Pat Williams made some fairly provocative – some might say disheartening – comments about Tarvaris Jackson‘s commitment during a recent appearance on Sirius satellite radio. “I talk to Tarvaris all the time [and] tell him you have to put in the time,” the big defensive tackle said. “This ain’t college no more. This is the NFL. You have to put in more time than you are used to putting in. If you are putting in four hours, you have to put in eight. You have to put in more time than what he’s doing. I think if he puts the right time in, he will be a great quarterback in the league.”
Well, if T-Jack still hasn’t figured out that this isn’t college, I don’t know when he’s ever going to. It’s not like he’s a rookie in the league anymore – 2009 will be his fourth year with the Vikings, and, if he wins the job, his third going into the season as the starter. Sorry, but a guy in T-Jack’s position shouldn’t need veterans like Fat Pat telling him he needs to work. You think Peyton Manning requires Dwight Freeney to light a fire under his ass? You think Tom Brady sits around playing video games all day unless Richard Seymour calls him and tells him to get his fanny into the tape-room?
People always say of Tarvaris, “He looks great in practice, but somehow it doesn’t translate into the game.” I think now we see why. If Brad Childress is truly open-minded about choosing his quarterback, Sage Rosenfels should have no problem beating out this evidently unmotivated slug. Sage isn’t a broken-down old man like Gus Frerotte – he’s got the physical tools, and he’s hungry, and I’ll bet you a buck he knows what to do without Pat Williams telling him.