Jalen Hurts will miss his first sport of the season this Sunday because the Eagles face the Cowboys, placing Gardner Minshew within the beginning function in what has been an emotional week for the backup quarterback.
Minshew was excused from Eagles observe Tuesday to talk on the funeral of his former coach Mike Leach, who died on December 12 following a coronary heart assault.
Leach coached Minshew for one extremely profitable season at Washington State as he performed his method into being a sixth-round draft choice.
Gardner Minshew will begin this week rather than Jalen Hurts after he sprained his shoulder
And with Hurts presently struggling from a proper shoulder sprain, Minshew will get his likelihood to start out vs. a division rival.
‘Jalen did every little thing he presumably may to get his physique able to go,’ coach Nick Sirianni mentioned Thursday. ‘And on the finish of the day, he is not going to have the ability to do it. He tried like loopy.
‘Gardner will probably be our man and Gardner will probably be prepared,’ he mentioned. ‘Gardner labored his butt off for this chance towards a very good soccer group.
‘He had a terrific observe [Wednesday].’
Hurts injured his throwing shoulder vs. the Bears final week as he was tackled to the bottom
Hurts was injured final week vs. the Bears as he was tackled by defensive lineman Trevis Gipson within the third quarter. He didn’t observe on Tuesday or Wednesday.
The twin-threat quarterback has had a breakout season for the 13-1 Eagles, as he is thrown 3,472 yards and 22 touchdowns whereas including 747 yards and 13 touchdowns on the bottom.
Nonetheless, with the division primarily wrapped up (the Cowboys are in second place at 10-4), the Alabama product absence’s shouldn’t be thought-about an enormous cope with the competent Minshew able to fill in.
The 26-year-old has began 22 video games in his profession, together with 20 for the Jaguars the place he threw 37 touchdowns towards 11 interceptions.
He began two video games for the Eagles final season and led the group to a 1-1 document, with 439 passing yards and 4 touchdowns.
Whereas Minshew will probably be wanting to showcase his skills vs. Dallas, he’ll be enjoying with a heavy coronary heart after the lack of his ‘favourite coach.’
‘To say that enjoying for coach Leach was a dream, that actually does not cowl it. He was my favourite coach lengthy earlier than I met him,’ he mentioned on Tuesday in accordance with the Deseret Information.
‘He modified what I believed was attainable for myself.’
Leach was 61 years outdated.
