Jacoby Brissett is set to open the season as the Arizona Cardinals’ starter, and the bigger story is not just that he is doing it in his 11th NFL season. It is that the 33-year-old quarterback has built a reputation as a trusted leader, even though his starter record has often been limited.
This will be the fourth time Brissett has opened a season as a starter, and it comes after a career that has taken him through six teams and two stints with the Indianapolis Colts. For the Cardinals, the calculation is straightforward: they are putting the offence in the hands of a quarterback whose value has often been measured as much by presence as by production.
Why Brissett keeps earning trust
The clearest example of that reputation came in late October 2018. Brissett called Andrew Luck and urged him to call a team meeting, and the Colts responded by winning nine of 10 to reach the playoffs. Luck said that by the third call, “my whole demeanor and attitude had shifted,” and added, “I’m like, ‘My God, Jacoby’s trying to help this team. He’s trying to help me. He’s challenging me.’”
That matters because it shows how Brissett has been viewed inside locker rooms: not simply as a backup waiting for a chance, but as a player prepared to influence the group around him. Luck also said that for a younger quarterback, that sort of approach is “very rare.”
The leadership label has followed him for years
Bill Parcells has offered similar praise, saying Brissett has “always been a leader wherever he’s been.” He also said Brissett has “that ability to round up the people and the charisma to influence them in a positive way,” while describing him as “a dedicated team player that’s just interested in winning.”
That line helps explain why coaches and teammates continue to trust him. Brissett’s praise did not begin in the NFL either; it stretches back to his college days at North Carolina State, where the same themes of responsibility and composure were already part of the conversation.
What this means for the Cardinals
For the Arizona Cardinals, the question is not whether Brissett has the profile of a star. It is whether his experience, leadership and steadiness can give the team a reliable platform at quarterback.
He may not be the flashiest answer, but he remains a player that coaches feel comfortable building around when a steady hand is required. And after six teams, two stints with the Indianapolis Colts and now this latest opportunity, Brissett is still being trusted to set the tone from the start.
