QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (11.22.23)

When you kind of went back went over the film and everything, what was on second glance kind of your takeaways from your performance, especially there in the second half?

“I mean, obviously you’re going to have things every week you need to clean up. I think the biggest thing is offense. We played on time, tried to negate their rushes as much as possible. I think TJ (Watt) only had one sack, had a couple QB hits on me, but other than that, I think we played on time both in the pass game and in the run game. Stuck with it, at times it’s not going to be easy, especially going against a defense like that. So, second half, getting a couple of three and outs and you know we’re working to fix those this week, but ultimately I was happy with the game.”

 

I’m guessing you watched Joe Flacco growing up. What’s it like now to have him in the room with you and as a sounding board and somebody else that you can talk to?

“Yeah, man, it’s awesome. It’s awesome. Anytime you can add experience, which is something as a rookie you need, it’s a great thing. So him, P.J. (Walker), AVP (Alex Van Pelt), Ashton (Grant), everybody in the quarterback room. They’re helping me out a ton. He just got here. He’s still learning his way around the city, so I’m trying to help him out with that. But he’s definitely helped me out on the football and other things.”

 

So what do you have to do during the week to keep the momentum but maybe improve on your own game? 

“I think it’s just looking back at what I did last Sunday, just like how I did week four – what I did good and then what I need to correct and going out here on practice on Wednesday and going out there and correcting it. So, I don’t think there’s any secret formula just going out there, putting the work in for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and then going out there and making sure you’re locked in on Sunday.”

 

What have they shared with you in terms know Joe’s (Flacco) role as he comes in. I mean, I’m sure his presence is a comfort to you, but you also have to make sure that you’re not like looking over your shoulder in any way. 

“I mean, as a competitor, I always want to get pushed by guys, so it doesn’t really matter to me. They haven’t let me know anything besides just get ready for this week and make sure you’re the best prepared this week. So that’s what I come in here to do on a week-to-week basis and I plan to do that today.”

 

How long did it take you to come down from that game? 

“Shoot, maybe 20 minutes after the game. My family was singing Happy Birthday to me in the family and friends section. So, I got to kind of just more so focus on my birthday as a gift than more so the game.”

 

What are you working on? What part of your game are you spending the best time trying to hold right now? 

“Yeah, I think just get more and more comfortable with the game. It’s a different style of playing in the NFL from college. So, I think if I can just keep progressing with how I’m working with the offense, my reads, my timing with the receivers and running backs and tight ends, I think I’ll be all right. But just working know whatever AVP or Coach (Kevin) Stefanski or Ashton (Grant) has for me out there at practice.”

 

Saw the video of you on the sideline kind of crouched down and real emotional, I guess. Where do you think that emotion came from? 

“Yeah, man, the work I put in Monday through Sunday or Monday through Saturday. And really, since I’ve gotten here, think about all those times in Greenbrier I wouldn’t get any reps. You guys were all noticing me in the back taking all those reps. Those reps have now helped me come this past Sunday as well as the rest of the Sundays moving forward and being able to even put me in this position. So just realizing how far I’ve come and also where I’m trying to be at, but just trying to appreciate the moment. I talked to my mentor the day before and just being able to take it all in is one of his biggest points. And so, I think that’s where all that emotion came from the other day.”

 

You used your legs the other day. Do you feel comfortable using that more in your mobility, getting out and making things happen? 

“Yeah. My job as [the] quarterback is to get first downs and touchdowns. I know I have some pretty good legs under myself, so if I can be able to use those to get some first downs, keep the defense, like I said, on their toes. That’s probably one of the worst things as a defensive coordinator, when you got to go against a running quarterback and man coverage. So as much as I can try and help the team win, I’m going to do it.”

 

Dorian after the game, David (Njoku) was really critical of himself with the drop passes, but he made a huge catch on that final drive. But just what does that mean to you that one of your teammates holds himself accountable and right after the game, he runs home, he’s calling coach on the jugs machine, working on his fundamentals. 

