Quarterbacks Coach Bill Musgrave (7.25.25)
Opening Statement:
“All right, good to see everybody. Four QBs plus Deshaun (Watson). So, we’re working really hard and we’re looking forward to this afternoon about 2 o’clock to get out there again.”
Where have you seen the biggest strides from the two rookies from when you first got your hands on them in rookie minicamp to now?
“Well, there have been a lot of strides. The two biggest ones are probably presenting the play in the huddle and then also being under center. Neither guy has a lot of time on task doing either one of those tasks. So, the more experience we can give them here in a short period of time, of course, the better off we’ll be, and they’ve both made great strides.”
Coach, right now, what’s new every day versus what’s carryover from the spring?
“A lot of carryover. So, I know Tommy (Rees) and Kevin (Stefanski) have done a great job with the installation and for the entire offense. There’s some significant new wrinkles, as you can imagine, from last year and the year before, but there’s also a lot of continuity. So, a lot of carryover from the spring. We’re getting more turns at everything.”
What was it like as like as a Senior Offensive Assistant and then got a promotion and now transitioning into this new role?
“Yeah, just really excited about being a Cleveland Brown. First two years, I tried to help out in certain roles, and now being in the QB room where I really started my career years and years ago is great. Great to be back in the saddle.”
Bill, it looks like (Dillon) Gabriel appears to be a natural at play faking. Is that surprising to you because he didn’t do it the last couple years?
“It is surprising. He’s done a really super job, especially the under center play thinking and the footwork. He’s remarkably clean being asked to do those type of techniques.”
One of the strengths that Shedeur (Sanders) has been exhibiting so far. And how has he progressed since we first saw him in rookie camp?
“Yeah, both rookies, Shedeur (Sanders) especially, both rookies have really progressed. There’s a lot of newness for all rookies at all positions jumping from college to the NFL game, and both these guys have progressed each and every day. They’re getting more and more familiar. So, as you can sense from the tone of my voice, it’s a blast to work with both of them. They’re both going to have outstanding careers, I do believe. So, we’re just at the tip of the iceberg right now.”
As a coach, what’s the key for you guys to balancing out those reps like you are with the veterans and the rookies, but also evaluating what you’re seeing out there and trying to figure out what you’re getting from what they’re matched up with?
“No, it’s a delicate balance like you implied. It’s very delicate, and both Tommy (Rees) and Kevin (Stefanski), the way they script practice and orchestrate the installation, they take everything into account. So, they’re doing a fantastic job. The guys are getting different turns and different scenarios. Both the veterans, talking about Kenny (Pickett) and Joe (Flacco) as well as the young guys and Dillon (Gabriel) and Shedeur (Sanders). So, they’re all supporting one another. There’s great synergy in the room. So, I really like the direction that all four guys are headed.”
Bill (Musgrave), Deion Sanders has obviously been very vocal about your guy’s relationship just over the years. What does it sort of mean to you to sort of have this full circle moment where now you’re coaching his son at the NFL level?
“Yeah, it makes me feel old. Both of us I think are 57, 58 years old. That was 30 years ago that we were thick as thieves there with the 49ers that year. So, it’s been great to stay in touch over the years and watch all of his kids grow up and become young adults. So, it’s really fun to be associated with Shedeur (Sanders) at this level.”
Kevin (Stefanski) said that after tomorrow’s practice the offensive coaches will meet and decide how to proceed with the four-quarterback situation. What might you suggest at that meeting? How would you like it to go starting Monday?
“Yeah, it’ll be a great meeting on Sunday because we’ll have these four days which are block one, and then next week we start putting the pads on, which is great. The more we can simulate game-type situations for the QBs, the better off they’ll be. So, next week will be important, and I don’t know if there’ll be any earth shattering or earth shaking changes. I think it’ll be a lot more of the same. All four guys are really making good progress and Tommy (Rees) and Kevin (Stefanski) are doing a great job at getting everybody their looks.”
Hey Bill (Musgrave), there’s so much external pressure or observations on Shedeur (Sanders) just because of who he is, and you’ll probably see that out here today with the fans. So how do you as a quarterback coach shelter him or prepare him for that?
“I think I was blessed to learn a lot from my coaches, whether it be Mike Shanahan or Mike Holmgren or Gary Kubiak. There are external pressures for everybody and especially for Shedeur (Sanders), but there are for Dillon (Gabriel) and Kenny (Pickett) as well as Joe (Flacco). The focus has got to be on the work. The focus has got to be on the techniques, the five step drop, the seven step drop, being accurate with our throws. If we can focus on our trade, the external factors take a back seat, which is where they should remain.”
Bill (Musgrave), Kenny Pickett was saying yesterday that he came back feeling a lot more comfortable in the scheme and assimilated into it over those 5 weeks. Have you noticed that he’s a little bit more efficient, a little bit more comfortable in the offense right now?
