Jacoby Brissett leads from the shadows, is among the most undervalued players in the NFL

Jacoby Brissett is one of the most underappreciated players in the NFL. If you could measure the difference between his status inside a locker room and the public’s shallow perception of a journeyman quarterback, he might rank among the most disrespected players in history.

Part of the issue is one of Brissett’s greatest traits. He leads from the shadows. Which is very rare in professional sports.

It means he’s a player who exerts a powerful and positive influence over the group without seeking the spotlight, the glory or the public credit. The kind of player who doesn’t need an agent to present his case, to stand on his business.

In Indianapolis, Brissett was a backup quarterback who helped arrange for a players-only meeting. And the entire roster showed up. That’s respect.

At the height of his contract impasse over the summer, Budda Baker publicly implored the Cardinals to ante up and pay the man. That’s respect.

For 11 years, Brissett has been defined by a rare blend of selflessness and extreme physical toughness, which commands the respect of the locker room. But that narrative shortchanges his abilities on the football field.

Since becoming Arizona’s starter in Week 6 of 2025, Brissett has 3,643 passing yards in 13 games, which is the most of any quarterback in the NFL over that time span, ranking over Jared Goff, Dak Prescott and Matthew Stafford.

Many fans in Arizona rejected the idea of Brissett as a late-stage franchise quarterback, even though we were previously gifted Kurt Warner and Carson Palmer. Most pointed to his 1-11 record as a starter in 2025, even though the Cardinals were imbalanced on offense (no running game) and decimated on defense (losing the final nine games by an average of 35 points).

In Week 1 of 2026, Brissett had a running game and a defense. The results are loud and clear. The Cardinals are 1-0 and raising eyebrows.

Good news is, Brissett is a different dude. He doesn’t need validation from anyone. As he repeatedly said during his hold-in, he knows his value. And his performance in Week 1 surely embarrassed Brissett’s fiercest critics.

Win again on Sunday, and Brissett might finally break through, even convincing the knuckleheads who think Kyler Murray is the better player.

Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7.

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