Read the full transcript from Skylar Thompson's press conference on September 18, 2024.
Q: I know last time when you went about starting, you told us about your dad and telling him the moment. Did you have a moment with your dad when you learned that you would be the starter and if so, can you share what that was like?
"Yeah, I got to share it with my dad again. It was really, really special and got to share it with my fiancée as well. It was really cool to share that with her as well. My family is excited for me, it's a great opportunity. You guys know about my journey; it's really cool for me to share those things with my family members as I've continued through the journey so I'm very, very thankful for that and for them."
Q: What's it like for you being in the huddle in this role? I imagine you have to be a calming voice for guys because obviously things just changed dramatically going from QB Tua Tagovailoa. You have your starter in, now you have your backup in. But for you, what kind of quarterback or leader are you in the huddle?
"I think first and foremost is just being myself, and for me, I'm a team-first guy. I love to go play with my teammates and that's a goal of mine every time I step into the huddle, is for them to feel the confidence in my voice and the way that I speak the play out, the way we break the huddle, our urgency. Those little things and the details go a long way, and for me, that's where my focus is at, is just the little details of things and having good urgency, speaking up and if I don't like something or if I want something run a different way or whatever, having the confidence to voice my opinion. I'm very thankful for the guys listening and taking my opinion into account. That's just the way that I approach it. That's the way I've always approached it. I've always just learned you go to battle with your teammates and you invest in them and give everything into them, great things are going to happen. That's my approach to it."
Q: Last year, you didn't play any games but you started a few as a rookie. What was that experience for you last year and what did you learn that's going to help prepare you for Sunday and the games after that?
"I think the first year, it's an adjustment. Coming into this system which I haven't been in another system, but I would put it up there as one of the more complex systems and for me to get experience with that my first year and getting live reps. We always talk about that; you can't simulate live reps. I was very fortunate to get that opportunity to get those reps my rookie year and I think that was really good for me to go see that, to feel the speed, see the picture, feel the pass rush, feel all those things and feel the crowd noise. Like every single little detail, I remember and I think that's one thing that you talk about – you asked about last year when I didn't get a snap. I thought that was very helpful for me being able to take a step back from the offense. I'm obviously still in it, but just seeing it from a different perspective and being able to digest it and understand the why behind the what and understand being able to pick up on why Mike (McDaniel) is calling a certain thing in certain situations or all that stuff. Just being able to learn in game management situations, there's a whole bunch of stuff that I thought really played into account last year for me that really helped me grow and develop. And on top of that, even though I wasn't getting reps, I devoted a lot of time to walkthroughs and all those things just to keep myself up to date and to keep learning and progressing, because you just never know. And I wanted another opportunity whenever the time came and so you've just always got to stay ready. So that's been my approach, and I thought that really helped me last year being able to see it from a different perspective."
Q: This team entered the season obviously with Super Bowl hopes, aspirations and all that. Four games now, you're going to have to keep them on track for the goal. Just talk about the responsibility that comes with that and why you feel like you're prepared in this moment to do that?
"I'm just focused on today. I'm focused on today, and when tomorrow comes, I'll focus on tomorrow. It's one game at a time, one day at a time, and that's my approach to everything. And that's been my approach since I've gotten here and that's led me to success, just being able to focus on the now. What's in front of me right now, not getting too far ahead of myself because that's when things start going all over the place. So it's just focusing on right now where my feet are, being where my feet are, and I think that that approach for me helps me stay even-keeled in the implementation of the game plan this week and being able to take it one step at a time, rather than trying to look at it all at once, because sometimes that can be overwhelming. So you just try to take it one day at a time and focus on today. That's me and that's what I'm echoing around to the guys, too."
Q: Head Coach Mike McDaniel told us when you won the No. 2 job over Mike White, that part of the reason why was how your teammates responded when you were in the game. Not just in actual games, but when you were on the field at practice. What does it mean to you to hear that, that the way your teammates responding to you is part of the reason why this coaching staff has so much faith and trust in you?
"Honestly, it's probably one of the best compliments I could get, because like I was touching on earlier, one of my favorite parts about this game is going to play with the guys next to me. It's been that way since I was a little kid, and I just find joy in going to battle with guys that I know have put so much into it to do their job. They're relying on me to do my job; I'm relying on them to do theirs and that's for all 11 spots. I feel like that trust and continuity you build is special and for me, I want to make guys feel confident when I'm in there and we're going to make plays, whatever that looks like. Just being able to instill that confidence in those guys and get them to believe. I think that stems from – anybody can go say, like, 'Hey, believe in me.' But you've got to do it with your actions and the way that you go about things, and I feel like that's just the approach that I've taken is just controlling what I control, be a hard worker, be a great teammate and put the team first in every way, shape or form, and good things happen. So that's really cool to hear."
Q: Last time you started a non-preseason game so the playoff game at Buffalo, there were some issues getting the plays in from Head Coach Mike McDaniel to you. What gives you confidence that your communication on game day will be better to get plays and streamline things?
"Absolutely, it's going to be a hostile environment and it's going to be a special opportunity for us to go attack that because it is going to be a challenge. That's the reality of it. But to me, it's just getting work. Getting to work at it this week, getting the timing down with everything and getting guys in sync on the same page. I think that's the most important part, is everybody being in sync together with that stuff so we can operate well and also getting out of the huddle, getting up to the line of scrimmage – all those things – all the operational aspects really help that. Truly, I feel like that was an area that I have focused on and tried to improve on and grow in, and I feel like I have made improvement in that. So it's just going to keep continuing to build throughout the week and build that continuity and trust in the plays so we can operate quickly on game day."
Q: You mentioned it being a hostile environment. What are your expectations for what you'll experience in Seattle with the 12th man at Lumen Field over there?
"Just hearing guys talk and guys that have been there, it's a special place to play and the 12th man is real. I'm super excited for that. For me, that's what you want. That's why football is such a great game, and being able to go on the road, having a road opportunity with the guys and get to go in there and go to battle with them in that environment is fun. We're really excited for that opportunity."
Q: When you were thrown into action the first time, was there a sense of "don't screw this up" as opposed to how you're going into it now?
"I wouldn't say necessarily in that wording that's how I felt, but it was just – it's a lot different than how I feel now. And I felt like my rookie year, I was really – I was doing things exactly by the book and viewing everything as how I would see it in the playbook – the drop, footwork and everything – and it was all new to me. I studied it so much that I felt like I knew it so well that sometimes it kind of slowed me down a little bit, even. And that's just another progression, part of being in the third year and having this opportunity again, I feel like I have a very good understanding of what we're doing and why we're doing it and being able to anticipate those things and all those things come to account and help me with my progressions and all that stuff. It's less thinking, so I'm excited for this go around."
Q: Has QB Tua Tagovailoa given you any advice or words of encouragement as you kind of head into this next journey?
"Yeah, he definitely has. He's given me some really great advice and has been a great sounding board for me. And if I have questions or something pops up that, 'Hey, like Tua, how'd you handle this or how'd you do this?' He's so quick to give me answers and to do anything to help me, and I'm very, very thankful for Tua because obviously, with the situation, I think it just speaks volumes about the person that we already know who he is. But it's special and I'm thankful to have him around with me because it gives me confidence to have him around."
