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Brandon Weeden content to be a backup, says, ‘God forbid I am forced to play’
Rainer Sabin
Published: August 1, 2015 1:47 pm
OXNARD, Calif. — The prospect of being called into action alarms even Brandon Weeden.
“God forbid I am forced to play,” he said.
This is the kind of statement a backup quarterback is supposed to make. No one wants him to be on the field at any point, unless he is finishing out a blowout victory or a lopsided defeat. Weeden accepts that, which is somewhat strange for a player who is a former first-round draft pack and has only three NFL seasons under his belt.
“I wouldn’t want to be a backup my whole life,” Weeden said. “But if I am going to be a backup, what’s a better situation to be in than with these guys and be behind him?”
Him is Tony Romo, the 35-year-old who has had a slew of recent back injuries and sat out practice Friday with a stye in his left eye.
Last season, Weeden decided to join the Cowboys and play behind Romo after a failed run as a starter in Cleveland. Weeden seems scarred by the experience with the Browns, where losing was commonplace and turmoil prevailed as the organization’s top personnel turned over in his first two seasons there.
In Dallas, Weeden was given a position with reduced responsibility. But at least he had stability, which he craved.
“I love my role here,” he said. “I really do. I have been in Cleveland. I faced a lot of adversity up there, didn’t really win a lot of games and I am in an environment where we’re competing to win divisions and make a run at things. It’s fun winning games. I know I have the ability to play. I never doubted my ability to play in this league. But again I love it here. I love my role in this offense…As a backup quarterback, things could be a lot worse.”
Even in the shadow of Tony Romo, Weeden finds himself in the spotlight. The expectations are high for him despite the fact he is a reserve player. Last season, Weeden was roundly criticized for his performance in a loss to Arizona – the only game Romo didn’t start after he suffered fractures in his back’s transverse process. Fans pounced after he threw two interceptions and completed only 55 percent of his pass attempts.
But Weeden finished the season with a passer rating of 85.7, which equaled Matthew Stafford’s and was better than 12 other starters who qualified for the league ranking in that category.
“I think having two guys you can count on is invaluable if something, God forbid, does happen,” Weeden said. “You hope [the starter] can play every snap for 16 games and the playoffs, but this league is too physical. There is going to be a time where I am going to have to play a series, two series or a half, whatever it may be. You’ve got to have a guy who can come in and can function.”
With one year in Cowboys coach Jason Garrett’s system, Weeden believes he can do that better than perhaps at any point in his young NFL career. Quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson agrees.
“I thought that Brandon took a big jump this offseason, better command, carried himself better, [with a] better understanding of things. I was real pleased with him,” he said.
But Wilson hopes Weeden’s playing time is limited. This is Romo’s show and Weeden is content to be the understudy.
“That’s my role on the team,” he said, “to be the backup guy.”
Nothing more. Nothing less.
Rainer Sabin
Published: August 1, 2015 1:47 pm
OXNARD, Calif. — The prospect of being called into action alarms even Brandon Weeden.
“God forbid I am forced to play,” he said.
This is the kind of statement a backup quarterback is supposed to make. No one wants him to be on the field at any point, unless he is finishing out a blowout victory or a lopsided defeat. Weeden accepts that, which is somewhat strange for a player who is a former first-round draft pack and has only three NFL seasons under his belt.
“I wouldn’t want to be a backup my whole life,” Weeden said. “But if I am going to be a backup, what’s a better situation to be in than with these guys and be behind him?”
Him is Tony Romo, the 35-year-old who has had a slew of recent back injuries and sat out practice Friday with a stye in his left eye.
Last season, Weeden decided to join the Cowboys and play behind Romo after a failed run as a starter in Cleveland. Weeden seems scarred by the experience with the Browns, where losing was commonplace and turmoil prevailed as the organization’s top personnel turned over in his first two seasons there.
In Dallas, Weeden was given a position with reduced responsibility. But at least he had stability, which he craved.
“I love my role here,” he said. “I really do. I have been in Cleveland. I faced a lot of adversity up there, didn’t really win a lot of games and I am in an environment where we’re competing to win divisions and make a run at things. It’s fun winning games. I know I have the ability to play. I never doubted my ability to play in this league. But again I love it here. I love my role in this offense…As a backup quarterback, things could be a lot worse.”
Even in the shadow of Tony Romo, Weeden finds himself in the spotlight. The expectations are high for him despite the fact he is a reserve player. Last season, Weeden was roundly criticized for his performance in a loss to Arizona – the only game Romo didn’t start after he suffered fractures in his back’s transverse process. Fans pounced after he threw two interceptions and completed only 55 percent of his pass attempts.
But Weeden finished the season with a passer rating of 85.7, which equaled Matthew Stafford’s and was better than 12 other starters who qualified for the league ranking in that category.
“I think having two guys you can count on is invaluable if something, God forbid, does happen,” Weeden said. “You hope [the starter] can play every snap for 16 games and the playoffs, but this league is too physical. There is going to be a time where I am going to have to play a series, two series or a half, whatever it may be. You’ve got to have a guy who can come in and can function.”
With one year in Cowboys coach Jason Garrett’s system, Weeden believes he can do that better than perhaps at any point in his young NFL career. Quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson agrees.
“I thought that Brandon took a big jump this offseason, better command, carried himself better, [with a] better understanding of things. I was real pleased with him,” he said.
But Wilson hopes Weeden’s playing time is limited. This is Romo’s show and Weeden is content to be the understudy.
“That’s my role on the team,” he said, “to be the backup guy.”
Nothing more. Nothing less.
