Carson Beck’s long wait is over. Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur announced on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, that the rookie quarterback will make his first NFL start on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.
The 24-year-old was selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but the Cardinals had not planned for him to play this soon. He spent the first eight weeks of the season as the team’s emergency third quarterback, listed as inactive on game days, and has taken snaps only in the preseason so far.
A chaotic three weeks at quarterback
Beck’s chance comes after a whirlwind stretch for Arizona. Jacoby Brissett started the season at quarterback before being benched and then traded to the Baltimore Ravens. Gardner Minshew stepped in, only to suffer a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow in Week 9 at Seattle — a season-ending injury that landed him on injured reserve on Tuesday.
That leaves Beck as the last man standing. His backups will be veteran Josh Johnson and Joey Aguilar, and his top target is tight end Trey McBride, with the receiving group badly depleted by injuries.
A proven winner in college
Beck is no stranger to big stages. Across six college seasons at Georgia and Miami, he played 55 games, and last season he led the ACC with a 72.4 per cent completion rate, throwing 30 touchdowns against 12 interceptions as Miami reached the College Football Playoff national championship game, losing 27-21 to Indiana in January.
His preseason work offered a glimpse of what he can do: he completed 15 of 19 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown against Carolina in the Hall of Fame Game. LaFleur said the team has full confidence Beck is ready, while admitting nobody truly knows until the live action starts on Sunday. Against a tough Rams defence, the rookie will find out fast.
Arizona’s quarterback shuffle is the latest twist in a wild week for NFL passers — Kirk Cousins was traded back to Minnesota at the deadline — and Beck’s college pedigree was built in the same world as this week’s new College Football Playoff No. 1, Georgia.
Bhudev Bhagaliya is an experienced and senior journalist who has carved a distinct niche for himself in the world of Hindi journalism through his profound understanding and precise writing style. With over two decades of experience in the field of journalism, he has held key responsibilities at Dainik Hindustan for 12 years and at Amar Ujala for one year. Currently, he serves as the Content Editor for the Jagrook Youth News newspaper and portal, where he plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and credibility of the news content. Bhudev Bhagaliya consistently writes about issues that help raise awareness within society and among the younger generation.