As a player, Lindley was a sixth-round pick by Arizona in 2012. He appeared in 10 regular season games with six starts in addition to starting a playoff game for the Cardinals in 2014. He spent two seasons playing under current Browns offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens, who served as Arizona's quarterbacks coach from 2013-16. Lindley also spent time with the Chargers, Patriots and Colts. He was a four-year starter at San Diego State, where he set numerous school records, including career passing yards (12,690) and touchdowns (90).