Joe Flacco was at home a month ago, ready to call time on his 15-year NFL career.
Then the phone rang. His agent had found him an invitation for a tryout with the Cleveland Browns. One commercial flight and one workout later, Flacco, who was once named the Super Bowl MVP, went from zero to hero for fans of a team that has been decimated by injuries but still struggles a place in the playoffs.
It can happen in a split second: a reserve quarterback holding his tablet — or in Flacco’s case, watching the game on TV in his living room — is suddenly thrust into the heat of the action, sometimes at the moment the most critical of an NFL season. They are visible across the league this season, after many starting quarterbacks fell due to significant injuries.
“It’s one of the most important positions on a team,” said Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who used the backup quarterback several times last year, notably in the playoffs. when starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had to sit out due to concussions.
“Not only does he have to support the starting quarterback’s work, but he has to, at a split second, be ready to jump on the field and lead an offense that is running at full speed… It’s a challenge, a huge challenge , because you never know what to expect,” McDaniel continued.
Despite the NFL’s efforts to protect quarterbacks, they continue to get injured regularly, in part because they are leaving the protective pocket more often and quarterback chasers are faster and more agile than ever before.
After the 15th week of activities in the NFL, 18 teams trusted a quarterback who was not their starter to open the campaign; 56 different quarterbacks got a start in the NFL this season. And among the starting quarterbacks whose season is over are a staggering number of stars: Aaron Rodgers (Achilles tendon); Deshaun Watson (shoulder), Joe Burrow (wrist); Anthony Richardson (shoulder); Justin Herbert (fracture to the index finger of one hand); Daniel Jones (ligament tear) and Kirk Cousins (Achilles tendon).
Even so, most reserve quarterbacks get very few reps with the main team during the week leading up to a game. They work mostly with the training team, and try to replicate the style and attack of the next opponent.
Mike White, the Dolphins’ backup quarterback and former New York Jets quarterback, stands near Tagovailoa in practice and tries to visualize the play as the starter goes through drills with the main team. When he gets home, White draws up plays, records them out loud into a device and listens to them through his headphones, pretending he’s receiving direction from coaches through his headset.
White repeats this routine every week, whether he jumps on the field on game day or not. The third-year quarterback hasn’t gotten a start so far this season, but he led the AFC East-leading Dolphins’ offense when the game was already out of reach. ‘opponent.
The main player nevertheless assures that he prepares as if he was going to get the start every week, because he knows that everything can change suddenly in a match. He notably experienced it while assisting quarterback Zach Wilson, during his rookie season with the Jets.
“At that point, your heart is racing,” White said, tapping his chest quickly to mimic the rising heart rate. You have to find a way to calm down. It’s difficult, whereas a moment before you were just sitting with your tablet on the team bench. You have to jump on the field, be ready and trust your preparation. It is at this level, in particular, that you can quickly lose control if you are not adequately prepared. »
Contributing from the Associated Press: Will Graves, Mark Long, Mike Marot, Tom Withers, Schuyler Dixon and Larry Lage