“Definitely. I’m glad to hear that he said that because his first two days have been stellar. He had one throw where he was late yesterday and resulted in an interception, which is okay. We don’t want interceptions. But at times we learn a lot from when we stub our toe even more than when we have our triumphs. He’s had his share of triumphs these last two days, especially throwing on the run. Incredibly accurate for just jumping back into camp after us being off for a number of weeks this summer.”
We talk so much about mental reps. What do you stress to those guys as they’re not taking the physical reps but watching and trying to learn. What’s the emphasis to them?
“Yeah, there’s only so many plays in practice, and so when you do get a true rep, that’s invaluable. When someone else is in there, we’re trying to go through it in our mind and get a mental rep, as you alluded to. Those are helpful. They’re obviously not the same as the authentic ones. But we’re trying to do our very best to make use of every single time, whether we’re in the play or we’re standing 15 yards back.”
I was curious if you could kind of, I guess, kind of give like an inside look for the layman? Like we’re out there, we’re watching the different drills and different team drills, maybe you guys are looking for different things, whether it be red zone or driving the ball downfield. So, can you give an inside look into some of those different sessions?
“No, you’re right. The different sessions have different areas of emphasis, whether we’re in the red area, or at times we’re working on our pass protection and quarter turn adjusting our pass protection at the line of scrimmage with the quarterbacks need to have a working knowledge of. At times it’s 1st and 10, 2nd and 1 to 6 where we can do run and play action. So those are all great scenarios for us to get time on task with.”
You haven’t been asked a question about (Joe) Flacco yet, so here’s mine.
“Good.”
He’s 40 years old. Does he look like a 40-year-old quarterback?
“No, no he still can wing it. I met Joe when he was 16 or 17 years old in high school. I watched him pitch sitting next to his dad when we were trying to recruit him to Virginia when I was coaching there under Al Groh, and he ended up going to Pitt. To watch Joe (Flacco) throw a baseball there his junior year in high school and you know, touch 92, 94, and then to see where his football career has gone has just been incredible. And he still of course is a complete 6-foot-6 flamethrower. So, we’re so glad he’s on our team.”
As far as arm talent in the NFL, would you say he’s still top 10?
“Yes definitely. I would say he’s definitely elite. Definitely in the top five, top ten.”
Bill (Musgrave), yesterday, when Joe (Flacco) was talking to us, he talked about the importance of staying in the moment each day, each rep, especially when it’s Dillon (Gabriel) and Shedeur’s (Sanders) first time going through this, how do you think they are doing so far?
“They’re doing the best they can. It’s a lot. It’s a lot for any young player, whether you’re the top pick in the draft or the last. There’s just a lot of adjustment between college defenses and pro defenses. So, the way they align, the way they disguise, the way they study us, they know us better than we know ourselves. So, it’s just, it’s a lot for any QB, and our two guys are doing a really wonderful job at handling all that.”
With the two joint workouts and evaluating four quarterbacks. How more beneficial is that besides the games?
“It’ll be good for our QBs, but it’ll be good for all of us, especially seeing a different scheme than what we see with Coach (Jim) Schwartz each and every day, which is great. Very multiple, we’re getting well versed in NFL defense when we face Coach (Jim) Schwartz and those characters out there every day. Working against Carolina (Panthers) and Philadelphia (Eagles) coming up here in August, we’re really thankful that those dates are on the docket.”
Bill, with the kind of scarcity of reps for each quarterback, Shedeur (Sanders)’ red zone 11 period snaps really threw him off. What do you try to get from that? How can you make the most out of those blown-up plays for the quarterback?
“Yeah, I think we did our best yesterday with repeating those plays. But you’re right, when something goes awry, that’s a lost opportunity and there’s only limited opportunities. So, we’re going to try to be as clean as we can around the QBs with his other 10 teammates. And a couple of times yesterday, being that we’re getting back into camp mode, in football mode after being off for a few weeks, there were some blemishes, that’s for sure.”
Bill (Musgrave), there’s always different philosophies on how soon to play a rookie quarterback. What do you generally want to or need to see to feel like a rookie would be ready to start, especially week one of the season?
“Yeah, it’s definitely individual. There are certain guys that are definitely ready and there are other guys that could need some seasoning. I know Patrick Mahomes didn’t play initially, neither did Aaron Rodgers, whereas we threw Matt Ryan right in there when we drafted him in Atlanta. So, it’s definitely dependent on the individual and his background. Also, how is your team built? There’s just a lot for these young guys like we talked about. So, the more turns, the more experiences we can get him into, both in practice and these preseason games, the better, because you really learn best from being out there on the field and taking your lumps and also feeling like, hey, you may have this down pat and seeing if you can replicate it.”
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