Dubuque Native QB Makes His NFL Debut for the Carolina Panthers

The NFL preseason is one of those events in sports that's primary purpose is a signal that football is coming back. The scrimmages themselves are meaningless as a television event. The games are defined by vanilla schemes and third/fourth-stringers who are opening to make the team. However, they do become slightly more fun if you're keeping your eyes on certain players that may or may not make their team.

This preseason, one of the players on whom I'm keeping an eye is Jack Plummer. A few months back, I wrote about how Plummer was born in Dubuque as well as his nonlinear journey through college football. The former Louisville quarterback got his moment in the bright lights for the Carolina Panthers, as he started their game against the New England Patriots last night.

Plummer is one of four quarterbacks on the Panthers' roster, and everybody's roles seem set in stone. Bryce Young is entering his second season as the Panthers' starting quarterback. Veteran journeyman Andy Dalton is the backup. Now, Plummer and former Oregon State QB Jake Luton are fighting to be QB3. There's always the chance the fourth quarterback could be placed on the practice squad, but it's not a guarantee whatsoever.

Plummer is going to have to have a better showing than his debut last night if he hopes to secure the third-string QB role. The Dubuque native completed 11 of 21 passes last night for 86 yards, dinking and dunking his way down the field, but failing to find the end-zone. The Patriots handedly beat the Panthers 17-3.

Plummer's performance inspired some ridicule from Carolina Panthers legend Steve Smith Sr, who was on the call for the game. He assessed that Plummer needed to improve his pocket awareness as a quarterback, at one point saying, "[Plummer is] back there like he's waiting on an Uber."

As funny as it might be, it's also an indictment on where the undrafted rookie is in his development.

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Shortly after Jack Plummer was born in Dubuque, him and his mother moved to Gilbert, AZ, where he began his journey to becoming a college quarterback. His first opportunity at Purdue lasted three years (2019 - 2021) until he was benched in favor of Aidan O'Connell (the current Las Vegas Raiders quarterback).

From there, Plummer transferred to California for the 2022 season, where he led the team to a 4-8 record. After Cal, he transferred again, this time to Louisville, where he led the Cardinals to a 10-2 record and a subsequent trip to the 2023 ACC Championship Game against the Florida State Seminoles.

Plummer was one of nine former Louisville Cardinals to go undrafted following the 2024 NFL Draft. However, he wasn't a free agent for very long. Shortly after the conclusion of the draft, the Carolina Panthers signed him to an UDFA quarterback deal.

Jack Plummer will need to make the most of the next two Panthers preseason games if he wants to secure a spot on the 53-man roster. Before you snicker at the thought that even if Plummer gets the QB3 role, he's not guaranteed anything, need I remind you that Iowa State's very own Brock Purdy started his rookie year in San Francisco as QB3 behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo? How's that working out?

It's the NFL. Anything can happen. Read more about Jack Plummer here!