New Miami Dolphins quarterback Josh Freeman was introduced to the media today and had an opportunity to talk about his year away from football. The talented young quarterback was on his way to fulfilling his potential before a disastrous 2013 saw him traded by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Minnesota Vikings where he made one appearance. He also spent some time in New York with the Giants.
Now a Dolphin, Freeman just wants to become a better football player and contribute. He is excited about this new opportunity and chapter in his life and just wants to become a better football player.
(On how he views himself as a quarterback and as a quarterback with the Dolphins, and what his goal is) – “My goal is to come here and become the best player I can. Talking with the coaches yesterday, they are just all about everyone trying to get better at football, develop as a football player. That’s my goal. As far as spots on the depth chart, that’s up to the coaches. Obviously, Ryan (Tannehill’s) had a lot of success. Matt (Moore’s) had a successful career. I’m coming into it with a very humble mentality, a beginner’s mentality. Coach (Bill) Lazor’s offense is one that I’m not really that experienced in. At the same time, quarterback is what I’ve always done and I have a lot of confidence in myself as a quarterback. At the same time, you come into it with a beginner’s mentality and just work my butt off.”
(On why he was out of football last year) – “Really, it was a culmination of things. After Minnesota, (I) went to New York. After New York, it was kind of a dead period and team’s felt like they had their rosters set. I just continued to work, came back here to Kansas City, I continued to work. For me personally, I felt like, during the year, it was probably better to let things cool down. I had a pretty rocky year the previous year.”
(On what he’s been doing in the last year) – “The first half of the year, I spent a lot of time training, a lot of time keeping up with the NFL, watching teams, breaking down film and whatnot. The second half of the year, I moved back and got a place in Kansas City, and came back and spent a lot of time with friends and family.”
(On how he describes what’s happened in his career since 2013 and if it’s bizarre, just football or just life) – “I think it’s all three of those things. One thing that I try not to do in any new situation, old situation is throw everything into or slap a label on everything and say, ‘This is how it was. This is how it wasn’t.’ Things went down how they went down. Obviously, can’t change that, but, at the same time, I’m moving forward. I’m not looking to draw comparisons and whatnot. I’m just trying to learn from the past and move forward and try to make it a brighter future.”
(On what he has learned about himself and the NFL since 2010) – “I’ve learned a lot. How much time do you have? When it comes to the NFL, it’s constantly shifting from a standpoint of players, coaches, organizations. There’s a lot that goes into the product that you guys see on Sundays. I’ve spent a lot of time watching different quarterbacks. I’ve spent a lot of time just watching the process and trying to formulate a plan that will allow me to be as successful as possible. At the end of the day, I learned that regardless of how things end up and how things turn out, if I give it everything I’ve got, there really are no questions, there aren’t doubts in my mind. It’s actually not an uncommon thing for guys to get cut, guys to get out of the league. But it’s not how I view myself, it’s not what I see for myself in the future. Doubling back, I think it starts with the attitude I take and work ethic, and continuing to try and improve and learn something, get better every day.”
(On reports that he had an attitude issue in Tampa Bay and if there was any truth to that) –“I was a very confident player. As far as attitude, I’m not quite sure what you’re referring to.”
(On the way things happened in Tampa Bay and if he felt like he did anything wrong in terms of the way he dealt with coaches) – “No, it was a situation where the coaches went to make a change and that’s kind of the extent of how it went down.”
(On what the experience in Tampa Bay taught him about working in the NFL) – “Nothing’s ever promised in the NFL. I’ve known that from day one. It’s just a situation where, between a player and an organization where things didn’t work out. I’m going to continue to try and get better every day and leave it all out in the classroom, leave it all out on the field, give it everything I’ve got to be the best player I can be.”
(On how well he knows General Manager Dennis Hickey and if his presence played a role in him being with the Dolphins) – “I knew Dennis really well through Tampa, obviously. He’s a guy, a Kansas guy, I’ve had a great rapport with Dennis over the years. The biggest part Dennis played, he gave me a call, they brought me in for a workout and I’ve just known Dennis in the past. I felt very comfortable around him, very comfortable with the organization. He told me a lot about the team and the things they have going on. It’s a very very exciting time to be a Miami Dolphin. That’s really what was very enticing to me.”
(On his completion being in the 60 percent range in 2010-11 and it dropping after that, and why that was the case and if he’s done anything to address that) – “The thing a lot of people don’t understand is, when it comes to passing the football, there’s a lot of different offensive systems you can be a part of. The system Coach Mike Sullivan brought in, they brought in Vincent Jackson along with them, there was a real emphasis placed on throwing the ball down the field, taking shots on go balls and on deep posts. Just wanting to be very very aggressive. When you are aggressive, you look at the percentage of passes completed in the league each year and, if you throw 100 slants and you throw 100 go balls, you’re going to complete more slants. We were taking a lot of shots. We were extremely explosive. With playing that sort of ball and taking those shots, you’re risking things like the percentage maybe not being as high. At the same time, the reward is explosive plays and scoring a lot of points.”
(On if he spoke to any other quarterbacks that have gone through similar situations) – “I haven’t talked to anyone in the same exact situation, but last week I was in Arizona working out and I had a chance to spend some time with Kurt Warner when I was out there. He is a guy that is a prime example of a guy that was out of football and got that call and stepped into that situation and made the most of it. Kurt is an amazing guy and tremendous competitor. The attitude and approach he took going in during his time with the Rams was definitely something that I can learn from.”
(On if he feels he has a 3,000-4,000 yard season in him) – “One of the benefits of not playing is not to have bumps and bruises that I might have had…any things that are nagging me. My body feels great. I would even go on to say I feel just as good or as better when I was 22-23 years old. Physically I feel I am right where I need to be and I will continue to try and improve on that. Being 27…I don’t really feel like I am 27, but I looked at it on paper…I am kind of old (laughing).”
(On what he learned during his year away from football) – “I wouldn’t say…There were no drastic revelations, but at the same time…they say you can’t appreciate something until it’s gone. I have always loved football and appreciated it. Not playing last year really left me hungry and wanting to get back in the swing of things. I’ve always wanted to play football and I still want to play football as long as I can until the wheels fall off. Last year led me to kind of step back and evaluate myself in a strictly objective sense and how moving forward I can maximize my potential as a player. (After) self-reflection, you realize that everything is going to happen. Everybody are going to do what they are going to do. The only thing I have 100 percent control over are my actions and my preparation and my attitude that I take into each and every day.”
