Iowa Hawkeyes QB Cade McNamara enters the transfer portal

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Cade McNamara announced he is entering the transfer portal in an Instagram post on Wednesday.

McNamara played two injury-plagued seasons with the Hawkeyes after transferring from Michigan.

In the Instagram post, McNamara acknowledged the ups and downs and expressed gratitude for the people and experiences he had at Iowa.

McNamara started the first eight games for the Hawkeyes. He missed a significant portion of 2023 fall camp due to a leg injury. His season ended in the fifth game when he tore the ACL in his left knee. In 2022, a knee injury ended his season at Michigan after three games.

After McNamara suffered a concussion in October 2024, Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz spoke about the quarterback’s rough patch.

“I feel bad for him because it’s been a really tough time for about two and a half years,” Ferentz said. “I’ve said it before and you’ve heard it a million times: the worst thing about coaching is dealing with injuries. That’s something no one wants to deal with and he’s certainly had some bad luck here.”

The Hawkeyes have had something of a revolving door at quarterback this season as Brendan Sullivan, who replaced McNamara, also struggled with an injury.

Sophomore quarterback Jackson Stratton, who joined the team as a backup, has taken over the job in recent weeks, starting in wins over Nebraska and Maryland.

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