QB MATT HASSELBECK
(on going to the Colts as a backup quarterback)
I think it wasn't brand new territory for me in that sense. It was a little bit of a different situation because Andrew (Luck) had played the year before and was the starter and actually had a great year, went to the Pro Bowl. I also come in and we're running a lot of stuff, the verbiage that he ran in college with his college coach as our coordinator. It was really a situation where I came in, and he had a year under his belt as the guy. He's kind of teaching me the little nuances and idiosyncrasies of their system, their verbiage, his voice inflection with cadence, those kinds of things. Again, I've said many times, I thought I learned more from those young guys that I was around in Nashville, but even more so around here because of him having a year under his belt and the college experience.
(on his impressions of Andrew Luck)
He's great. He's got everything you look for in a quarterback, both tangibles and intangibles, but he's human. I think sometimes the challenge is just because a guy can do some things that you put those things on him. I think some of that is a learning process, not taking advantage of his skills. Sometimes that can happen, you throw more on a guy because he can handle it. I've seen it with older guys I've played with going all the way back to Green Bay; I've felt it some myself. Sometimes you just feel the weight of the world on you, but all in all, I've been very impressed with him as a person, as a leader. It's been a good thing so far.
(on his impressions of Ryan Fitzpatrick coming off the bench)
I think he's done a nice job the last couple of weeks. He's a guy that if he gets hot, he can get real hot. He's got some moxie, obviously a very smart guy. I know him just a little bit, but from what I do know, I've been very impressed with his personality and those kinds of things. I don't remember which team it was, but when he was with Mike Martz, he was slinging it all around the field against us. I think as you've seen the last couple weeks, (he's) spreading people out, getting the ball out of his hand quick, finding the guys that he likes to throw to. They've really played well.
(on whether he stays in touch with Jake Locker)
You know, it's always hard to stay in touch with the guys during the year. I've actually done a pretty good job of keeping in touch with some of my friends, players, coaches, staff, whoever down there. I could always do a better job, but I have talked to him just a little bit. I feel very bad for him. Just like Andrew (Luck), it was a lot of fun to work with him because he was so talented. He was really smart in the classroom, definitely had the leadership skills you look for in a quarterback. The things you can't coach, he just got all those things. I do feel really bad for him because I do know how hard he's worked, I do know how badly he wants it. I know that he'd be willing to do anything to be out there with his teammates.
(on the challenges being a backup quarterback thrust into action)
Well, it's actually probably easier for him (Ryan Fitzpatrick) now being that this is a permanent rest of the year type thing. The challenge probably earlier in the year for him was just not getting the snaps all week, not running the things that he's necessarily most comfortable with. That's the challenge for any backup around the league. Some guys are able to step in, good fit for them also. A Josh McCown steps in right away and different guys. Sometimes just getting those snaps in practice for me, speaking from my experience, I felt way more comfortable when I had the opportunity to give my opinion about motion landmarks and different routes and who's at what position on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday leading up to the game. I think that probably goes hand in hand with some of the success. It seems like they're really getting on a roll in the passing game which is not surprising. It's fun for me because I get to play that offense on scout teams this week. It's always fun to play someone that is playing well.
(on Dowell Loggains as an offensive coordinator)
I don't know too much about what he's decided to do there, but I do know he's kind of a team guy; he's not a one man show with the offense. I know he's a guy that brings coaches together and gets all the good stuff from everybody and works as a unit, and I really believe in that. I think that's an important thing. When people ask me about Dowell (Loggains), I always say, 'Well, he's definitely a bright mind. He's a great listener, he's learned from some great coaches.' He's done a great job of listening to players also and takes all that stuff and filters it and puts together a nice simple, clean game plan where guys can go out and play fast and play their best. I think you see that. I was impressed with the empty package that they came out in against us when we played down in Nashville on Thursday. He was offensive as an offensive coordinator. Sometimes as a coordinator, you wait to see what they're going to do and you do something. He had a plan, he went with it. It didn't surprise me. I'm sure he'll be a good listener with the new quarterback and some of the new players and find out what everyone is most comfortable with and help them go out and play fast.
