Colt McCoy was supposed to start at quarterback for the Cardinals on Sunday. Now it will be David Blough.
McCoy, who had just cleared concussion protocol earlier in the week, suffered concussion symptoms after practice on Thursday. "Out of an abundance of caution," coach Kliff Kingsbury said, McCoy will be out for Sunday's game against the Falcons.
Kingsbury indicated McCoy won't play in the season finale at San Francisco either.
The choice to start Blough is a surprise given that Trace McSorley was ahead of him on the depth chart and started in the Christmas night 19-16 overtime loss. But Kingsbury had said when McCoy first got hurt there was a chance Blough could see some action at some point, and that time is now.
"We'll give him a chance, evaluate him, and see how that goes," Kingsbury said. "The last week, we'll see where were at at between (Blough and McSorley) and name a starter then."
Blough will be the fourth QB to start a game this season for the Cardinals, after Murray, McCoy and McSorley.
Blough has only been with the team three weeks, signed off the Minnesota Vikings practice squad after Murray tore his ACL. He spent the preseason with the Detroit Lions before being released and picked up by the Vikings.
"Maybe shocking?" Blough acknowledged about getting the news Friday morning. "I feel for Colt. Concussions are serious. Him having side effects is a big deal. But as a backup in this league, you have to prepare yourself as if you're going to play, and then you go and do your job."
"I feel comfortable" with the offense, Blough added, crediting McSorley with giving him so much help since he arrived.
Blough has started five games in the NFL, all as a rookie with the Lions in 2019. The Lions went 0-5 in those games, with Blough completing 94-of-174 passes for 984 yards, four touchdowns, six interceptions and a passer rating of 64.0.
McSorley was 24-for-45 for 217 yards and an interception in his first NFL start. He struggled in the passing game, particularly getting the ball to DeAndre Hopkins (one catch on 10 targets.)
"(Trace) is a competitor, but he understands the situation we are in and where we are at," Kingsbury said. "There is some evaluation that needs to be done at this point."