“Yeah, he called me too. He called me, too. He apologized. I’m like, brother, you ain’t got to worry about that. I’m going to come back to you on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, all the days of practice. So, Dave’s going to have a hell of a week this week. It’s going to make a lot of guesses this Sunday, and I’m excited for it.”

 

It’s going to be super cold in Denver are you bringing in the big puffy black jacket. 

“I can’t give the swag away just yet, but I’ll definitely be nice and cozy before the game.”

 

What shoes are you wearing? 

“Oh, here we go. We got a new guy on staff. I don’t know yet, man. I don’t know yet. I don’t pick my outfits out too early in advance.”

 

Russell Wilson. What’s it like for you to go up against Russell Wilson? I’m sure, you know, maybe idolized him over the years. What are your thoughts on being on the same field? 

“Yeah, I mean, this is starting to lose fingers on how many guys I can count that I’ve now met prior to playing them, and now I get to play them. So, you can add Russell to that list. He’s been down to UCLA plenty of times. I was coached by one of his college coaches, Dana Bible, my first couple years in college. So, I actually got to meet with him, do some zoom meetings with him during COVID and stuff like that. So, me and Russ have a pretty good relationship, but again, just another great opportunity. I’m so happy I get to go out there and play this week, play with my guys, get to do the same thing we did last week and just go out there and have a ball.”

 

Before Sunday’s game, a lot of your teammates were saying that you were showing them that leadership that you wanted to do, and you were even correcting them on some plays. We saw out there on Sunday, you kind of got Kareem Hunt back in the mix on that final drive. How important has it been for you to focus on the mental part of the game, knowing especially in those last two minutes, and where do you think you’ve grown in that area? 

“I think I said on Sunday, this is a responsibility. This isn’t just, I get to be the starting quarterback and everybody loves me and all this other stuff. So, I got to come and I got to work at it every day. The amount of detail and focus that needs to be able to be successful at this position, it’s strenuous, it’s tough, and all those things that you see on Sunday is because of the work that’s put in throughout the week. So, I think I’m in a good spot. Definitely want to improve and making sure that I’m even better than last Sunday. But, yeah, man, that’s kind of what I look forward to. When you’re in those close tight games, close tight situations and you can be able to lock in focus. That’s when you’re at your best and you make plays.”

 

I’m sure the Steelers pass rush had plenty to do with it, but it was a bunch of short passes last week. Do you feel like the more you get comfortable, the more starts you have that will expand and you’ll be able to push it down the field more? 

“I mean, shoot, I hope so, but no, that’s not in my control. I hope we can throw, shoot as many passes as we can, as well as get the run game of Kareem (Hunt) and Jerome (Ford) involved. But if I can throw a bubble for five yards and he takes it to distance, I don’t think anybody would be mad at, you know, I’m here to control the game plan and make sure that I’m doing everything Coach (Kevin) Stefanski wants.”

 

 Dorian, I know that this isn’t in your control. If you look at the top half of the league, pretty much every team in the top half of the league, other than the Browns has their opening day started quarterback. Right. And your frame of reference is just here. You haven’t played elsewhere professionally, but what is it about this room, this team that has allowed for the fluidity at quarterback to not disrupt the success of the think? 

“I mean, you take back to Greenbrier. I wish you guys were there to really see the meetings and insights now to what we were doing there. But I think we got really close throughout that whole time were those eight days. And it’s really shown now from the moments where you see guys pushing the pile to the defense, always celebrating with each other after a play. I think that’s kind of what it is. You just come closer to the team when moments get hard, and luckily we’ve been on the winning side of all those. Yeah, I think that’s what it is. I think it’s just a really close team.”

 

Do you have hope that this upcoming trip and staying out in LA can be similar to what you just talked about? 

“For sure. I mean, every week we’re trying to go 1-0 and so we’re focused on the Broncos this week and making sure that this is the best week of practice we’ve had this year, because all the weeks before it have been the best weeks up to that point. So, we can keep climbing, keep staying on the path we’re on. I think we’ll be all right come towards the end of the year.”