(on his impressions of Kendall Wright in his second year)
He's a great talent. He came to us very raw but definitely a great talent once you get the ball in his hands. He's explosive. He has found a nice little niche with some of the routes that he likes to do. Obviously, he's getting a ton of targets and a ton of balls on third down. I think having Delanie (Walker) inside also helps him—another great player. Again, when a quarterback is getting confidence in you and feeling your routes and you're making plays for him, you're going to continue to get balls. I think that's probably a great illustration of what's happened for Kendall (Wright) this year. He's been a guy that has made plays, he's become very consistent, probably a little more detailed in his routes. It showed up. He's having a great year.
(on whether he is surprised by Kenny Britt's recent struggles)
I wouldn't count him out quite yet, but you got to compete each and every year. That's a position that seems like that organization has tried to put competitive situations in there year after year after year. He's been dealing with an injury or injuries, and you keep drafting guys in the first round at that position. Things get competitive, there's one ball. Again, you just develop that rapport with whoever is playing quarterback. You don't do it consciously as a quarterback, but there is some guys that you end up throwing the ball to more. Those things just grow real quick. That's just how it goes. I know when Jake (Locker) got in, Nate (Washington) started catching a bunch of balls and got really hot—not that he wasn't catching balls with me or whatever, but same thing I think with Kendall (Wright) and Ryan (Fitzpatrick). Kendall is getting a bunch of balls, and that's just the nature of being in a competitive position on a talented team. More than anything, I think the talent at the wide receiver position is really impressive with the Titans.
(on never losing two games in a row with the Colts)
I will say after a loss it's not business as usual. There's definitely a different mindset here from the top down. It's a very involved organization from ownership to GM to personnel. Everyone is involved in this thing. People are around. You're eating lunch with everybody. It's not business as usual. It's not OK to not play well. You come in on a Monday of Tuesday or Wednesday (after a loss), and it has a very different feel to it. Aside from that, I think having the ability to really push the clear button and reset it and do everything you can to get one win every week, doing that every week. It's just kind of the mindset that they have here. I think it's a healthy mindset.
(on whether he saw Jim Irsay's Twitter feed yesterday)
I have not. I don't need to get it on Twitter because you get that stuff in the building. I would even put it to that. In terms of professionalism, social media is a big part of everything that everyone does now in sports. After a loss, I would guess the Twitter analytics are way, way down. We're not talking a whole lot outside the building, and we're kind of blocking out the noise. Like I said, it's not a normal Monday, not a normal Tuesday, not a normal Wednesday. You kind of get back into normal with the work week, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, but something has to change. We're going to make a change because not playing well is not acceptable.
(on having the team's owner on Twitter)
I think I follow him, but I don't think he follows me—probably similar to my Paul Allen experience. I followed him, he didn't follow me. I must not be very interesting.
(on whether he has a home in Nashville)
We were renting in Nashville. Coming out of the lockout, I actually lucked into probably the greatest thing. I actually had the greatest Nashville experience that someone could have had. It was just a great experience. We ended up renting a house from Tim McGraw and Faith Hill which was like a dream in itself. It didn't seem real, but they were just great landlords, super nice people, and very considerate. (They) put up with us. The only regret I have is that we named our dog Titan, so I get a lot of dirty looks now. That's never going to change. Oh well, I probably should have thought that through a bit more, but we really thought that was our last stop.
(on whether he calls his dog something different when the Colts play the Titans)
No. Absolutely not.
(on how he got the dog)
We had Jake (Locker) and Rusty (Smith) help me train him, probably more Rusty than Jake. It's Jakes fault that I got him. Jake bought his brother, so they were siblings. We had never even owned a dog, so this is our first dog. Like I said, he's a good dog. We do get some dirty looks from people. Andrew Luck was over last night for dinner and he said, 'What's your dog's name again?' I was like, 'Uh, Titan.'
