NFL Boilers: Aidan O'Connell Named Las Vegas Raiders Starting QB
Former Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell is getting his chance to lead the Las Vegas Raiders. On Wednesday, coach Antonio Pierce announced that he was making a change at quarterback for the team's Week 6 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Gardner Minshew has served as the team's starting quarterback through the first five games, throwing for 1,014 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions. The Raiders are 2-3.
Pierce said he will give O'Connell the opportunity to lead the offense, saying it is the best plan of attack for the remainder of the season.
"I mean, it was a quarterback battle early on," Pierce said, per ESPN. "And at this point, I think it's best to go with Aidan going forward."
Through five games, O'Connell has made appearances in just two contests. He's thrown for 176 yards with one touchdown and an interception. Sunday's game against Pittsburgh will mark his 11th career start in Las Vegas.
Last year, O'Connell was named the starting quarterback in the final nine games of the 2023 regular season. He also started in one game earlier that year. He concluded his rookie campaign with a 5-5 record.
O'Connell threw for a total of 2,218 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his rookie season, completing more than 62% of his passes. He also accounted for one rushing score.
The Raiders selected O'Connell in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft after a stellar seasons in 2021 and 2022 at Purdue. In those two years, he threw for 7,202 yards, 50 touchdowns and completed 67.6% of his passes.
O'Connell led Purdue to a 14-8 record in those two seasons and helped the Boilermakers win the Big Ten West in 2022. It was the program's first ever trip to the Big Ten Championship Game.
Las Vegas and Pittsburgh play on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET. The game will air on CBS.
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