Few people that watched Johnny Manziel in college came away with doubts that he could play quarterback. Even if the style of quarterback that he played was a little different from most. He was a very good college quarterback. He won games. He often won games with the team on his little shoulders. Most of the questions regarding whether he could play quarterback in the NFL concerned his rather small size. Most talking heads didn't think that he could play quarterback in the NFL the same way that he played the position in college. His scrambling and running ways would get him killed. His off-the-field activities were a concern as well but few seemed to question his dedication to the position that he played. They should have. His lack of dedication to the game and to the position that he plays is probably going to end his career before it ever gets started.
The best quarterbacks to ever play spend countless hours preparing for games. They have to know every position of the offense as if it's their own. They have to know the entirety of the opposing defense. They have to lead their team. The very best quarterbacks do even more. Baltimore Colts throwing legend Johnny Unitas routinely stayed after practice throwing passes to his receivers, perfecting their timing, learning their nuances. Unitas and receiver Raymond Berry knew each other's tendencies and expectations so well that they probably never had to speak to each other. That connection came from those hours after practice. Lenny Moore wondered why he wasn't invited to these after-practice throwing sessions. He finally started to understand the intense dedication of his quarterback when he was told that he shouldn't expect an invite. He should be committed enough to improving his game and his role with the team that he'd just stay after practice with his teammates. It probably never ever occurred to Unitas that he should have to ask a teammate to work a little harder to get a little better. Maybe it was just Unitas and Berry staying after practice initially. Two tremendously focused football players. Eventually more were out there and it wasn't long after that the Colts had consecutive NFL titles.
The Colts were in another city when they were fortunate enough to find another quarterback with a Unitas-like commitment to football. Peyton Manning. Manning was so prepared for everything football that he was the one doing the interviewing when he was being recruited out of high school and again when he was preparing for the 1998 NFL Draft. Upon being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts he was trying to find a way to start working with his new offense before NFL rules allowed him to do so. His football preparation is legend just as Unitas' preparation was before him.
From the aptly named book Brady vs Manning by Gary Myers.
In Tony Dungy's second-to-last year with the Colts, in 2007, the team drafted Ohio State wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez in the first round. Brandon Stokley, a Manning favorite, had been injured, and the plan was for Gonzalez to be the new slot receiver. Ohio State was on trimester, and by NFL rules, Gonzalez was not allowed to participate in minicamps and other off-season workouts until finals were over. Manning was concerned that Gonzalez would not have enough time to learn the Colts offense to make a contribution early in his rookie year. So he got in his car and drove 175 miles to Ohio State.
"Two days a week, Peyton was driving from Indianapolis to Columbus, three hours each way, to throw balls to him for an hour and a half. He would prep him with everything and drive back," Dungy said. "He never spoke about it and nobody knew about it."
Manning had a simple message for Gonzalez. "We need you, so I'm going to get you ready," he said.
That aren't many quarterbacks, if any, that would make this sort of effort to get a rookie up to speed during mini-camps. Most would just wait for training camp. Manning demands a lot of himself and he demands a lot of his teammates. He expects everyone to have the same commitment. That's expecting a lot.
Can you imagine Johnny Manziel driving 175 miles to work with a pre-rookie receiver? Didn't think so. He'd probably see something shiny before he even got out of town.
Unitas and Manning aren't the only quarterbacks to pursue their craft with such zeal. There are a few. Most of them have Super Bowl rings. Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees to name three. Andrew Luck may have one or more of those rings one day. How do the Colts get so damn lucky?!? Cam Newton is known more for his athleticism than his work ethic and dedication to be great. He's often at work when wannabes like Johnny Manziel aren't.
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