Eagles back in Week 13 and shined, but his request to be the team’s long-term starter was reportedly denied by head coach Nick Sirianni.
Sirianni denied Minshew’s request to remain the Eagles starting quarterback after the team’s bye week in Week 14, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported Sunday. Minshew has remained on the sidelines as Jalen Hurts returned to action to help the Eagles defeat both the Washington Football Team and New York Giants in back-to-back divisional matchups.
Minshew’s only start for the Eagles saw the third-year pro register 242 passing yards on 20-of-25 passing for two touchdowns. Per Mortensen’s report, “Minshew went into Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni’s office after the Week 13 game and asked what it will take for him to earn the starting job going forward. Sirianni told Minshew it is “not going to happen” and that the team is committed to Hurts for the remainder of the season.”
The 25-year-old was visibly excited after leading the Eagles to a 33-19 win over the Jets at MetLife Stadium, celebrating with his father in the tunnel after the game.
Hurts has returned as the Eagles No. 1 quarterback, completing 37-of-55 passing attempts for 495 yards and three touchdowns to only one interception. The former University of Alabama and Oklahoma quarterback has also contributed 45 rushing yards and two scores, bringing his versatile playing ability back onto the field.
Minshew’s solid NFL career to date will likely bring suitors in the offseason, especially with several teams needing a consistent starting QB going into the 2022 season. For now, Hurts remains the Eagles starter, but with the team needing wins over both Washington and the Dallas Cowboys in the final two weeks, Minshew will need to be ready if Sirianni does decide to call on him with the stakes as highest as they’ve been all year.
The Eagles travel to Washington on Sunday afternoon looking for a fourth-straight win overall.
You can follow Larry Henry on Twitter (@lhenry019) and e-mail him at [email protected].
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