Raiders QB Brian Hoyer From Training Camp
HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders have opened their 2023 NFL Training Camp and quarterback Brian Hoyer took to the podium to address the media.
You can watch his entire comments below., and read the transcript:
Quarterback Brian Hoyer
Q: Obviously you've had experience the last few years being a backup quarterback. How do you prepare yourself? What goes into making sure that you're ready? Brian
Hoyer: "Fortunately for me, I've been a backup in this offense for a long time. So I've gotten a ton of reps over the years, and there's not really ever a play that is called that I haven't run at some point. So, obviously when I'm not out there practicing, I'm taking the mental reps, but at this point after playing for Josh [McDaniels] for six years, it's like when he calls a play, I'm at the point where I've run it at some point. It might have been five years ago, it might have been last week, but there's not really much that gets called that could surprise me."
Q: Maybe it's an assumption that part of your job is also a younger player. Is that something that you are good with and embrace?
Hoyer: "Yeah, for sure. Definitely at this point in my career, with Aidan [O'Connell] and Chase [Garbers], it's my job to impart the wisdom that I've learned playing this game and obviously playing in this offense for an extended period of time to help those guys out. So, I'm always looking for them to just say: 'Hey, try this,' or, 'Put your feet this way,' or whatever it might be. And then when it comes to the meeting room, they both do a great job of asking questions, really good questions. So definitely part of my responsibilities is to help those guys out too."
Q: If at some point they get called up -- the quarterback goes down and he turns to them and they're ready to step up to do the job, does that give you some satisfaction?
Hoyer: "I mean look, this is a team game. No matter who's out there, we want those people to do well. So if I can help them catch up to speed a little bit faster with what I've learned -- and I think the thing in this league is if you can learn from other people's mistakes, that's a big thing. Like if you can see someone mess up and say: 'Well, OK, I see where he messed up. I'm gonna learn from that and not repeat that mistake.' It's not about just the mistakes you make. If you only worry about the mistakes you make, then you're missing all the other stuff. So look, I've made a lot of mistakes over the last five to six years, so if I can impart that wisdom to them and say: 'Hey, when it's this coverage, don't be thinking over here, look over here,' or, 'Versus this defense, you've got to run left instead of right.' Whatever it might be, I try to help those guys as much as I can."
Q: At this stage in your career, how much fun are you having? And also what are some of the little things that are day by day that still makes this enjoyable for you?
Hoyer: "I think the guys, the people who you're in there with, the grind of going through training camp together. I mean, it's funny when you talk -- I'm getting to the point now where a lot of my teammates are retired. So you ask them like: 'What do you miss?' And it's the same things that I think that I'll miss when I'm done is going out there with your guys and sweating and bleeding and grinding through it. Really, it's just you out there. It's you and the guys. I mean, the coaches are out there too, but you're going through that struggle together, so when I talk to people it's like they miss the guys. Obviously you miss the games, but we're a long ways away from that, so you have to embrace training camp, you have to embrace going through those grinder practices when it's hot. I mean, we've been lucky the last two days, but it's that camaraderie. It's what you build during this time of the year."
Q: What do you think the key has been for you going into year 15 with the longevity that you've had in your career?
Hoyer: "I mean, I think I just try to go out there and work hard, learn, execute the best I can. I've dealt with some injuries, but you recover from that and then you've got to try to take care of your body, try to do the best things you can to be available. I think we always talk about availability is almost more important than ability. And if you're out there, you always have a chance. If you're out there practicing, you have a chance to compete, you have a chance to be on the field. So, I've taken that from a lot of guys that I've learned from how to stay on the field, how to be on the team and then just go from there."
Q: You've been on a lot of rosters, not just in New England but in other places, with some really good players. When you look around at all the talent on this offense, the opportunity is priceless, isn't it?
Hoyer: "Yeah, for sure. I mean, when you look at obviously all the skill group, whether it's Davante [Adams], Jakobi [Meyers], Hunter [Renfrow], Phillip Dorsett, a guy I played with back in New England. I mean he's running faster than I've ever seen him run. You look at the young tight ends, obviously [Austin] Hooper, a lot of experience, Michael Mayer really coming along, obviously had a great college career. And then the running backs, I mean each one is a little different, and they all bring something different to the offense. So, it's been fun for me to learn to work with those guys. Obviously, I got a lot of work in the spring and throwing to Davante I mean, trust me -- you asked what's fun in training camp, throwing to 17 is always fun."
Q: I know it's only been a few months, but what have been some of your impressions of Aidan O'Connell?
Hoyer: "Yeah, he's done a great job. I mean, this is not an easy offense to learn, especially as a young guy. I mean, I got to watch Mac Jones run it two years ago, and really that was impressive. And Aidan [O'Connell] is doing a good job too of coming in as a rookie. They throw a lot at you, and then you have to try to retain it. So, he's done a really good job of learning it. He's not making a lot of mental mistakes, which early on -- I mean look, when I was a rookie, you're swimming at some point. So, he's done a great job of kind of staying on schedule, and he does a great job. He's throwing the ball really well."
