Jordan Palmer didn’t think much of Cade McNamara the first time he laid eyes on him. As a seventh-grader, McNamara flew into California for a weekend quarterback tutorial with the former NFL backup who had become a trainer for elite passers at the college and pro levels.
Mincing few words, Palmer told McNamara’s father, Gary, “Why don’t you find somebody local because your son has got a long way to go. This is going to be expensive. I don’t think this is a good investment.”
Years later, Palmer’s phone beeped and buzzed. Texts came in from several NFL quarterbacks Palmer had trained, including the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen and the New York Jets’ Sam Darnold.