Aidan O’Connell Sends Strong Message on Gardner Minshew Amid Benching

Getty Aidan O'Connell with Gardner Minshew.

The Las Vegas Raiders are undergoing a big change just a quarter into the season. Aidan O’Connell is taking over as the starting quarterback for Gardner Minshew after a 2-3 start.

This was just Minshew’s second time being a Week 1 starter but he couldn’t make the most of the opportunity. However, he’s going to take the demotion on the chin. O’Connell opened up about his relationship with Minshew.

“He’s been supportive of me since the competition started,” O’Connell said of Minshew during his October 9 press conference. “When he first signed here, he texted me so he’s been, from Day 1, a huge supporter of mine and that’s what he said. He said, ‘I’m behind you all the way.’”

Minshew has spent much of his career being a backup and it seems to be the role he’s more comfortable in. The quarterback situation will remain fluid throughout the season but it sounds like he’s there to support O’Connell with whatever he needs.

Antonio Pierce Praises O’Connell

O’Connell and Minshew were in a close competition all offseason. The former came very close to winning the job before the team decided to go with Minshew.

However, O’Connell impressed head coach Antonio Pierce all offseason. He praised the young quarterback’s leadership and the strides he’s made since last season.

“Out of that shell, not looking like a rookie no more,” Pierce said. “Not acting like a rookie no more. He has a certain presence about himself … I love how he walks around the building.

“Really, what I respect the most, is when we named Gardner the starter, he said, ‘All right, I’m going to be the best scout team quarterback possible.’ And he was lighting our ass up. And every day he gives us the best look and he walks around with a smile on his face … the Baltimore game, he and Jackson Powers[-Johnson] were rallying the troops and pumping them up and he was just a great teammate. So, all those things factor into the decisions.”

O’Connell isn’t likely to come in and play well enough to be the Raiders’ next franchise quarterback. He just needs to be solid and the team should be more competitive.

Jakobi Meyers Talks O’Connell Taking Over as Starter

The Raiders do have good enough pieces on offense to be scoring more points. Now that Davante Adams has likely played his last game in Las Vegas, Jakobi Meyers will assume the role of WR1.

That should be fine with O’Connell as the two had a very good connection last season. Meyers is a fan of the quarterback and is hoping the change leads to more wins.

“He’s a steady dude,” Meyers said, via ESPN. “You kind of know what you’re getting out of him. He a consistent dude. Who he is, is who he is.

“Hopefully, the team responds well. Whatever’s going to get us going, man. We’ve just got to win some games and stay on a positive note.”

It’s still early enough in the season for the Raiders to turn things around but any turnaround starts and ends with O’Connell. He needs to be better than Minshew or Las Vegas will continue to be a bad football team.