As quarterback Matt Flynn embarks on his career as the Raiders presumed starter, Flynn has reflected on his inability to go from presumed starter to actual starter in Seattle last year.
And while Flynn concedes that Russell Wilson won the job based on his play, beating out Flynn and Tarvaris Jackson, Flynn suggests that his own style didn’t mesh with the head coach’s high-energy, rah-rah approach.
“I had to find a medium ground last year because I knew that Pete was high energy, all over the place in practice, and I knew he probably wanted that out of his quarterbacks a little bit,” Flynn tells Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. “But I still didn’t want to be someone I wasn’t.
“I think Russell and I had two different personalities. But I don’t think any of that played a part in the decision. The bottom line was, Russell took ahold of his opportunity and made the most of it.”
Flynn vows to be a steady and calm presence for the Raiders, if he can go from presumed starter to actual starter in Oakland.
“I feel like if the guys can look at me in the huddle and see a calm and collected face, that they’re going to relax a little bit,” Flynn said. “The way I look at it, leadership and being that guy is, don’t be someone you’re not. Don’t be a hoorah guy jumping around and clapping your hands if you’re not that guy. Makes you look desperate. Makes you look silly. That’s not me.”
In other words, don’t look for Flynn to finish every interview by saying, “Go Raiders.” Especially if he somehow gets beaten out for a second straight year by a rookie named Wilson.