Josh Rosen – April 29, 2019
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Monday, April 29, 2019
QB Josh Rosen
(How would you describe your last three or four months leading up to the trade?) – “I mean probably my last two or three days were pretty hectic, moving and coming over here. But at least for the first three months of this year, (they were) pretty normal. I had a fun offseason and went back to school. I went back to Arizona (to) work out and (I’m) just trying to be the best player I can be. Business stuff happened, so I ended up in Miami. I couldn’t be more excited to be here. Hopefully (I will) hit the ground running.”
(When the Cardinals took QB Kyler Murray, were you surprised, disappointed? What were your emotions?) – “I got a call a couple of minutes before it happened. I don’t know. (I had) a bunch of different emotions. I think you could almost just say all of the above. It’s just kind of another opportunity. Very rarely do you get a second chance to make a first impression. I’m trying to get off to the right foot with all of these guys here and meet all of my teammates. I’m trying to break down this playbook as quickly as I can. Like I said, (I’m just trying) to get off on the right foot.”
(When you saw the tweet from Arizona that ‘Josh is our man,’ you were thinking what? That it was all settled or that things could change in two seconds notice? How did you take that tweet?) – “I don’t know. It’s kind of irrelevant. It wasn’t going to change what I did every day. I think for the most part, (I was just) on the phone with my agent – who I’m really close with – every couple of days and just kind of going back and forth, keep grinding and keep playing, and whatever happens, happens. I was pretty prepared for both scenarios. This one happened so I’m ready for it.”
(What have the Dolphins communicated to you about the quarterback depth chart and do you expect to be under center Week 1?) – “They just wanted me to come in and compete. I’m excited and ready for it. At the end of the day, I just want to come in and play football and compete and have fun. The timing on when I play or not – or if – that’s not up to me. It’s kind of similar to the situation the last couple of days. I just control what I can control and take each day by day.”
(Can you talk about where you were watching the draft and were there similarities in back-to-back years? Were you kind of wondering where you were going to go like last year before you were drafted? Can you just talk about that emotion and not knowing where you were going to end up and where you watched the draft?) – “Actually, it felt like I got drafted twice. They actually called me from their draft room, so I talked to the GM, head coach and coordinator, just like if I was actually normally drafted. I was just back at my place in Arizona. I had some buddies (there). I was hanging out. Yeah, (it was) just normal. It happens.”
(Do you think that there’s at all a misperception about you as a person and if so, what can you tell people about the person and the player or teammate that you are?) – “I mean I think I’m a really good teammate. I think that’s not really up to me to judge. I think I was a little bit … I had a little bit of a bad perception at first; but what I’ve tried to do is not really say or do anything extra and just kind of be me and continue on and keep my head down, and eventually the story will straighten out. I think it has, for the most part. Like I said, that’s another thing that’s out of my control. What is in my control is just what I can do every day, basically to try and be consistent and be the same guy, and have the same kind of energy every time I step into the locker room and the facility so that all of my teammates kind of know what guy they’re getting. I think time and consistency is the best medicine to cure the narrative.”
(Where do you think that narrative came from?) – “I don’t know. I was thrown into the spotlight pretty quickly at UCLA. I was pretty young, so I didn’t really have all of my answers as perfectly crafted as I do now. I just kind of said some things kind of off the cuff about all different kinds of things and people misconstrued them in certain different ways. I think the core root of it probably came from when I said I don’t need football, but that was in the frame of reference of I walked in on a couple of my teammates sleeping in the players’ lounge, and that kind of struck me. Just kind of getting to know these guys and the backgrounds that they come from, it was in the reference that if football is taken away from me, I don’t need to go to the streets and start dealing drugs. I have a good support system. That ‘I don’t need football’ kind of got misconstrued a little bit and I think some people saw that as maybe being entitled or whatever. But I think, like I said, that over the test of time, just being consistent and trying to be a really good teammate every day, I think the narrative has started to straighten out a little bit.”
(What have you learned or how have you changed at all over the last few weeks, maybe a month or so, when this whole draft scenario possibility has been going on and now the actual trade happening?) – “Can you repeat that? In what sense?”
(In the sense of, obviously this has been some adversity. This has been uncomfortable, I assume. Have you learned anything from that?) – “Yeah. I think I’m in the process of learning it. I landed last night at six, seven o’clock, so my head is still spinning. It’s just sort of another hurdle you have to step over. I think you can’t really look too far ahead or look in the past. I think you have to kind of keep your head down and like I keep saying over and over, day by day. Then after you string a couple days together, you can look up and it’s been a couple of successful weeks, months, and hopefully years.”
