Josh Dobbs Quarterback Tennessee Rookie
Who is your football mentor or inspiration?I always looked up to whoever was ahead of me. Going through high school and in college I watched different college and professional guys that I liked. I watched them, learned from their tape, and put different things from their game into my game. Being from Atlanta I saw a lot of Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb. I watched the Steelers in the Super Bowl, so I saw Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner. I watched guys who had success before me and took things from their game and modeled mine from that.
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What motivates you? Just to be the best in everything that I do. My parents instilled in me that whatever you are going to do, do it 100 percent and give it your best. I am a very competitive person and it comes out when I step on the field and in everything I do. Just being my best, proving I am the best consistently and going out and dominating my opponent and win motivates me each day. What is your approach to football? ** I am trying to dominate at the end of the day. Whether it's mentally, physically, leadership wise, my presence brings a different element to the team, whoever I am around, and raises that level of play. I just like to go out and dominate and do whatever it takes to win.
Why do you play football?I love the game. I played since I was five. I played other sports growing up, but football was always my passion. I played quarterback growing up because it is a very strategic game, strategic position. It's a chess match with the other team. A lot goes into it. Interacting with your teammates, studying your playbook. Understanding your schemes and the defensive schemes. It's a chess match. I enjoy the puzzle being an engineer. Engineers go out and fix problems. As a quarterback that is your mindset, fix the problems presented by the defense and go out and figure out how to move the team down the field. I enjoy that aspect of the game.
How does the academic background help you with the game?It helps a lot. It's been cool just focusing on football. It's crazy how many hours are in the day when you don't have school. Just the habits and structure and discipline it took to be successful in the classroom it took pursuing a strenuous and difficult degree, it's the same as a quarterback, the same structure and discipline in the classroom and on the field. You might be taking the same drops over and over, but you are building habits that are going to help you on Sunday. That discipline, structure and learning how to be successful in the classroom have helped me on the field.
What are you doing with the extra few minutes you have now?Sleeping. Eating a little bit more. Getting all of my meals. In college every day coach would ask me two questions. How many hours of sleep did you get last night and did you get your two meals before practice. Usually it was yes, but half the time it was no to both questions. But it was cool. Now being professional, being able to take care of my body, have time to learn the playbook, being able to just focus on football is a lot of fun. I really enjoy it.* What is your proudest football moment or memory? *This season, my senior year, was the most difficult off the field, in the classroom. So winning SEC player of the year on the field, while balancing my most difficult school semester is something I am very proud of. * When you hear Steelers, what do you think? *You think of tradition. Steel Curtain. Great defense, great offense, explosive. I grew up watching the Steelers. I watched both Super Bowls they won in my lifetime. It's an honor to be a part of this team. I remember throughout the draft process thinking about potential fits. I knew it would be an honor to play for the Steelers. I am excited to be here and ready to get to work.
