Hey, my position was clear on Beck-Grossman. I advocated for Beck to start, in large part because of what Redskins’ people told me about how highly Shanahan and his son, Kyle, Washington’s offensive coordinator, have viewed Beck since he joined the organization. Also, after observing Beck in his first two preseason games, I thought his athleticism and potential were important.
Beck had to lose the job, some Redskins employees believed. His clunker in the preseason finale didn’t help. Obviously, no one could read Shanahan’s mind, and it was repeatedly stated Grossman could win the job. (I also know Mike really doesn’t appreciate my advice.)
Bottom line, Shanahan chose Grossman. The Redskins should rally around Rex, who’s getting a great second chance.
Although Grossman started 31 games for Chicago and helped it reach the Super Bowl after the 2006 season, something was missing from his six-year run there. Bears fans wanted more than Grossman seemed capable of providing. Even in the best of times, they dissected his every move. When the Bears won, the feeling was they did so in spite of their quarterback.
Being under the microscope like that isn’t easy. Such is life for quarterbacks, especially in big media markets, but Grossman faced an unusually high level of scrutiny and pressure. It’s the same old story with quarterbacks: They get too much of the credit for wins and too much of the blame for losses.
I’ve never left an interview with Grossman, however, believing he made excuses for his performance with the Bears. Straightforwardly, Grossman says the situation simply didn’t work as well as he hoped it would. He acknowledges he could have played better at times and was eager to see how things developed with the Redskins.
Despite what happened in Chicago, Grossman remains confident. When Shanahan announced Grossman would replace Donovan McNabb as the starter late last season, Grossman was certain he could thrive in the offense, he told me at the time, because it was well-suited for his skills.
He had no concerns, at least none he revealed publicly, about taking over for McNabb after playing in only six games, with one start, since the beginning of the 2008 season.
During the final three games in 2010, with Grossman as the starter, the Redskins went 1-2. Grossman wasn’t outstanding statistically. He did enough, though, to keep himself in the mix for the preseason battle with Beck.
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