Quarterback Protection Quotes

First thing, and it's really one of my favorite things, is the protection part. Who everybody is blocking and where the pressure is coming from. Because if we can't get the ball off, it doesn't matter what you're doing out here.

There's obviously a push to protect the quarterback, but you have to give the defensive players a chance. All of the quarterback has to do is pull the ball, and he's a runner. How's the defender going to know if the ball is pulled or not?

The name of the game is 'kill the quarterback.' Every football team tries to knock the guy out of the game that's handling the ball.

You know what? For myself, I kind of like the spy because it takes another guy out of coverage or another guy out of rushing.

Anytime we can get the running game going it is a plus for me and it makes my job a lot easier.

You can't put a running back in there and have him not know who to pick up. You can't get your quarterback hit.

I don't know that the referee can be watching holding on the offensive line and get back to the quarterback. I think watching the quarterback is a full-time job.

I used to send Tony Romo texts throughout the season just to encourage him, just to wish him luck and just to tell him to get on his offensive line. I hated watching this young man get sacked as much as he did, especially when it came down to big games.

When you're a quarterback, and you're dropping back, I can't watch what the receivers are doing.

It doesn't make much sense to blitz a guy that gets rid of the ball in less than 1.5 seconds.

We have rules in the rule book that are very specific. If the quarterback is in a throwing position, he gets protection. But in the event that the ball is handed off, at that instant, there's no telling whether or not he is a runner or not, so he loses that protection.

Of course, in pro ball, they never hit the quarterback in practice.

I know how important it is to have your quarterback standing upright. Matter of fact, I know how important it is not to allow someone hit on him period because I want him to think that this pocket is completely safe, no one is going to get to me and I got all the time in the world to make whatever decisions I need to make.

There is a strike zone in the pocket that's very clear. Can't hit QBs low, can't hit them high.

Anytime you've got a good running back, it will help your passing game.

The simplest way to win in the National Football League is to knock out the starting quarterback. You know, throughout the years, history has proven if your number one quarterback goes down, your chances for success become very limited.

I don't think there's any question that the Arena League allowed me to flourish. I played three years in a league where the quarterback wasn't supposed to be stopped. We never wanted to kick. When I went into the NFL, I had that same mentality.

You don't throw your quarterback under the bus, the guy who makes you who you are.

The quarterback is the most vulnerable one on the field. He's in an awkward position a lot of times when he throws the ball. So he does have to be protected. You lose a quarterback, you're in trouble. I don't know if they can make it too safe. I think health becomes an issue.

Fortunately for a quarterback, you can play for a long time because you don't get hit very often.

I've noticed that right tackles have gotten better in pass pro throughout my career.

If you watch most quarterbacks in the league, if you take more than two hitches, there's a good chance you'll be sacked. By recognizing things, it allows you to get to your fourth or fifth read on your second hitch and get the ball out of your hand.

The more space you have there, the better it is for the quarterback, because he's got room to move around there to avoid a rush. And also, after the point of contact, if the rusher does beat me, he still has to go another four yards before he makes a sack. Versus if you drop straight back, he only has to go two more yards.

Back in the '80s and '90s, you could hit the quarterback low, you could hit the quarterback high. You could hit him pretty much late.

We need to let the referee's sole thing be to protect the quarterback and get those late hits out of there. They even have a stat on television that says 'knockdowns.' Knockdowns means that you knock him down after he throws the ball. The assumption is, if it's legal, we'll make excuses for them.