Cardinals Bench Jacoby Brissett for Gardner Minshew in Game Against Cowboys

The Arizona Cardinals benched starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett in favor of Gardner Minshew during the third quarter of their game against the Dallas Cowboys on November 1, 2026. The move came as the Cardinals faced a 17-3 deficit, struggling to generate consistent offense through the first half and deep into the second.

Prior to his removal, Brissett completed 10 of 23 pass attempts for 119 yards and threw one interception. He also endured four sacks by the Dallas defense, including back-to-back sacks that completely stalled a critical third-quarter drive. Throughout the matchup, Arizona found it difficult to convert in enemy territory, continuing red-zone struggles that had plagued the team.

Brissett's struggles included a first-quarter turnover when a pass intended for tight end Elijah Higgins deflected off his hands directly into the arms of Shemar James, who returned it 33 yards to set up a Dallas scoring opportunity. Although Brissett managed a few productive completions to Kendrick Bourne and Trey McBride earlier in the contest, the offense largely stalled under his leadership.

The decision to pull Brissett sparked an immediate offensive spark for Arizona. Entering the game near the end of the third quarter, Minshew quickly handed off to running back Tyler Allgeier, who broke free for a 63-yard touchdown run on just his second play under center. That score narrowed the Dallas lead and injected new life into the visiting sideline.

Minshew went on to engineer a dramatic comeback attempt, completing 16 of 22 passes for 179 yards and throwing three touchdowns after taking over. Despite facing multiple deficits in the final quarter, Minshew connected with his receivers to keep Arizona competitive, ultimately setting up a potential game-winning scenario in the closing seconds of regulation.

The late-game heroics brought the Cardinals within striking distance, culminating in a 13-yard touchdown pass from Minshew to Michael Wilson with just six seconds remaining to tie the game at 30-30. However, kicker Chad Ryland missed the ensuing extra-point attempt, sending the game into overtime and capping off a wild contest that began with Brissett under center.