Initiation by fire: the former Heisman winner has had a harsh welcome to the NFL, but he's certain his struggles will make him better in the long run - Interview: Chris Weinke

WHEN THE 2001 SEASON began, the Carolina Panthers entrusted their starting quarterback job to a 29-year-old. There's nothing unusual about that. What was odd, however, was the fact that he was a rookie.

Chris Weinke, the 2000 season's Heisman Trophy winner from Florida State, didn't even get picked on the first day of the draft because of concerns that he was starting his NFL career so late in life. But the Panthers tabbed him early in the fourth round (pick No.106 overall), and Weinke promptly beat out Jeff Lewis for the starting job. Weinke became the second-oldest player since 1970 to be drafted and play in an NFL contest. Only kicker Ove Johansson, drafted by the Houston Oilers, was older.

Before he returned to football at Florida State, Weinke played six years of minor-league baseball, rising to the Triple-A level in the Toronto Blue Jays' organization but never making it to the majors. When Weinke gave up on his baseball career and went back to Florida State, he became the only three-year starter at quarterback of the Bobby Bowden era. Weinke went 32-3 for the Seminoles and won a national championship in 1999.

Weinke's first season as the Panthers' starter began beautifully with a season-opening, upset victory against the Vikings at Minnesota. As a native of St. Paul, Weinke had dozens of family members and friends on hand to witness his triumphant debut, in which he threw for 223 yards.

Since then, however, the Panthers have struggled mightily--and Weinke has learned what it feels like to be a rookie playing the NFL's most challenging position, especially when your team doesn't have a running game to speak of. Not surprisingly, the losses have piled up in an epic manner. Weinke and the Panthers hit rock-bottom in Week 8 when the quarterback sprained his throwing shoulder during loss to the Miami Dolphins, sidelining him for a game. Through it all, however, Weinke has remained remarkably poised and upbeat.

Weinke sat down with FOOTBALL DIGEST recently to discuss his rookie year, his future in the NFL, and the unusual moment he once shared with Michael Jordan.

FOOTBALL DIGEST: You said when you first won this job that how you handled the ups and downs would determine how successful your season was. Has that happened?

CHRIS WEINKE: Absolutely. I've had some great ups. The opening-game win at Minnesota was something. But then we couldn't win a football game, and I didn't play well personally. You have to know that's going to happen and how to deal with it. My way of dealing with it is trying to work a little bit harder and continue to get better. I hate losing as much as anybody. When things aren't going well, then I want to change something to make things get better.

FD: You've been a winner almost all your life. How has it been trying to deal with this kind of losing?

CW: It definitely is uncharted waters for me. It's not something that I'm used to. But I'm learning that wins don't come easy. On any given Sunday, you can beat anybody and anybody can beat you. You have to focus on the next opponent quickly because this league doesn't slow down for anybody. There's something waiting for you next Sunday. You can either sit and sulk and whine and worry about things that happened in the past or learn from them and move on.

FD: Talk about the unusual moment you shared with Michael Jordan on a different playing field.

CW: That was a long time ago. He was trying out something new [which was minor-league baseball]. I happened to be playing first base when he had his first hit. He came back to first base and said, "I better get that ball. It might be the only hit I get."

My name and Michael Jordan's shouldn't even be in the same sentence, really. But he's gone back to what he loves to do. I went back to what I love to play, and that's football. We've both branched away from baseball and are doing something else. But I feel like we are both doing what we were meant to do. For him, that's play basketball--for me, it's play football.

FD: Was baseball your first love, or did you just think you had a better chance in that than in football?

CW: It wasn't my first love. It was just an opportunity for me. I didn't know what I wanted to do. Growing up, people always asked me, "What's your favorite sport?" And the answer was, "Whatever I'm playing." And so I think that regardless of whether it was football, hockey, or baseball, whatever was in season was what I loved the most. And when I was 18 years old, I decided to go play baseball.

FD: You said before this season began that you thought you had the body of a 22-year-old, that you were "low-mileage" because you played a sport that didn't wear on you as much for six years. Do you still feel that way after experiencing the NFL?

CW: The NFL season is sure a lot longer. I'm a little tired. By the time you're halfway through the NFL season, if you count the preseason games, you have already played a full college season. So it's harder to stay mentally fresh. Like I said before, this league doesn't slow down for you. If you've got a nagging injury, you have to fight through it. You have to compete every day because there will be a challenge every day.

FD: At Florida State, you were the object of a lot of "He's so old" jokes. Have those continued in the NFL?

CW: In college, that was the main topic because it was so uncommon. It wasn't the norm. As big as college football is, people are always looking for something that isn't normal. Now it's not a big deal. You still hear sprinkles of that, but for the most part it's not an issue. I'm pretty much just one of the guys.

FD: It's really unusual to start as a rookie quarterback, though.

CW: Yes. I was fortunate to have come from a high-caliber college program. And my age has helped as well. I'm able to handle things at this point in my life because of what I've been through. You don't see rookie quarterbacks starting very often, but I'm trying to make the best of it.

FD: Where do you keep the Heisman Trophy?

CW: I keep it with my parents at home in St. Paul. My folks have their own little special place for it downstairs in the family room above the fireplace. They have found out they have a lot more friends than they thought they did. When you receive something like that, you realize how special that trophy is. Not me as an individual, the trophy itself.

My parents had more visitors this past year than they've ever had. People want to see that and touch it--that's how special the Heisman is. They could care less if I was there--they've had more people come when I wasn't there, actually. They could care less about seeing my parents. They want to see what the trophy looks like, pick it up, and take a picture with it. It's a symbol.

FD: Despite all the struggles, are you still glad you're starting this year as opposed to backing up a knowledgeable veteran who could have mentored you?

CW: No question--no question I'd prefer to start. If you look at the history of this game, there's no substitute for experience. There's an advantage when you have a veteran guy to help you learn the game, but when that veteran guy is there and he's on the field, you're not getting the experience you need. You can be great in the film room and you can be great on the chalkboard, but until you get out there in the heat of battle, you don't know what you're all about. What I'm gaining right now is how to deal with everything. It's going to be a huge difference next year. In the long run, if you fight through the struggles, the grass will be greener.

FD: You have a degree in sports management from Florida State. What do you want to do after football?

CW: I want to stay in the sporting arena, the athletic arena, and possibly do some TV stuff. I feel like I could be a pretty good businessman. I've already dabbled in some real estate. I'm very involved in a company back home in Minnesota. I'm trying to stay diverse.

FD: Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has compared you to Roger Staubach, who also started his career very late. Do you buy that?

CW: I'm familiar with Staubach's career. I've always come from the standpoint that I want to be the best I can be. I've never had a certain quarterback I've looked up to. I want to be the guy who is the trail-blazer. Each and every individual is different; you can mix and match different things. Who wouldn't want a Staubach-type career? But you never know what's going to happen, especially in this game. I'm not going to worry about how my career will end. Right now, I'm still worried about the beginning of it.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Century Publishing
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