 

Talking about Greenbrier, can this trip be, do you have hope that it can have a similar result? 

“Oh, yeah, for sure. I mean, I know guys aren’t really looking forward to staying in a hotel for a week again, but no, I think it would be really cool, really fun. Again, just getting everybody close in one space at one time, especially for a longer period of time, I think would be really healthy for the team.”

 

That altitude. How do you prepare for it?

“I played down in Boulder playing CU, so I’ve played down there plenty of you know. I think just getting in the altitude room, getting some extra conditioning out to practice, just kind of taking it upon yourself to make sure that you’re in shape.”

 

You got a lot going on this week. Would you allow yourself to think about being in Westwood next week as starting quarterback? 

“Oh, no, I don’t think my teammates or any of my coaches will let me think that far ahead, but no, I know it’s going to be a great time. I’m going to be able to see a bunch of people I know already have, obviously a bunch of familiarity being around UCLA and getting to use that practice facility and all the things that they have there. So no, I’m super excited.”

 

We’ve heard a lot about these two-minute things like practice periods you guys do every week. How much time do you spend on that and how competitive are those periods? 

“Yeah, I mean, the two-minute is everything. I mean, I’ve been working with Coach (Chip) Kelly since my freshman year of college, so the two-minute thing that comes with ease to me now, it was funny. I was texting with Coach Kelly after the game about how we only had a 1:18 left, and that felt like five minutes of the game. So, I’m super grateful for him and as well as Coach (Kevin) Stefanski. We work it here, too so, it’s such a big moment in the game and for us to be able to come out on top, I think it shows all the work we do.”

 

How much do you guys emphasize like getting that ball spotted with defense? 

“Everything? Yeah, there’s so much that goes into a two-minute that people really don’t realize whether you’re outside the hash, catching the ball and you need to get to the sideline or you’re inside the numbers, you need to hand it to the ref and stuff like that or make sure that the ball actually gets the ref. You don’t want to drop it or anything. Yeah, there’s a bunch of stuff that goes into it.”

 

So did you reach out to your mentor? 

“Yeah, yeah, he reached out to me. Just saying good luck this week. Obviously, I said good luck with him playing at Sea. and then they handled business and then, yeah, we talked a little bit after.”

 

Will you have, you know, or maybe Kevin (Stefanski) has already done this, but will you guys have some encounter with Chip? Will he talk to the team? And what other plans do you have as sort of the host for the week? 

“Oh, man, that’s a big responsibility right there, being the host in LA. I don’t know what Coach Kelly has planned when we’re down there. I know they’ll have just finished up the regular season, so they’ll be getting ready for bowl prep. I’m sure they’ll be on break for that first week and for the finals, so I hope I get to see everybody. Like I said, they’ll be coming off a cow and getting that win, so I know they’ll be in high score.”

 

Who’s that mentor? 

“Seth Mikowski.”

 

I know you said you were embracing having Joe (Flacco) here, but the Browns have just signed a quarterback who won a Super Bowl and was thrown for 40,000 yards. How do you not let that be kind of a pressure team or make you look over your shoulder. 

“Shoot, I mean, if you all would have been inside my body to feel the pressure I felt when they were chanting my name, when I had everybody thinking about this game and the Steelers and how big of that rivalry was, Joe coming in here is more of a blessing than anything. Like I said, I’m asking him a bunch of questions. We were chopping it up and stuff this morning. He’s in the early meetings with us and me and P.J. (Walker) now, so it’s great, man. He’s fitting so well. Like I said, I’ve only known him for just about a day with him being here, so I love Joe. It’s been awesome.”

 

Real quick, that altitude. Was that a big deal for your team when you’re out there?

 “No, not really. I mean, shoot, I don’t think in college we really had oxygen mass on the sideline, so at least here we have oxygen mass on the sideline for us to be able to breathe and get air in. But it’s never really been a struggle. I personally, honestly don’t notice it being a quarterback unless I take off and scramble. But I’m sure other guys won’t really notice it. We have guys that work hard in the altitude room.”

 

 

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