(We watched you from afar last year. Obviously, it didn’t go as well as you hoped it’d be. What did you learn from last year and why are you confident that you’re a much better player than what we saw on the field last year?) – “I think a lot of the little things. I think I got a lot better at a lot of the little things that have to do with football. Even small stuff like scheduling, like knowing how much time you need to allot yourself for pre-practice warmup, how much you need for post-practice, your recovery routine, how you ration out your studying Monday though Sunday. I think a lot of those little things, saving minutes here and there and just being more efficient with my time. That’s not even including all of the stuff on the field with the X’s and O’s. That’s a whole other conversation.”
(You said on draft night last year ‘Nine mistakes were made ahead of me.’ I remember you amended that later to say three for the teams that picked quarterbacks. Now that the entire league has not given up a first-round pick for you and the Cardinals gave you up for pennies on the dollar, what’s your overall mindset?) – “I would like to give you the quote that you want, but for the most part I’m going day-by-day. (laughter)”
(A year ago you came into the league as a franchise quarterback of the future. Do you think you could still be that franchise-type quarterback?) – “Yes.”
(And why is that?) – “Because I think I am a good quarterback and I think I’m a good leader.”
(General Manager Chris Grier said he though you would have a chip on your shoulder given everything that was said about you and how this last year went. Should we expect a newly motivated Josh?) – “I don’t think my chip has got to grow anymore. I might tip over. (laughter)”
(This is a team that has a lot of assets going into next year’s draft. We know you’re going to go out there to compete every day, but considering this season going in, do you feel like this is a one-year tryout for the starting quarterback positon and maybe to be that franchise quarterback?) – “Yeah. I think regardless of (the) situation, I think you have to have the mentality that you’re trying (to do that) every single day. I think you hear quotes from the G.O.A.Ts like Tom (Brady) and Peyton (Manning) and all of them, and they’re saying that every year someone is trying to come in (and) replace them. Even if they’re not, they try to act like they are. Every single day they try to earn the respect of their teammates, which they already have. Every single day they try to earn the praise of their coaches, which they already have. I think whether that’s true or not, I’m going to have that kind of mindset like it’s my job every day, every hour and every minute to prove that I’m the guy.”
(Did WR Larry Fitzgerald say anything to you after that charity softball game about you coming here?) – “Yeah, (he) said a lot of things. (laughter) He’s a really good mentor, big brother, uncle. We all call him Uncle Larry. I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for him. He’s been great.”
(The Dolphins have been looking for a franchise quarterback since Dan Marino left 20 years ago. Are you aware of that Dolphins’ history and how long it has been since they’ve had a face of the franchise?) – “I think I heard I was going to get that question. (laughter) But yeah, I’m aware of the situation. Hopefully I can follow in some semblance of his massive footsteps.”
(Do you remember meeting Offensive Coordinator Chad O’Shea last year during your draft lead up?) – “No. Adam Gase was the main guy that was drilling me.”
(With the Patriots. Do you remember meeting with them?) – “I didn’t meet with the Patriots.”
(What do you think some stability at the offensive coordinator position will do for you after your career in college and last season?) – “It’s not stable yet. I’ve got to play this year before I can earn for next year. I think this is four coordinators in a year. I think it encourages some mental gymnastics and the more you train it and the more you work it, I think the better you get at it. Multiple offenses give you different kinds of understandings of what guys are trying to attack. We’ve got a big QB room. We’ve got four QBs in there. We’ve got (Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks) Coach (Jim) Caldwell, (Assistant Quarterbacks) Coach Jerry Schuplinski working on it and Mr. Marino. We’ve got a lot of great minds in there from a lot of different backgrounds. I think we’ve got a really good room. Hopefully it’s going to be an indicator of a lot of success.”
(How do you plan to approach the dynamic with a veteran like QB Ryan Fitzpatrick?) – “Like I did last year with Sam (Bradford). I think (you have) got to handle what you can handle. I think it’s not going to change anything football-wise what I do. I’m going to try to complete every ball and do every play really well and do what the coaches ask of me. Obviously, you have to be a little bit conscious of the leadership aspect. You can’t be breaking down team huddles as a backup. There’s definitely a sense of awareness that you’ve got to understand where you position is on the team. But I’ll always, regardless of that, try to sort of inspire and motivate and push everyone in a positive direction.”
(You said backup. Do you feel like you’re the backup at this exact moment?) – “I don’t know. I think on paper I am, but Coach Flores said we don’t really have any starters right now. I think that’s healthy to have good competition everywhere. Whether I was the first or seventh string, I wouldn’t change what I did every day.”
