Jacoby Brissett can finally breathe easy. After a tense week of contract negotiations that limited his participation in training camp, the veteran quarterback has agreed to a reworked one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals worth $15.5 million, ensuring he will be the team's likely starter for Week 1. Head coach Mike LaFleur confirmed the news Sunday, just before the team's practice session. “It felt good to be back out there,” Brissett said, a wide grin spreading across his face. “Standing around wasn't particularly fun.”

The 33-year-old quarterback reported to training camp last week but was sidelined from full drills while the organization worked out the details of a new contract. The previous deal included only $1.5 million in guaranteed money for the upcoming season, a figure Brissett found unacceptable. The negotiation process, he admitted, tested his patience. “It got dark a couple times,” he said, reflecting on the uncertainty. “But I had enough confidence in myself to persevere.” The result is a contract that not only boosts his compensation but also reaffirms his role as the team's leader under center.

Brissett's path to this moment has been anything but smooth. He took over the starting job last season after Kyler Murray suffered a season-ending foot injury, going on to start the final 12 games. Individually, he performed at a career-high level, throwing for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. Yet the team's record during that stretch—1-11—painted a starkly different picture. The Cardinals finished 3-14 overall, their worst season in years. LaFleur, in his first year as head coach, is counting on Brissett's experience to help steady a locker room hungry for a turnaround.

“He's got a level head about himself,” LaFleur said. “He's been in a lot of different systems and heard a lot of different things and seen a lot of different things. He's had the ups and downs with teams. He's in a good spot and I'm excited to really start working with him.”

Brissett's presence in the locker room has been a stabilizing force. Eight-time Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker was among the players who publicly voiced support for a new deal, and the quarterback's teammates have long respected his work ethic and demeanor. “I think that's the ultimate reward of this game, the respect of your teammates,” Brissett said. “That's what I pride myself on. That's the only thing I really value. Contracts come and go but your teammates and the people you work with, the ones who want to go bat for you, that's what matters most.”

LaFleur noted that the contract situation never became a distraction, largely because of the professionalism of the players involved. “It hasn't been a distraction by any means—I think we've got some very mature and professional players,” he said. “But it's just one more thing that we don't have to talk about.” With the matter resolved, the focus shifts entirely to football. Brissett will begin working with the starting offense soon, and the team's other quarterback options—Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck—will compete for backup roles.

The Cardinals are scheduled to open the preseason on August 6 against the Carolina Panthers in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio. For Brissett, the immediate priority is rest. “I'm pretty sure I'll probably sleep more than three hours tonight,” he joked after the deal was finalized. Now in his 11th NFL season, he understands the value of both preparation and recovery. The road ahead remains challenging, but with a contract in hand and a clear path to the starting job, Brissett is ready to lead Arizona's revival.