Entering the 2025 season, expectations were high for former Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik. But a campaign marked by struggles and injuries caused his draft stock to tumble from a projected first-round pick to the fourth round, where the Jets selected him.
Now, Klubnik starts fresh with a team that traded up to acquire him. 
“In my mind, I’m a winner,” Klubnik told reporters on Saturday, via Rich Cimini of ESPN. “I don’t mean that in a boastful way. I think that’s the mentality you have to have as a quarterback, and I think that my résumé has kind of showed that as well.”
The winning didn’t materialize in 2025. Clemson stumbled to a 3-5 start before finishing 7-6. 
“[Clemson] is a tough place to be,” Klubnik said. “It’s a really tough place to be. My senior year, with 19 starters coming back and huge aspirations and dreams that we had as a team, we didn’t really fulfill those.”
Klubnik revealed he played through “two major injuries” — an ankle and a wrist. The ankle issue left him “pretty much limping into every game” and relying on the elevator at the team facility instead of the stairs. 
“For me, I think that I really learned how to truly face adversity and just attack it,” Klubnik said.
While his NFL playing ability remains to be proven (as it does for all rookies), Klubnik showcased leadership during rookie minicamp. He organized teammates for walk-throughs at the hotel on Thursday and Friday nights. 
“There’s not really anything else to do but study ball, so let’s get together, walk through a few routes,” Klubnik said.
For now, he’ll navigate his way through the professional game, hoping to eventually command the Jets’ offense. Current starter Geno Smith is likely a short-term option. If Klubnik impresses the Jets during the offseason program, training camp, and preseason, he could earn an opportunity to take over as starter at some point.
