Raiders QB’s ‘uncommon’ self-confidence paves way to starting job

Gardner Minshew, long before his flowing hair, mustache and daredevil style of play burst onto the NFL scene, had so many doors slammed in his face he stopped counting.

He had to pick himself up off the floor every time a college coach told him he wasn’t athletic enough, or couldn’t through the ball far enough, or just wasn’t good enough to play at their school.

It makes for a great story now. Minshew rose above the doubt, rejection and heartache to reach the NFL and become the Raiders’ starting quarterback this season.

His perseverance is a message to anyone that dares to follow their dreams. Minshew’s long-time mantra is: “Just keep giving yourself a chance. It’s all gonna work out.”

It’s something he repeated to himself often when his success at Mississippi’s Brandon High School didn’t generate much interest from recruiters.

Even when he dominated a football camp at his hometown school, Southern Mississippi, he wasn’t offered a scholarship. A coach instead told Minshew the Eagles were no longer interested.

“I just remember breaking down,” Minshew said. “Thinking, ‘Damn.’”

Minshew kept working.

He went to Northwest Mississippi Community College and led the program to a conference title in 2015.

“He was a huge key to that championship,” Rangers coach Jack Wright said. “We had some other nice players. But you don’t do that without the quarterback.”

Colleges coaches crowded into Wright’s office the day after the title game to talk about his star players. Southern Mississippi was one of the schools represented.

Minshew’s name never came up.

“Did they not even ask to come see me?” Minshew later asked Wright, dejected.

Minshew tried his best to put on a happy face. Wright didn’t buy it.

“I don’t think he let onto a lot of people,” Wright said. “But I think he was hurt by all that.”

Determined mindset

Through it all, Minshew kept plugging away.

“He’s got a great self-confidence about himself,” said Wyatt Rogers, Minshew’s high school offensive coordinator. “It’s not an arrogance. It’s not anything that can be seen as cocky. But he has a great belief in himself and his skill set. It’s probably the most uncommon characteristic he has. A belief in self.”

That resolve didn’t just serve Minshew well during the tough times. It helped him always be prepared when doors did start to open for him. Because later on, his fortunes started to turn.

“I’ve had some super lucky breaks,” Minshew said.

One example came before his senior year in college.

Minshew, after playing two seasons at East Carolina in 2016-17, accepted an offer from Nick Saban to spend 2018 as Alabama’s emergency quarterback.

The plan was for him to mentor young passers Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones and become a graduate assistant on Saban’s staff the following year.

Then two things changed the trajectory of his career.

Minshew said when Saban asked Alabama’s business school to make an exception and let Minshew enroll in February, earlier than normal, it balked.

“How many times do you think Nick Saban is getting turned down at Alabama?” Minshew said.

He couldn’t join the team until the summer semester. The wait ended up being long enough for a transformative phone call to come in.

“The golden ticket, so to speak,” Rogers said.

Divine intervention

Minshew, while in middle school, was infatuated by the Air Raid offense designed by late coaching legend Mike Leach.

Leach was at Texas Tech at the time, ambushing Big 12 teams with a breathtaking passing attack.

Minshew’s father was so taken with the system he used the Air Raid with his son’s seventh-grade flag football team. That fascination later led Minshew to Rogers, who was using a version of the offense at Brandon High School.

The mastermind behind it was the one who reached out to Minshew when he was waiting to go to Alabama. Leach cold called with an offer to play for him at Washington State and set passing records. Minshew wasn’t thinking about coaching anymore. He was thinking about taking the field.

“(It was) a dream come true,” Minshew said.

The pairing proved to be a perfect fit.

Minshew led the nation in completions (468), was second in passing yards (4,779) and was fourth in passing touchdowns (38) in 2018. He also did what Leach said he would do. Minshew set the school record for passing yards in a single season and tied the one for passing touchdowns.

“It couldn’t have worked out any better,” Minshew said.

His incredible stats and distinct personality landed him in the national spotlight and caught the attention of NFL teams.

The Jaguars selected him in the sixth round, 178th overall, in 2019. He came off the bench as a rookie to start 12 games and threw for 3,271 yards and 21 touchdowns. Minshew mania appeared to be on.

It didn’t last long. Minshew was named the Jaguars’ starter before his second season in 2020, but went just 1-7 before being benched. He spent the next two years as a backup in Philadelphia.

Minshew landed in Indianapolis in 2023 to serve as a veteran mentor for rookie Anthony Richardson. He wasn’t expected to play much, but he ended up starting 13 games because of injuries to Richardson.

The Colts went 7-6 behind Minshew and beat the Raiders 23-20 on Dec. 31. It earned him his first Pro Bowl appearance, but the team fell one win shy of a playoff berth.

The Raiders, looking for an experienced quarterback to compete with Aidan O’Connell, signed Minshew to a two-year, $25 million contract in March. He proceeded to outplay his younger teammate in training camp to earn the starting job.

“(Minshew) really stepped up when we came to camp,” Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. “The leadership part of it stood out right away for the guys. And I think if you ask the rest of the guys on this football team, they’re ready to follow him.”

Golden opportunity

Minshew, after all the rejection he’s faced, is getting the chance of a lifetime with the Raiders. His friends in Mississippi believe it’s about time.

“Knowing where he’s come from and the work he’s put in and constantly working his way up the ladder and always getting kicked in the teeth at every rung, I couldn’t be prouder,” Rogers said. “I mean, literally just getting beat down. You’re not good enough. You’re talking about a kid who’s been to the Pro Bowl and was not offered by Ole Miss, Mississippi State or Southern Miss. It’s unbelievable.”

Minshew has built a special sort of resilience through it all.

“Even when there wasn’t really a realistic chance, I always felt like there was a way,” Minshew said. “Like I could find a way.”

It’s a message he wants his new teammates to buy into.

“I’m not a get up in front of the team and talk kind of guy. Every once in a while I’ll do it when something’s on my heart,” Minshew said. “But man, what I always try to tell everybody is whatever happens, we’re about to find a way. As long as we can come together in this huddle and believe that, every play, I like our chances with anybody.”

The Raiders are giving Minshew an opportunity many teams never did. No one back home would be surprised if he seized it.

“All Gardner Minshew needs is a crack in the door,” Rogers said. “And he’ll get his ass in there.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.