Rex Grossman has his swagger back, but he left his arrogance behind. The quarterback will start for the Washington Redskins against the New York Giants on Sunday after winning his competition with John Beck. Four years and two cities after losing his last starting role, Grossman finally claimed another.
It’s a happy time for Grossman, who admitted his confidence wavered at times during the preseason. If he couldn’t beat a journeyman who hadn’t thrown a pass since 2007, then his career likely was done.
Instead, Grossman was beaming Wednesday, trying to put in the past his identity as a post-Super Bowl failure whose play was more erratic than electric. He talked about appreciating the starting opportunity rather than believing it was automatic. There’s nothing like four years in purgatory to understand humility.
“I didn’t take [starting] for granted in Chicago, but … any time something gets taken away from you [and] you get it back, you have a different type of approach and respect for the position you’re in,” he said. “To be the starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins is a huge thing. I fully understand it, and it’s my goal to take it and run with it. Very exciting time for me.
“I feel I’m a better quarterback than then. I’m a much more grounded quarterback and confident in my ability.”
There was talk the fix was in for Beck, that Grossman was running second entering camp and that coach Mike Shanahan wanted another option.
The rumors weren’t true. Shan?ahan ran a fair game. Even Beck said so. Grossman outplayed Beck during the preseason. Grossman has more experience, including a title game on the resume. The best quarterback won. Still, Grossman has been around the NFL long enough to know coaches can be two-faced. He never felt that way about the Redskins.
“There’s been times in the past you can’t quite trust what [teams are] saying,” Grossman said. “But I have a pretty good relationship with [offensive coordinator] Kyle [Shanahan], and Mike’s a stand-up guy. … It gave me the boost of confidence that they have my back.”
Oddly, Grossman used his days in Chicago as validation, though he no longer wants to talk about the Bears, who benched him midway through 2007 after reaching the Super Bowl the previous season.
“I played well in Chicago,” he said. “Not everybody makes it to the Super Bowl, but I do not want to talk about Chicago.”
Grossman said a “small percentage of plays” let him decide which receiver to target. Otherwise, he’s simply running the offense. Still, it’s better than relaying signals from the sidelines.
Whether Grossman keeps the job depends on performance. It’s unsure how much leash Shanahan will give him. But for now, Grossman knows he’s a starting quarterback again. And that means a lot.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