(on his NFL journey)
I don't know. I don't think I really thought things through. I never thought anything through. Even when I got drafted in the sixth round in 1998, I didn't have a plan. I was just trying to do the best I could each day and see what happens. Going to Nashville was a little bit of a scary thing coming out of the lockout with no minicamps, no training camp, brand new. My plan was never to leave Seattle. Looking back, I thought that was the best plan never to leave Seattle, but if I would have missed out on our experience in Nashville, the friends, the memories, and just really the people we met there, that would be a devastating thing. It was a really, really rewarding two years. I feel very grateful for the switch. That would have been very hard for me to see down the road like that. I think we're taking a similar approach to this situation with not knowing what the future holds. Clearly if it was up to me, I probably would have chosen to stay, but who knows. I could never have imagined how great that experience would have been in Nashville. I don't always know what's best.
(on whether it feels good to still be looked at as a desirable quarterback)
I think so. Absolutely. I think that's something you fight for sure when you get older. I can remember getting hurt one year. Myself and a defensive back I was playing with in Seattle got the exact same injury. He was 24, and I was 34. They said, 'Ah, you're old.' For him they said, 'Ah, maybe we should practice on the grass.' I was like, 'Wait a second—what's the difference?' That's something you fight, but I realize that. I think you just got to work harder and do the best you can and maybe work a little bit harder because of those things.
(on whether he has plans to retire)
That was a report. I'm under contract this year and next year. My goal is just to make those the two best years I can. I said that I would be very satisfied and feel very grateful if that was my NFL career, if it ended right there. I'm not making any demands or any predictions or anything like that. I know that this year is barely guaranteed to a football player. I'm not the type to really look too far ahead.
(on whether he would play again after his contract expires)
I also am not someone that is just going to try to play as long as I can possibly play. That's not something that is in me. I'm not necessarily trying to do that. I would like to play as long as I feel like I can compete at a high level and have an opportunity to be relevant and do something exciting in the postseason. Those are the two things that are most important.
(on whether he thinks about playing in Tennessee especially with Jake Locker injured this year)
To be honest, my focus has really been on here. That same scenario, no one hopes that it happens, but it could happen here in just the same way. It would be much tougher for me here because I'm learning everything still to be successful here. I'm putting all my energy and effort into really mastering this kind of stuff just like Andrew (Luck) has. It's been fun. It's been refreshing, but it's been a challenge. It takes a lot of work.
(on his biggest win with the Titans)
Well, the one I wanted the most was the Pittsburgh one just because I hadn't beaten them since the Super Bowl we lost to them. They beat us that day, so it felt good to finally beat them.
(on whether he won his appeal on the horse collar tackle)
I did. Fully rescinded thanks to the picture that was on the cover of the paper there in Nashville. Really thank you to Desiree Maxwell in the building for bringing me the picture and for the guys in the PR department for blowing it up in high def for me. I sent it in, and that was big. I thought it (the fine) was $17,750, but I got that rescinded luckily.
(on whether he had a chance to catch up with friends in Nashville a few weeks ago)
Just a little bit, not as much as I would have liked. We spend the night so our kids could go to school the next day. My kids were able to go have lunch at their school with some of their classmates from the year before. That was awesome. As a parent, it was just very exciting. A lot of tears in the car as we pulled away and hit up 65 North. That was nice, but in terms of the game, I really didn't get to see anybody too much beforehand. Afterwards, obviously some hellos, but it's always tough after competing. I'm sure it'll be much of the same this week where everyone's focused on the job they need to do.
(on whether he knew Frank Chamberlin)
Frank Chamberlin was actually the starting tight end my first start as a senior at BC. We were playing Virginia Tech, and he started at tight end. Great guy, great teammate. They moved him to linebacker, and he really was the guy that helped turn that Boston College program around. They went to their first bowl game after his incredible performance against Syracuse. They won against Syracuse, and he had 20-something tackles. He was my brother Tim's year. Just a really solid guy, solid teammate. He made it to the NFL and played there in Tennessee. Just really sad to hear about his death and leaving behind three kids, wife. It's sad.
