Byron Leftwich Named Cardinals QB Coach: Latest Contract Details and Reaction

Former NFL quarterback Byron Leftwich was promoted to quarterbacks coach of the Arizona Cardinals, the team announced Friday.  

The position opened for Leftwich, who spent last season as a coaching intern with the Cardinals, when the team moved Freddie Kitchens from quarterbacks to running backs coach. 

The 37-year-old Leftwich hung up the pads in 2012 after stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Taken seventh overall by the Jaguars in 2003, the Marshall product was immediately thrown into the starting job. During his first three years in Jacksonville, he posted 7,883 yards, 44 touchdowns and 31 interceptions in 38 starts. 

During that third season in 2005, Leftwich looked as though he was developing into a Pro Bowl-level quarterback when he posted 2,123 yards with 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions through 11 games. 

But during a Week 12 game against the Cardinals with the Jaguars at 7-3, Leftwich suffered a broken ankle that held him out for the remainder of the regular season. 

He injured his ankle again the following season, which limited his 2006 campaign to just six games and forced the Jaguars to move forward with David Garrard as their starting quarterback. 

Leftwich would start just six more games during the final five years of his career with the Falcons, Buccaneers and Steelers. However, he was a part of Pittsburgh's Super Bowl XLIII-winning team. 

During his time in Pittsburgh, he worked under current Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, who was the offensive coordinator at the time. 

Leftwich will now be responsible with working alongside veteran Carson Palmer, who is two weeks older than his new quarterbacks coach, and Drew Stanton.