Sports Radio Interviews

Charlie Whitehurst Believes He Can Lead The Seahawks Back To Greatness: “I know I haven’t played a lot, but I think I can do it physically, mentally, and from a leadership standpoint.”

Ah, to be an NFL player. More specifically…ah, to be an NFL player with ‘measurables’.  Haven’t played much – if any – meaningful regular season football in the league? No big shakes. I could  be talking about the enormous (and escalating) rookie contracts that guys are signing in recent years. Many of these high draft picks will never pan out, but that doesn’t mean they won’t still pocket $10 million or so at least just for being identified as worthy of their high draft status coming out of college.  No, I’m not talking about an absurd rookie pay scale for high 1st round picks though. Now it appears as if you can get paid even if you’re 27 years old, have been in the league since 2006 and have yet to come close to sniffing the field. Such was the case Wednesday when the Seattle Seahawks traded for San Diego Chargers backup (2nd and 3rd stringer, depending on which year you’re talking about) Charlie Whitehurst. The Seahawks swapped 2nd round picks in this year’s draft to acquire Whitehurst. They also gave up an ‘undisclosed’ 2011 pick that is believed to be a 3rd rounder. Finally, Seattle gave the unproven Clemson product a 2-year deal worth $8 million, with another $2 million in incentives attached should Whitehurst reach certain performance benchmarks. Not bad for a guy who has spent his entire career in the NFL holding a clipboard in sunny San Diego. Apparently Pete Carroll and his staff have seen enough tape on Whitehurst to feel confident in his abilities to push incumbent Matt Hasselbeck in a training competition.

Whitehurst joined 710 ESPN Seattle to talk about his first impressions of his new hometown, what he’d tell Seahawks fans who are wondering why they’re supposed to be excited about the acquisitions of a (to this point) career backup, how being in Norv Turner’s offense in San Diego helped prepare him for this opportunity, and how he thinks he’s proven during preseason games the past several years that he’s ready to take over the reins of an NFL offense full time.

On his first impressions of Seattle:

“I tell you what, the sun’s out today. It’s a beautiful place to be, and I just couldn’t be more excited about being in this organization. I think they’re headed in the direction you want to go and that’s up. It’s all moving pretty fast. I’m just really excited and ready to get to work.”

On what he’d say to fans who wonder why they should be excited about their team acquiring a quarterback who hasn’t been able to make his way onto the playing field yet during his NFL career:

“I think I’ve been with a great team and been behind a great quarterback in Philip Rivers. And Billy Volek’s been there also who’s had a good 10 year career already. So I can understand that. What I’d say is I think I’m ready to go. I’ve learned a lot in four years being behind Philip and being in Norv Turner’s offense and now I’m ready to go. And now it’s up to me to kind of prove it. So I’ve been presented with this opportunity, and it will be my job to make it work.”

On how being in Norv Turner’s offense has left him prepared to excel in Jeremy Bates’ and Pete Carroll’s new system in Seattle:

“Well I think coming from Norv, and even Cam Cameron my first year, they teach you football  – how to lead the team, how to throw the football, all the different concepts and different ways to advance the ball down the field. I think the two offenses are a little bit different. Watching the Chargers the past few years people will see the down field, take shots, a lot of the deep balls and stuff like that. And it’s helped me I guess, go on tape in the preseason and say okay, this guy can make the throws that we ask him to make. I think Jeremy’s system is a little bit different, just like all systems are different in this league. I don’t know if they necessarily translate directly, but I think I proved in Norv’s system that I can make the plays, the throw, move around, lead the team and I think that’s what every coordinator is looking for – and every team. And I think I’ve shown that on my tape in the preseason and hopefully I can do that here with Jeremy.”

On the possibility of bringing more of a vertical passing attack to the Seahawks ‘west coast’ passing game:

“I can’t speak for Coach Bates yet. I don’t know exactly what he has in mind, what he has planned. I’ve been here a good six hours. But I think he’s going to tailor what we do around the personnel that we have. That’s what he’s told me. Hopefully it’s going to be exciting, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

On what kind of scouting report he would draw up about himself for someone who’s never seen him play before:

“I think I have good size, a good arm, a good head. I’ve been around football my whole life – my father played for the Packers. Football is a big part of our household, for sure. I know I haven’t played a lot, but I think I can do it physically, mentally, and from a leadership standpoint. Like I’ve said, I think I can do it physically, it’s about putting it all together and getting an opportunity which I’ve been given, and taking advantage of it which I plan to do. Hopefully here before long, people will think this was the right thing to do.”

On what it was like growing up the son of a famous Green Bay Packers quarterback:

“I was born in Green Bay when my dad was still playing. I was born in ’82, and he was done in ’84. I was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and it’s funny, I’ve been asked that so many times and it’s funny, I didn’t know any other way. He was a quarterback, or a football player, and yeah, people knew it, but he was just my dad. So I learned a lot of football from him obviously. He coached me growing up until like the middle school age. He just taught me how to compete, and it’s interesting that that’s Coach Carroll’s message now. It was a tremendous asset for me.”

Listen here to Whitehurst with Kevin Calabro on 710 ESPN Seattle (interview begins at 36:00 mark)

Tags: 2010 starting quarterbacks in NFL, 710 ESPN Seatte, big free agent NFL Contracts, Charlie Whitehurst signed by Seahawks, Pete Carroll