Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Jarrett Guarantano saw his first NFL action on Friday night.
Guarantano, who was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an UDFA after the 2022 NFL Draft, made his preseason debut against the defending AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals.
The former Vol completed 7-of-10 passes for 54 yards and a touchdown after entering the game in the second half.
Guarantano’s first career NFL touchdown pass came on a rollout near the goal-line where he found the receiver at the front of the end zone for the score.
Jarrett Guarantano hits Jontre Kirklin for the touchdown!
Cards lead is now 30-9.pic.twitter.com/AffK1myqzo
— Cardinals Nation (@CardsNationCP) August 13, 2022
Guarantano has an uphill battle in front of him to make the Cardinals’ roster — it’s never easy for an UDFA. But his performance on Friday night was certainly a good start to the climb.
JG, who finished his career at Washington State after five seasons at Tennessee, has obvious arm talent. And he’s typically one of the toughest players on the field.
His biggest problem at Tennessee was a lack of consistency from the coaching staff. Guarantano had multiple head coaches, offensive coordinators, and quarterbacks coaches during his time in Knoxville. That’s not an ideal scenario for success and it likely limited his growth as a Vol.
Maybe Guarantano will latch on with an NFL team and enjoy a long pro career. Even if it’s a career as a backup, it would be quite an accomplishment after his struggles at Tennessee.
Featured image via Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports