Tom Brady had to wait behind Drew Bledsoe, like Steve Young did behind Joe Montana. Aaron Rodgers waited behind Brett Favre, while Patrick Mahomes got his opportunity once Alex Smith was traded away.
“That’s a pretty good list — I’m not even naming them all,” Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores said on Tuesday.
Flores finds value in young quarterbacks sitting behind an experienced starter. He believes that player can benefit by improving fundamentals while marinating on the bench or sideline until the time is right. He also believes that player could become more driven or grateful for their opportunity to be a starting quarterback.
Flores intends to add Dolphins second-year quarterback Josh Rosen to that list, hoping it could yield the same result as he sits behind 15-year veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick.
But it doesn’t seem Rosen is too receptive to the idea just yet.
“I don’t need any additional drive or hunger,” Rosen said on Tuesday when asked his personal assessment of those values. “I got plenty chips on my shoulder. I’m trying to be the best player that I can be.
“I’ve refocused how I approach the game a lot. Basically since the end of last year, I’ve tried to rein the focus more on me, and what I can do every day, and how I can help the team, and just becoming the best player I can be.
“A lot of the ‘this guy played right away,’ ‘this guy sat,’ ‘this guy won a Super Bowl,’ ‘this guy didn’t,’ … it’s all just sort of extra information that I don’t really need in my life right now.
“So really my goal is to perform the best I can this preseason game. And the next game, perform the best I can for that preseason game. Let the cards fall as they may and let the important people make the decisions that they have to.”
Fitzpatrick remains the favorite in the Dolphins’ starting quarterback battle, and is set to start Thursday’s third preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium.
Flores has not yet named his starter between Fitzpatrick and Rosen for the regular-season opener on Sept. 8 against the Baltimore Ravens at Hard Rock Stadium.
But it seems like he already has made his decision, considering Flores’ hypothetical vision for playing experienced or more talented quarterbacks ahead of a younger, inexperienced player.
“That case could be made [to play] the older guy. The case could be also made that the younger guy is not ready,” Flores said.
“I understand that thought process. But I’m the one dealing with the individual player. Sometimes guys are not ready. The whole sink or swim mentality — it’s easy for somebody on the outside to say. But for that individual player and the best interest of that individual person, that might not be the case.
“For those who are not in the trenches, dealing with the day-to-day, they wouldn’t understand that,” Flores added succinctly. “If a guy is ready to be out there, we’ll put him out there. If he’s not, we won’t put him out there. That’s the way we’ll approach it.”
Flores understands as a first-time NFL head coach, he will need to find a starting quarterback that will prolong his coaching career.
For the moment — despite Miami’s April acquisition of Rosen to see if he could become the Dolphins’ next franchise quarterback — that player does not seem to be Rosen just yet.
Flores has said Rosen, the former No. 10 pick in the 2018 draft, needs to gain a better command of the Dolphins offense, to find the right time to take or avoid a sack, and prevent errant throws that could become turnovers.
It’s been an adjustment for Rosen, who has played throughout his college career and first season in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals last season without facing a stiff quarterback completion.
Because this is the first time he is a second-string player, Rosen is not aware of what the new opportunity can afford him and his future.
“I think it’s really trying to learn from every opportunity you can,” Rosen said.
“I sat for a couple games in Arizona, but I haven’t sat that many games in my career. So there are opportunities to learn from whether you just took a sack and you’re on your back, or you just threw a touchdown, or you’re sitting on the bench with an earpiece dialed into every single play.”
Rosen has played behind Fitzpatrick for much of his time since joining the Dolphins in April. Rosen’s only time working predominately with the first-team offense came during joint practices and Miami’s second preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week.
After the game, however, Flores quickly demoted Rosen back to the second team, naming Fitzpatrick the starter for their third preseason game, which typically serves as a dress rehearsal of sorts for NFL teams before the season opener.
Flores believes Rosen needs to mature more, on and off the field, and could do so under his leadership and behind Fitzpatrick.
“I think sitting — in some instances, not all — could be a good thing,” Flores said of young quarterbacks who need to wait before leading the show.
“Sitting, learning, improving your technique, improving your fundamentals, going through the mental reps of games and practices — I think guys have gotten better that way.
“I think there’s a hunger to play by sitting. And I think guys understand it’s a privilege to be in this league and it’s a privilege to play. And I think when they get an opportunity, they understand how important it is and they take full advantage of it.”
Rosen, one week after comfortably working with the first team, was visibly bothered answering questions about playing behind Fitzpatrick this week.
Rosen’s chances to begin this season as the Dolphins’ season may be slim based on Flores’ insinuations.
But that is not going to stop Rosen from moving forward with his latest challenge.
“I think I’ve made some pretty good progress since I’ve gotten here. I continue to progress,” Rosen said. “Once coach thinks I’m sort of good enough to go, I’ll be ready to go.”