The last time Drew Stanton started an NFL game, selfies weren't yet a thing, there was no Red Zone channel and LeBron James was considered a villain for leaving his hometown of Cleveland.
Four years later, however, Stanton hasn't let the game pass him by. Pressed into duty with starting quarterback Carson Palmer unable to go because of a right shoulder injury, Stanton led the Cardinals to a 25-14 victory over the Giants on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
"I don't know if I really absorbed all of it yet," he said. "The most important thing was coming out with a win. That was my whole mind-set this whole week."
Considering his long layoff, Stanton performed well. He started hot, leading the Cardinals to points on their first two possessions, completing 14-of-29 passes for 167 yards. Most importantly, he didn't commit a turnover, taking four sacks but not making any mistakes.
The first drive gave him a lot of confidence, hitting Malcolm Floyd on a 19-yard pass, his first completion in nearly four years.
"It was huge," he said.
The 30-year-old Stanton talked after the win about his role as a backup quarterback, which has been his life since he was taken in the second round out of Michigan State by the Lions in the 2006 draft. He made it sound like an art form, being prepared to play when he almost certainly won't be needed, learning from guys such as Shaun Hill in Detroit and Dan Orlovsky in Indianapolis.
Stanton prepared all week as if he knew he was going to be the starter, even though the news Palmer wasn't available because of a sore shoulder came as a surprise to many.
"I'm sure of those guys on defense didn't even know who I was," he said. "I felt confident about what this offense could do. I felt really good about those guys in the huddle, those 10 other guys knew what I was capable of and knew how much it means to me. I think this is just one step for me, further earning trust from this team, if something does happen we can go in there and be successful."
Running back Andre Ellington said he knew Stanton was ready early Sunday morning.
"Just the look in his eyes, his presence in the huddle, he's talking to everybody getting us up," Ellington said. "When we faced adversity going down in the game, he kept us up. … I knew Drew was ready and he went out there and made plays for us."
The biggest thrill of Sunday's victory, Stanton said, will be getting to enjoy it with his 2-year-old son, who is beginning to understand his dad is a football player. In fact, his kid roots for Palmer.
"He's Carson's biggest fan," he said.
Maybe now, Stanton's son can pull for his dad, too.
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