Q: How different is Josh McDaniels the head coach from Josh McDaniels the offensive coordinator?
Hoyer: "Not very different."
Q: How appealing was it though to get back with him [Josh McDaniels]? I know he's somebody that you were fond of as a human and a friend. So what did that mean to be back and look across and see all these people?
Hoyer: "I mean look, when I got released from New England, there was only one place that I was going to play and that was for Josh [McDaniels]. I wasn't going to go learn a new system, learn a new verbiage. So, when the opportunity presented itself, it was something that I didn't want to pass up. He's a great leader, and not just with him, but the staff that I've worked with before that are out here are all guys that I love and have gone to battle with and been in those tough situations and there's no people I trust more than Josh and Bo [Hardegree] and Mick [Lombardi] and Carmen [Bricillo] and Jerry [Schuplinski]. I mean, those are all guys who -- you talked about like what are you going to miss -- it's the time with coaches like that where you learn so much, they open your eyes to so much. So, I just feel fortunate the opportunity came up."
Q: You got a lot of work in the spring, and now with Jimmy Garoppolo's reps being managed, the extra work you're getting in camp, how valuable is that in case you are called on this season?
Hoyer: "I mean look, as a backup you might get a lot of reps, you might not get any. So the ones that you get, you just keep stacking them up and use those as building blocks so that way if you ever do play, you're going out there with more reps."
Q: Was that a teachable moment today in camp with Jimmy Garoppolo all of a sudden not being out there then you getting the reps and closing out the practice kind of getting used to a quarterback that could just be thrown in there at any second?
Hoyer: "I mean look, I've been in practices before in New England where it's the middle of practice and I wasn't supposed to practice and he throws you in there. I mean, it's about keeping yourself on your toes and always being ready to go, and not just for me, but then Aidan [O'Connell] is getting more reps. So, it's something that look, we're players, when they tell us to go in the game, you go play. So, you never know when that might be. I've been in preseason games before in New England where it's second down and four and all the sudden my helmet comes on: 'Hoyer, you're in the game, go in for one play, come back out.' I mean, that's part of the job."
Q: I don't think your paths crossed with Jimmy Garoppolo.
Hoyer: "No, we were on opposite flights."
Q: What are your impressions of Jimmy Garoppolo?
Hoyer: "Jimmy [Garoppolo] is cool. He's a great leader. When I say cool, like cool, calm, collected, always under control. I think I've always said like, the greatest trait for a quarterback is just to stay even keel. You don't get too high. You don't get too low. I think he's the definition of that. He's played a lot of great football, and I think the guys respect him, and that's a huge part of playing quarterback."
Q: Going back to covering you even in high school at St. Ignatius you were that way, just kind of one level. How do you teach that to an Aidan O'Connell and Chase Garbers?
Hoyer: "I think just you realize just like in life, the next day comes. So in football, the next play comes. It doesn't matter if the one before was good, bad, ugly, whatever it might be, you're going to have to go and play that next play. And if you get too emotional about the one before, it's starting to affect you on the next one. And I always thought about -- in high school, I was a pitcher in baseball. So like, if you give up a home run in baseball, there's another hitter coming to face you out there, and you have to have that mentality. Whatever happens happens, whether it's good, bad, whatever it might be, you have to go play that next play. And so, I think that comes with time. I think that comes with repetition. And I think that comes with, in all reality, playing in real games."
Q: You're talking about how much fun it is to play with Davante Adams. You've had a lot of great receivers throughout your career. What is it about Davante Adams that makes him a little different than those guys?
Hoyer: "I mean he's explosive, he's big, he's fast. His hands are incredible. I mean, there aren't many people where you go out there and you say: 'If I just put it in this radius, he's probably going to catch it. A 50/50 ball for a lot of receivers is probably an 80/20 for him, and to have that type of confidence in a guy who's always something great. And like I said, for me in the spring getting to experiment with different types of throws. How can I throw him on this route? How is he going to run this route? And so, he's creative. He's super intelligent. And like I said, when you look over there and 17 is out there and you have a chance to throw to him, it's not something you want to pass up."
Q: How much thought do you put into your shoe selection, and do you have a favorite pair?
Hoyer: "As I've gotten older, I've had to take care of my feet a lot more. So I'm always kind of experimenting. I actually have a guy who makes some custom turf shoes for me, and it's something that's really helped me really since I was in San Francisco. It was actually Kyle Shanahan's idea because he's always talking about having a good base underneath you. And he goes: 'If you go our turf shoes on grass and keep your base underneath you, that means you're always in a good position to throw.' And it's just something I've taken with me. I think it forces me not to overextend, over-stride, but also it's a little more cushion instead of these hard cleats all the time."
The Silver and Black open the preseason by hosting the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Aug. 13, at 4 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. PDT.
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