Cards coach Gannon still mum on starting QB

Last updated: 2023/09/07 at 3:03 PM

BigP Published September 7, 2023

Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Staff WriterSep 6, 2023, 05:41 PM ET
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TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals know who their starting quarterback will be Sunday afternoon against the Washington Commanders.

They’re just not telling anyone.

“Guys, I ain’t telling you anything,” coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday morning during a news conference.

Earlier, he said the “players know the plan” for who will start between the recently acquired Joshua Dobbs and rookie Clayton Tune. When Dobbs was asked whether he will start Sunday, the seven-year veteran referred the question to Gannon, who had said Aug. 28 that he wouldn’t announce a starter because he believes it’s a “competitive advantage.”

Both quarterbacks had to dance around questions about playing Sunday.

“If I’m the guy, I’ll be excited to go out and perform the way I know I can perform and represent the Cardinals and lead this team,” Dobbs said.

Tune, who was drafted in the fifth round out of Houston in April, said “there’s been a lot going on” during the past two weeks with the then-presumptive starter Colt McCoy being released and Arizona trading for Dobbs. Tune said he has tried to just focus on what he can control but feels like he’s ready should he need to play Sunday.

“I feel confident in my abilities and the progression that I’ve made through camp,” Tune said. “I’m confident in the guys around me to make plays and I feel good about it. “If I were to go in, I feel like I’d feel comfortable and feel ready to go.”

Dobbs, who has started two games in his career, both coming last season with the Tennessee Titans, said he has been able to dive into film, get extra reps with his new teammates and learn this version of the offense run by coordinator Drew Petzing, who worked with Dobbs for part of last season as the quarterbacks coach for the Cleveland Browns.

“So, there’s plenty of time, man,” Dobbs said. “This is my life, football. So, we have plenty of time to lock in on the game plan, hone down those details, work out any kinks and nuances and get ready to play.”