Former NFL quarterback Brian Hoyer wasn’t in Pittsburgh long. But it was enough time to understand the Steelers did things differently than everyone else. In an interview aired earlier this month, Hoyer explained why Pittsburgh’s coaches didn’t mind Hoyer’s passes taking a little longer to leave his hand.
“I was only there for three weeks. I watched and witnessed [Ben Roethlisberger] practice,” Hoyer said on Jon Gruden’s podcast. “I’m sure for you, too. If I didn’t hit the play in rhythm in practice, I was pissed. In Pittsburgh, they were like, ‘nope, that’s good.’ That’s how we want it.”
Because of Ben Roethlisberger’s unique ability to scramble around and extend the play, coaches deemed it “good” for Hoyer not to play perfectly within structure. It just meant extra practice for receivers to learn to stay in the route and get open beyond what was designed. This worked to add extra defensive stress.
Hoyer had only a cup of coffee with the Steelers. Signed as injury insurance in November 2012, Pittsburgh released him in early December. He never appeared in a game and backed up Charlie Batch in a Week 12 loss to the Cleveland Browns and a Week 13 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Hoyer finished the end of the season starting for the Arizona Cardinals.
That year, the Steelers were led by their Young Money crew: Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace, and Emmanuel Sanders served as the team’s top three wide receivers. Wallace was the star of the bunch, but Brown was rounding into form while Sanders benefited from the extra attention the others received. Combined, they caught 174 passes for 2,249 yards and 14 of the team’s 27 receiving scores. Veteran tight end served as the trusty security blanket.
Together, they meshed well with Roethlisberger, who would throw for 26 touchdowns despite missing three games.
“Their scramble rules and understanding of where to go,” Hoyer said. “That’s not something you just draw. You gotta have some influence and tell guys, ‘you go deep, you go short.’ They were spot on with that stuff.”
Hoyer had plenty of teams and experiences to compare to. He played for nine franchises. Pittsburgh was unique.
Due to Roethlisberger’s rare rib injury, it’s fair to assume Hoyer only saw him practice a little bit. But he, like the rest of the NFL, was well-educated in Roethlisberger’s blend of pump fakes, scrambles, and defensive shake-offs. That didn’t just manifest itself on gameday. He practiced it, and it became a weapon on the field.
Hoyer himself couldn’t do what Roethlisberger could; few quarterbacks in history have shown that ability, but he came to understand what made Roethlisberger and the Steelers’ offense so different during those prime years.
Check out the full interview below.
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