Former Cardinals QB Blaine Gabbert saved helicopter crash victims on jet ski

Former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Blaine Gabbert and his brother were first responders on a jet ski to a helicopter crash in the water near his home in Florida.

Hunter Hupp and his parents had made an hour helicopter flight to Davis Island, one of the beaches on the coast as a Christmas gift before the rotor malfunctioned, causing a crash landing in the water around 200 yards from shore, Fox Sports’ Greg Auman first reported.

After a helicopter crashed into the bay yesterday, @BlaineGabbert and his brothers, who were on jet skis, were instrumental in the rescue. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/sg2pD1MM4Q

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 30, 2022

“Let me tell you, helicopters sink really fast,” Hupp said in the Fox Sports story Friday morning.

“We learned that rather quickly.”

Hupp’s parents were able to make it out of the helicopter, but Hunter was reportedly unable to free himself for around a minute before escaping to the surface.

As the group decided whether to wait for help or swim toward land, two jet skis approached the wreckage.

One of the drivers was reportedly the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, who lives on Davis Island, where many Tampa professional athletes live. The family had no idea that one of their rescuers was an NFL quarterback.

“My mom said she was hoping to meet Tom Brady while we were down here,” he said.

“I think she came pretty darn close.”

Gabbert has been the backup quarterback for the Buccaneers for the past four seasons after spending one season in Arizona in 2017.