Skylar Thompson Is Hoping To Show What His Teammates Have Already Seen
Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
It might be harsh to say, but most fans believe Skylar Thompson is probably on the roster because he wasn’t supposed to see the field. There’s nothing wrong with that, there aren’t many teams that are itching to get their seventh-rounder developmental QB under center. But now, he finds himself with a sliver of opportunity, even if it’s not one the Miami Dolphins were planning on.
Emphasis on “sliver.” Thompson could have a 158.3 passer rating for the next four weeks, and if Tua Tagovailoa is ready to get back into the lineup, Thompson’s sitting again. If Thompson struggles, he has zero leash, with a younger, more experienced option, and arguably more talented option in Tyler Huntley now waiting in the wings.(Bet you didn’t realize he was younger!)
No pressure, kid.
“I’m just focused on today,” Thompson told the media in response to being asked about being tasked with keeping the Dolphins’ Super Bowl hopes afloat. “When tomorrow comes, I’ll focus on tomorrow… rather than trying to look at it all at once, because sometimes that can be overwhelming.”
It might be coach-speak from a player, but it’s a good, solid approach, one that Mike McDaniel thinks proves Skylar is a different player than the last time we saw him start.
“The confidence that the team has towards Skylar is real and it’s earned and it’s based upon thousands of hours that, as a backup quarterback, most people don’t see,” McDaniel said. “He has ran our plays in a walkthrough setting probably more than anybody on our team. I mean, he’s done that for a calendar year, incessantly. And the results are: there’s a broader chest in the huddle. There’s more conviction. … When you’re watching in 2024, it might be the same name on the jersey, but you’re seeing a different man.”
Maybe more importantly than his coaches confidence, he has his teammates. “He plays with a lot of swag out there, so it’s going to be fun.” Jaylen Waddle said. “I’m excited. … I think he’s prepared for the moment.”
A member of the press reminded Thompson of McDaniel’s praise of the backup, where the coach declared that he won the gig because of how his teammates responded to Thompson in both games and practice.
“Honestly, it’s probably one of the best compliments I could get,” Thompson replied. “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 into battle with guys that I know have put so much into it to do their job.”
They’re going into a difficult battle, all right, playing the always-tough Seattle Seahawks, who’ve started 2-0. From a football and emotional standpoint, it’s going to be hard, and Thompson knows the only way out is by pulling together to get through.
“They’re relying on me to do my job; I’m relying on them to do theirs, and that’s for all 11 spots,” Thompson explained.
But for the purposes of starting again in Week 4, that first part is going to matter the most. It’s probably unfair to look at his relief appearance last Thursday as a barometer for what he can bring going forward, given the emotional gut-punch Miami suffered and entering the game with the Phins down 31-10. Still, it didn’t assuage the Dolphins enough to not get the best QB on the market in Huntley. With a clean slate, Thompson has a ton to prove on Sunday. He thinks he’s ready.
“Having this opportunity again I feel like I have a very good understanding of what we’re doing and why we’re doing it,” Thompson said, explaining the differences between now and his starts as a rookie in 2022. “It’s less thinking [than before], so I’m excited for this go-around.”
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