TEMPE, Ariz. -- With Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray not returning for the rest of the season, Jacoby Brissett has been cemented as the team's starter, and that has taken away some of the guessing game for the veteran signal-caller.
For the four weeks between Murray's injury in Week 5 and him going on injured reserve Nov. 5, then for the couple of days between Murray being eligible to return from IR on Dec. 3 and coach Jonathan Gannon announcing Friday that Murray was going to sit out the rest of the season because of a foot injury, Brissett was hanging in limbo. No more, though.
"To be honest, I was in the middle of that part where it's like, 'What's going on, what's going on?'" Brissett said Wednesday. "And then obviously it kind of eases it a little bit as far as, 'Hey, you're finishing this out for us.'
"I definitely think that puts a little bit of the ease of the knowing which week, 'What are we doing?' And not that I try to stress Coach about it or [offensive coordinator] Drew [Petzing] about it. It's more of like, 'Hey, I'm going to just be ready for whatever is to happen.' But it's a little bit, I guess, more settling to have that clarity now."
Brissett, who is 1-7 in eight starts this season, in on pace to start 12 games this season, the second most of his 10-year career.
He said this season has been emblematic of his football career, going back to high school: wait until it's his turn.
"I've always told myself some people just got to take the long haul, and I think the people around me have helped me stay the course and believe in myself probably [in] times when I didn't," Brissett said. "Then you got to get to that point where you're delusional enough to think that you're going to get your chance and however long that takes and you just stick to it and sometimes the ball bounces your way."
How many times has Brissett, who is on his sixth team, with two stops in New England, thought he was going to get his chance?
"Let me count," he said with a smile. "Still think about it sometimes to this day."
Brissett, who is under contract for next season, said he hasn't thought about what next year could look like for him. There is a chance Arizona will move on from Murray this offseason, but Brissett said he has had "zero thoughts" about what could happen.
"I didn't even think about that to be honest with you until you just put it in my head," he said. "So, now I'm probably thinking about it a little bit now, but I haven't thought about it once."
Brissett has taken advantage of his opportunity to play. He is first in the NFL in completions, attempts, passing first downs and passing yards since Week 6. He is also third in completion percentage above expected, fourth with 15 touchdowns and five go-ahead passing touchdowns, and eighth in completion percentage.
So, when will Brissett start thinking about his future?
"I guess in the offseason, right?" he said. "That's when I got to worry about it."