Who does No. 2 work for? Apparently not Gardner Minshew.
The mustachioed quarterback who once authored a mania down in Duval apparently has no eyes on being No. 2 to the 2021 NFL Draft's No. 1 pick with the Jaguars this upcoming season.
Or at least that's the message he delivered in a rather unconventional but very Minshew kind of way on "The Green Light" podcast.
"I'll say this man, in preparation for the competition, I haven't taken a expletive deleted] in weeks, because No. 2 isn’t an option for me,” Minshew said on the podcast, [via Dov Kleiman. "No. 2 is not an option."
Realistically, Clemson product Trevor Lawrence, the aforementioned No. 1 overall pick, was prognosticated as the Jaguars' No. 1 QB last year while he was still in college and Jacksonville was limping to a 1-15 record.
Minshew, meanwhile, was in his second season with the Jags. In his first, he came on in relief of an injured Nick Foles and for a time dazzled the Duval faithful and Minshewmania was born. However, Minshew's never been able to truly grasp the starting reins, as they were given back for a time to a returning Foles in 2019 and tossed about to Minshew, Mike Glennon and Jake Luton in 2020 with Minshew garnering eight starts.
Despite the Jaguars' tribulations as of late, Minshew put up solid numbers, especially considering his surrounding cast and that he was playing in his first two NFL seasons. Over two years in Jacksonville, Minshew completed 62.9 percent of his passes for 240.4 yards per contest and 37 touchdowns to 11 interceptions in 23 games.
A characteristic as important as just about any with a quarterback is confidence and Minshew is still brimming with it despite Lawrence's selection.
"I know the work I put in, I trust that. I am ready as I can be. So I mean, it doesn't matter outside of that. You know, I am fired up because I like how I play right now," Minshew said on the podcast.
Many expected Minshew to have been traded at this point, but he's still with the Jaguars. And many expected Lawrence to be QB1, but passing game coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said in June a starter still hadn’t been named. Schottenheimer's remarks were likely met by many with an eye roll. But Minshew's still, at the least, a captivating personality who's ready to compete.
Hard to believe No. 2 would be an option for the No. 1 overall pick, but Minshew's not giving in without a competition and some good sound bites.
