JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — THE MOST INTERESTING QB ROOM IN FOOTBALL

Gardner Minshew (Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire)

The Jaguars may not have the best QB group in football, but it's certainly the most interesting. 

BY JORDAN DE LUGO

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The Jacksonville Jaguars have the most interesting QB room in the NFL, maybe ever.

The starting quarterback is Gardner Minshew; the mustachioed gunslinger became a national icon during his rookie year as "Minshew Mania" swept the nation. But before finding success as a pro, he had to start his career at a Community College, then transfer to Eastern Carolina, then to Alabama, then to Washington State, before he was able to make a lasting impact on a national stage. During his senior year in college, Minshew completed over 70% of his passes and threw 38 TDs to just nine INTs. 

Despite his less than ideal height, the Jaguars took a shot on the fiery young QB from Mississipi in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. But Minshew had his fair share of struggles for the Jaguars in training camp and failed to throw even one touchdown pass during the preseason last year. But the Jaguars decided to keep Minshew on the active roster, naming him the backup QB heading into the regular season. The rest is history. Less than a quarter into the first game of the 2019 regular season, Nick Foles' clavicle shattered as Chris Jones drove him into the ground. Minshew entered the game and immediately took control, completing 88% of his passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns in the first game of his NFL career. He went on to lead the Jaguars to a 6-6 record as a starter and had one of the more impressive performances by a rookie QB in recent memory, accumulating 21 touchdowns, 3,615 total yards, and seven Rookie of the Week awards. 

After the conclusion of his rookie season, Gardner Minshew decided to embark on an epic cross country RV trip. He wrestled giant grouper, hiked the Grand Canyon, and even flew an F-16 Falcon at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. 

But Minshew didn't let his celebrity get to his head. 

Unlike many young players that find immediate success, Minshew knew he couldn't rest on his laurels this offseason. Immediately following the Super Bowl, he began working six days a week to improve as a quarterback and athlete. Since the beginning of the offseason program, Minshew has been a vocal leader through zoom meetings and telephone calls with his teammates. He's taken command of the Jaguars' new offense and appears ready to own it once players are allowed to take the field together later this summer. 

From his mustache to his jorts, intellect, and hard work, Gardner Minshew might just be the most interesting man in the world (step aside, Dos Equis guy). 

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Joshua Dobbs, one of Jacksonville's primary backups, is a rocket scientist who graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in aerospace engineering. As part of his externship at NASA, Dobbs worked with the crew at Space X and was in attendance for the rocket launch at Kennedy Space Center this past weekend. He told Peter King, "I really felt the nervousness watching the countdown, knowing what those astronauts have gone through to get to this moment. Being able to see the teamwork involved in preparation for this launch was incredible for me. It's so much like a football team — you see how everyone doing their job fits together and makes something great happen. That's what I really appreciated about the experience." 

Jake Luton, who the Jaguars drafted in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, suffered a frightening thoracic spine injury in 2017. Luton didn't know if he would walk again, much less play football. But he battled back and had a marvelous final season at Oregon State, completing 62% of his passes and throwing 28 TDs to just 3 INTs. His performance earned him an invite to the NFL Combine. He is now a professional QB. 

Mike Glennon, the newest addition to the QB room, signed a $45 million contract with the Bears in 2017, only to be supplanted as the starter after just four games. Chicago released Glennon less than a year after signing him to a deal worth $15 million annually. He then went on to play backup for the Cardinals and Raiders before finding his way to Jacksonville. Three years ago, Glennon signed a lucrative deal to be a starting QB. Now, he fights to continue his football career as a backup in Jacksonville.

And then there are the coaches in the QB Room. Jay Gruden, the Jaguars' offensive coordinator, and Ben McAdoo, their quarterback coach, have both been head coaches in the NFL. Jay Gruden spent the better part of the last decade as the Redskins head coach, while Ben McAdoo was the head man for the Giants in 2016-'17. Both have strong personalities and actually coached against each other as head coaches and NFC East rivals for two seasons. Now, these two men that reached the top of the profession will work in unison to get the most out of the Jaguars' QB group and to make sure Gardner Minshew and the Jaguars' offense takes a step forward in 2020. 

Follow Jordan on Twitter for all the latest Jaguars news and analysis. ​