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Monday, December 26, 2011

A Quarterback's Body Language Speaks Louder Than Words

Actions speak louder than words and in Cam Newton’s case his body language during the fourth quarter of games speaks volumes. So much so that two of his teammates felt the need to talk to him about it. Newton speaking to the media a few days after their win against the Houston Texans had this to say:

I have a bad tendency of showing my emotions on my face. I have to change it, and I'm trying to change it…You've got to be that same leader from the first quarter to the last quarter.”

To his credit, Newton hadn’t lost many games before he became the Carolina Panthers’ starting quarterback. Although he vowed not to become accustomed to losing after the Panthers’ first couple of losses, his body language in the fourth quarter of games told another story altogether.

Especially when games got tight or the Panthers’ would lose momentum during the second half of games. It wouldn’t be long before Carolina got behind and you would see Newton sitting on the bench sulking with a towel over his head.

You can definitely see a difference in Newton’s demeanor the past couple of games though. As Houston was threatening to make a comeback, Newton was working to fire up the troops instead of allowing himself to get down like he normally would. He would lead the Panthers on a scoring drive in the fourth quarter that would essentially end all hopes of a Texans’ comeback.

Newton’s turnaround underscores an element of the quarterback position that isn’t spoken about as much but has come into play very often this season. With all the emphasis placed on a quarterback’s statistics, accuracy and mechanics there isn’t nearly enough emphasis placed on their leadership capabilities.

Leadership is more than just the ability to call plays and take command of a huddle, it also encompasses what a quarterback does when he is off the field. Does a quarterback stay involved in the game or does he go sit in a corner away from his teammates? Is he quick to berate a teammate for a mistake or offer encouragement? Is he even-keeled or is he moody?

Just look at how much scrutiny Jay Cutler faced when his Chicago Bears fell to the Green Bay Packers during last year’s playoffs. Cutler left the game with a knee injury but would later be spotted sitting along the sideline just sitting off to himself for the remainder of the game.

Cutler wasn’t faulted for being injured but many people were upset that he didn’t seem to show any interest in what his team was doing out on the field. This was an important game for the Bears and they had a chance to pull it out and advance to the Super Bowl but Cutler didn’t make any attempt to help rally his teammates or at least help give guidance to his backup Caleb Hanie. 

On the other side of that coin you have a quarterback like Tim Tebow. Tebow wore a microphone for ESPN during the Denver Broncos overtime win versus the Chicago Bears a few weeks back. Tebow’s motivational abilities were on display for all the world to see.

After Demaryius Thomas dropped a critical pass, the microphones picked up Tebow on the sidelines telling Thomas that he would get a chance to redeem himself later and that Thomas would catch the game winning catch. Thomas did redeem himself by catching the Broncos’ only touchdown pass of the game.  

Tebow also gave encouraging words to members of his defense. He never seems to look down no matter how bad things look on the field and he was even smiling during the press conference after his team’s lopsided loss to the Buffalo Bills, courteously answering every question asked by the media.

You don’t necessarily have to be a rah-rah type like Tebow to be considered a good leader though. I just wanted to show examples of people who are on different ends of the leadership spectrum. Most often coaches look for those “cool operators” like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. Guys who exude confidence and have a calming presence during times of adversity.

Joe Montana had a reputation for being this kind of quarterback. Joe Cool as he was called was dangerous in the fourth quarter of games and is one of the all-time best comeback artists to ever play the quarterback position. As a matter of fact, Comeback Joe was another one of his nicknames.

Cool operators like the guys I mentioned above are game-changers. Not only do they inspire confidence in their teammates, they strike fear in the hearts of opposing defenses. When games are close in the fourth quarter, opposing defenses know that these guys can pull out a win for their teams.

Don’t take my word for it though. The next time you get to see Brady, Rodgers or Brees in action pay very close attention to their body language. Then watch the body language of the opposing team’s quarterback and defense towards the end of the game. I guarantee you will notice a difference.
           

Roosevelt Hall is an NFL Blogger for The Sport Mentalist and also writes for both The Penalty Flag and Outside The Redzone. He can be contacted at RHall_TPFB@Yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @Sportmentalist.

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