ARIZONA CARDINALS

John Skelton will start at QB for Cardinals at Seattle

Dec 5, 2012, 8:32 PM | Updated: 9:31 pm

Well surprise, surprise.

Just a week after Ken Whisenhunt stayed with rookie quarterback Ryan Lindley in a rough performance against the New York Jets, the Arizona Cardinals head coach is swapping signal callers once again. Third-year pro John Skelton will start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks at Century Link Field.

Arizona Sports’ Kyndra de St. Aubin tweeted out the news:

Skelton hasn’t played since being replaced by Lindley in the first half of a loss at Atlanta November 18. The Fordham product, who won the starting job in training camp, has started five games this season, completing 98-of-179 passes for 1,058 yards with two touchdown passes and five interceptions.

“There’s a number of reasons that go into it, but John is going to start for us this week up in Seattle, and we’ll go from there,” Whisenhunt said.

The head coach was vague about the reasons why he’s switching back to Skelton.

“Some of it has to do with Seattle — playing up there, having played against them once already this year,” he said. “There are a lot of factors, but I’m not going into each one of them.”

Skelton suffered an ankle injury in the season opener against Seattle at University of Phoenix Stadium and didn’t see the field again until Week 6 against Buffalo when Kevin Kolb suffered a rib injury.

Skelton started the next four games before being replaced by Lindley.

“It’s another opportunity, you can’t take any opportunity for granted if it comes at the beginning of the season, the end of the season, whether you’re losing or when you’re winning, you just have to take advantage of every opportunity you get,” Skelton said after practice Wednesday.

Arizona Cardinals

Darius Robinson...

Alex Weiner

Cardinals took trade calls at NFL Draft, stood pat for Marvin Harrison Jr. and Darius Robinson

The Cardinals stood pat with their first-round picks at the NFL Draft, a difference from general manager Monti Ossenfort's strategy in 2023.

3 hours ago

...

Arizona Sports Video

Video: Marvin Harrison Jr. checked all the extra boxes when he met with the Cardinals at the combine

Marvin Harrison Jr. checked all the extra boxes when he met with the Cardinals at the combine and then when he visited Arizona, GM Monti Ossenfort said.

3 hours ago

Marvin Harrison Jr. speaks with reporters after getting drafted at No. 4 overall by the Arizona Car...

Tyler Drake

Marvin Harrison ecstatic to be a Cardinal, Kyler Murray’s newest WR1

Marvin Harrison Jr. is ready to follow in former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald's footsteps.

4 hours ago

Marvin Harrison Jr. arrives to the 2024 NFL Draft...

Dan Bickley

Marvin Harrison Jr. gets the Larry Fitzgerald seal of approval

The entire state of Arizona was cheering loudly when the Cardinals selected Marvin Harrison Jr., including the great Larry Fitzgerald.

4 hours ago

Darius Robinson...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals take DL Darius Robinson with No. 27 pick in 1st round of NFL Draft

The Arizona Cardinals selected Darius Robinson out of Missouri with the No. 27 pick of the NFL Draft during the first round on Thursday.

5 hours ago

Marvin Harrison Jr. after being selected fourth overall by the Arizona Cardinals at the 2024 NFL Dr...

Alex Weiner

Cardinals’ Marvin Harrison Jr. at NFL Draft: ‘I’m gonna work as hard as I can to earn trust’

Marvin Harrison Jr. said he could not be more excited to be an Arizona Cardinal after getting pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

6 hours ago

John Skelton will start at QB for Cardinals at Seattle