As the San Antonio Brahmas work through the most important week of the season with the XFL Conference championship game looming Sunday, the team’s outlook at quarterback remains unclear.  

Week 1 starter Chase Garbers appeared to have reclaimed the role last week, earning the starting nod for the first time since the third game of the season, when he suffered a left wrist injury that sidelined him for five weeks.  

But after Garbers left Saturday’s game late in the second quarter clutching the same wrist following a crushing hit from behind, Quinten Dormady was thrust back into the No. 1 quarterback spot, playing the rest of the way as Garbers watched from the sideline in street clothes.  

After San Antonio wrapped up its first practice session of the week Wednesday afternoon, coach Wade Phillips left the possibility open that either quarterback could be behind center when the Brahmas kick off against the St. Louis Battlehawks at 6 p.m Sunday.  

“We’ll see, but we have a lot of confidence in Dormady,” Phillips said. “Chase is working his way back. I thought he was a little rusty this last game even before he got hurt, but he’s getting to practice for the second week, so I feel good about him getting the rust off.”  

Phillips said Garbers is participating in practice but on a somewhat limited basis, wearing a type of protective cast on his left, nonthrowing hand that still allows for mobility.  

“Some of it is pain tolerance, so I don’t think that’s a full go,” Phillips said. “It’s just how he feels tomorrow and at game time as to where he is, as far as the pain.”  

Dormady, a Boerne High product, started every game in Garbers’ absence, averaging 172.1 passing yards per game with six touchdowns and six interceptions.  

Garbers has posted 153 passing yards per game across his five appearances, notching six touchdowns to just two interceptions.  

While Garbers ranks near the top of the UFL with a 68.6% completion rate compared to Dormady’s 59.5%, Dormady averages 7.0 yards per attempt against 5.5 for Garbers.  

The Brahmas are also working through questions at running back, with top two options John Lovett and Anthony McFarland Jr. sitting out last week. Phillips said Lovett was “just banged up” and needed a second week of rest to be ready for the postseason, adding that McFarland has been cleared to return to practice, though his status for the game remains uncertain. 

Offensive coordinator AJ Smith said he’ll prepare the offense for any scenario, including the possibility that third-string option Kevin Hogan could be pressed into action at quarterback. 

“I have a game plan for everything,” Smith said. “It’s just more work on me, but there could be a situation where Kevin Hogan is up. There could be a situation where we don’t have any of those running backs come back, or they all come back. Either way, there’s a plan.”  

Speaking before the Brahmas took the practice field Wednesday, Dormady said he had learned “not a whole lot” about the team’s plan at quarterback this week.  

Dormady believed Garbers’ injury Saturday was not as serious as the team initially feared, leaving open multiple possibilities for Sunday’s game. Garbers did not speak with the media Wednesday.  

“We’ll both be ready to play, and go from there,” Dormady said. “I don’t know anything for sure, that’s obviously his body and that kind of thing, but he’s around, and doing what he can to get ready.”  

This week’s questions add another layer to a tumultuous season for Dormady. Despite losing the quarterback competition in training camp, he stepped in seamlessly following Garbers’ injury, leading the team to a win against Michigan by completing 23 of 37 passes for 269 yards with a touchdown and an interception.  

But he followed with a three-interception game in a win against Arlington, threw for just 79 yards in a loss to D.C., then was benched for the fourth quarter of San Antonio’s matchup with Houston, watching as Hogan led the team to a comeback win.  

Dormady rebounded with his strongest outing of the season, hitting 17 of 25 passes for 319 yards with a pair of touchdowns in a win against Arlington. But Garbers’ activation off IR the following week raised new questions at the position.  

The Brahmas intended to split snaps at quarterback in their next game against Birmingham, but Dormady lasted just two possessions before leaving with a shoulder injury, allowing Garbers to reclaim the starting role full-time. Garbers’ run spanned less than a half Saturday before he left due to injury, at least temporarily putting Dormady back atop the depth chart.  

“It’s definitely been a roller coaster, but like I said, it’s part of the game. Lots of ups and downs,” Dormady said. “It is what it is, and I’m going to prepare like I’m going to play. I think that goes for everyone in the quarterback room, and really on the team. Everyone is ready. You’re one snap away. That’s been my mindset the whole time. But yeah, obviously not ideal.” 

Garbers hit just 5 of 11 passes for 40 yards with an interception in his five possessions Saturday as the Brahmas were shut out during the first half of a 13-12 loss to St. Louis.  

Entering in relief, Dormady connected on 15 of 27 attempts for 188 yards with a touchdown. He spurred a drive to the end zone to open the third quarter and nearly positioned the Brahmas for a late comeback, leading a quick touchdown march in the final three minutes and then setting up Ryan Santoso for a 51-yard field goal attempt in the closing seconds.  

When the kick drifted wide left, San Antonio was locked into another road date with St. Louis rather than hosting the XFL Conference championship game in the Alamodome. The winner will play for the UFL title at 4 p.m. June 16 in St. Louis.  

“This was the goal to be here, and I think when you lose a game like that, it’s tough, and maybe it’s what we needed to win when it matters,” Smith said. “Everyone is real eager to do something about what happened last week.”