Urban Meyer Emotional After Dealing Minshew Mania

The Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback battle came to an end this week when Urban Meyer named No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence the starter.

The Jaguars ended up traded two-year starter Gardner Minshew to the Philadelphia Eagles for a conditional sixth-round pick.

While the Jags may have their quarterback of the future established, Meyer said making the decision to move on from Minshew was far from easy.

“That was tough, man,” Meyer said after Sunday’s preseason finale, per Yahoo Sports. “I was a little choked up when I saw him in that office. I walk in and, you know, I didn’t know him at all. It didn’t start off on the best of terms because I’m not sure how much he wanted to be here. I get it. First overall pick. He’s a competitive maniac, that guy. And I get it. I told him for the rest of his life, count me as a big fan because he’s what you want. He’s a warrior. He’s competitive.”

Yahoo Sports reports Minshew had a solid rookie season in 2019, but he battled injuries in 2020 and saw his production drop off in the games he was able to play in — he struggled during his appearances in the preseason, making it clear the team needed to roll the dice with Lawrence.

“Me and Gardner had a really good relationship,” Lawrence said on Sunday, per Yahoo Sports. “He’s always treated me really well since I’ve gotten here. Helped me as much as he could. We just had a really transparent relationship. We would talk about things and I will always be rooting for him. He’s a great player, super smart. I’ve learned a ton from him. I don’t really know about the details of the situation in Philly so I can’t really know if that is a good spot or not. But, I know wherever he goes, he is going to make the most of his opportunities. I am excited to watch him. I am going to miss him. He is a really great teammate. I am excited for him, excited for him to get an opportunity.”

Minshew joins a Philadelphia Eagles roster that could use another body in the quarterback room.

The team enters the season with a second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts, and Yahoo Sports reports that behind him, there’s only aging veteran Joe Flacco, who hasn’t been capable of playing at a starting level for a few years now.

New FanDuel Sportsbook users can make their first bet risk-free up to $1,000. If the bet loses, the FanDuel Sportsbook will refund you in site credit. New users can lock in this offer NOW by clicking this link.

Follow Meg Turner on Twitter @Megnturner_ and Instagram @Megnturner.