‘The loneliest job in the world’
Theismann: It ain’t easy being Brady’s backup
Joe Theismann knows what Matt Cassel is going through.
No. 2 on the Patriots’ depth chart at quarterback, Cassel got the start in the preseason opener against the Ravens Thursday night and struggled mightily, finishing 1-for-4 for 11 yards, a sack and an interception. Things got so ugly for him that when it was announced he was being replaced by No. 3 quarterback Matt Gutierrez midway through the first quarter, the Gillette Stadium crowd cheered lustily.
Cassel, who has been the backup quarterback in New England for much of the time since he arrived before the 2005 season, is in the final year of his contract, and could very well be released if he doesn’t perform better this preseason. As a result, this week’s contest against Tampa Bay figures to be a big game for the 26-year-old, who might be running out of chances.
Theismann, who sat behind Billy Kilmer in Washington for a few seasons before assuming the starters’ mantle in 1978, can empathize with Cassel’s plight. He calls the job of backup quarterback one of the most unique in sports, and not for anyone. It’s more than just holding a clipboard and wearing a baseball cap.
“Being a backup quarterback, it’s the loneliest job in the world, especially at the professional level,” said Theismann, who would go on to win a Super Bowl while under center with the Redskins. “You get the feeling that nobody cares about you. You run the other teams’ plays in practice — you never get to do any of the fun stuff.
“It’s mentally very trying. You just have to throw yourself into your own world. You really establish your own separate workout routine, something that tries to keep you sharp. But you basically operate in anonymity — nobody knows who you are, and nobody cares who you are.”
According to Theismann, Cassel would be wise to follow a three-point plan that helped get him through his own days as a backup with the Redskins: “Number one, listen to your coaches, not other people. Number two, you’ve made it into the NFL because you have talent. Believe in yourself. And number three, work hard every day to get better at your craft.
“You have to be pretty damn good to play at this level, and that’s the important thing that Matt can’t forget,” added the former NFL MVP.
For what it’s worth, Theismann believes that even though Cassel remains a heartbeat away from the No. 1 job, the idea of worrying about a backup behind Tom Brady amounts to a tempest in a teapot, especially when you consider Brady is one of the most durable quarterbacks in the league with 127 consecutive starts, the third-best mark in the history of the league behind Brett Favre (274 straight starts) and Peyton Manning (172).
“I think way too much is made about the backup situation, especially behind someone like Tom Brady,” Theismann said. “If you had a quarterback who was prone to injury, then it’s a different story. But Brady hasn’t missed a start since 2001. I mean, come on.”
