Raiders name Gardner Minshew starting QB | National Sports

Starting the season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers on September 8, Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterback Gardner Minshew was announced to be under center by head coach Antonio Pierce on Sunday. Minshew was chosen over Aidan O’Connell, who had started 10 games in his rookie season in 2023. Pierce attributed Minshew’s experience as a significant factor in his selection as the starting quarterback for the 2024 season. Pierce mentioned, “Experience. The operation, the processing. Everything we saw in practice, some of it showed up in the games.” He added, “Based off where we want to go in the first quarter of the season, we feel like Gardner gives us the best opportunity.” Minshew, 28, joined the Raiders in the offseason after playing for the Indianapolis Colts. In his previous season, he achieved 3,305 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 17 games. O’Connell, on the other hand, completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 11 games last season. He had a record of 5-5 in his 10 starts and displayed impressive performance towards the end of the season with eight touchdown passes and zero interceptions in the final four games. Minshew’s decision to join the Raiders was influenced by the Colts’ commitment to Anthony Richardson as their long-term quarterback. –Field Level Media