Raiders free agency: 5 things about Gardner Minshew

Getting to know new Las Vegas quarterback

Gardner Minshew may be the Las Vegas Raiders’ starting quarterback in 2024 after he signed with the team on the first day of free agency.

We will be getting to know him more very quickly, but here are five aspects of Minshew the player and person that Raiders fans should know:

His personality fits:

Minshew is famous for being a character. The moustache. The hair. The van. The shorts. The laugh. He showed his personality at his opening press conference with the Raiders and he seems like he’s going to be fun to have around. Remember, when asked what he’s looking for in a quarterback, Raiders general manager Tom Telesco emphasized leadership. Minshew has that quality. Also, new Raiders coach Antonio Pierce has stated he wants his players to have fun and Minshew is all about that. So, he’s a fit in this area.

Record as a starter:

Quarterbacking in the NFL, of course, is about more than leadership and being a good guy. And Minshew hasn’t had great success in the league. He has started 37 games and in the league and he is 15-22. He was 7-6 in his 13 starts with the Colts last season.

He was close with the late Mike Leach:

Minshew starred under legendary college coach Mike Leach at Washington State in 2018. He and his father studied Leach’s offense when he was a youth. Like Minshew, Leach was known for his unique personality and they were a perfect pairing. When Leach suddenly died in December, 2022 at the age of 61, Minshew was excused from the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice to attend his former coach’s memorial service where he was one of the speakers.

He’s used to short-term jobs:

Minshew’s contract with the Raiders is just for two years and that is pretty short term, but it’s not anything he’s not used to. Minshew, 27, is entering his sixth NFL season and the Raiders are his fourth team. Jacksonville drafted him in the sixth round in 2019 and he spent two seasons there (he was 7-13 with the Jaguars as a starter) before he was traded to Philadelphia at the end of training camp in 2021. He spent two years as a backup with the Eagles (he was 1-3 as a starter with Philadelphia) before signing a modest one-year contract with the Colts in 2023.

Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images

Decorated college player:

Minshew moved around in college as well. He had three potential Division I commitments fall through and he landed at Northwest Mississippi Community College where he led the program to the junior college national championship. He went to Eastern Carolina in 2016 and played there for two seasons. He was an early graduate and transferred to Washington State for one final college season in 2018. In total, Minshew had a record of 23-9 as a starter at all three schools. He was the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2018 and won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award that year.