Jacoby Brissett was struggling. Carson Beck still wasn’t an option.
For Miami Hurricanes fans following their former quarterback’s NFL career, that was the frustrating reality during the Arizona Cardinals’ Nov. 1 game against the Dallas Cowboys. With 12:23 remaining in the third quarter, Brissett was 8-of-20 for 104 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. Arizona trailed 14-3.
But the Cardinals could not simply turn to Beck for a spark. The rookie was designated inactive as Arizona’s emergency third quarterback, leaving Gardner Minshew as Brissett’s regular backup.
When the Cardinals did bench Jacoby Brissett and finally turn to Minshew, it only further drove the curiosity as to why it wasn’t Beck’s turn this week.
Beck’s path onto the field Sunday required more than the coaching staff deciding Brissett had missed enough throws.
Why Is Carson Beck Not Playing Against the Cowboys?
According to the Cardinals’ official game-day report, Beck was inactive but available as the emergency third quarterback behind Brissett and Minshew.
Under the NFL’s emergency-quarterback rule, a team cannot activate that player because it benches its other quarterbacks for poor performance. The designation provides protection when the two active quarterbacks cannot continue because of injury or disqualification.
In other words, benching Brissett would put Minshew next in line. It would not unlock Beck.
The Cardinals would need to change Beck’s game-day status in a future week to make him available for an ordinary quarterback substitution. Keeping him as the emergency option preserves an active roster spot elsewhere, but it also closes off a chance to evaluate him when the offense stalls.
Beck did have a recent health concern. He experienced back spasms before the Denver game, according to the team. However, Arizona’s injury report listed him as a full participant Thursday and Friday, and he carried no final game designation against Dallas.
His recent injury and his Sunday availability are separate pieces of the story. He returned to full practice. He remained the emergency quarterback.
Why the Cardinals Have Stuck With Jacoby Brissett
Head coach Mike LaFleur defended keeping Brissett as the starter earlier in the week, pointing to an offense that was creating scoring opportunities without consistently finishing them.
As Darren Urban reported for the Cardinals’ website, Arizona had reached inside the opponent’s 10-yard line 10 times across its previous two games. The Cardinals nevertheless went just 1-for-10 in the red zone during that stretch.
LaFleur described finishing those possessions as a collective responsibility. Sunday’s early struggles against Dallas gave that position another difficult test.
Beck’s résumé explains the interest from Miami supporters. He led the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff championship game before Arizona selected him No. 65 overall in April. According to Miami’s official account of his draft selection, he finished his lone Hurricanes season with 3,813 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and a 72.4% completion rate.
That production earned him an NFL opportunity. It has not yet moved him ahead of Arizona’s veterans.
The first meaningful step toward changing that would be a place on the regular game-day active list. Until then, Brissett’s struggles alone cannot bring Beck off the sideline.
Why Is Carson Beck Not Playing? Ex-Miami QB Sits as Jacoby Brissett Struggles