Miami – If not for Scott Linehan, Gus Frerotte likely would be in Miami today as a backup quarterback for the Broncos, not a starter for the Dolphins.
After signing with Miami, Frerotte won a training-camp battle with A.J. Feeley and was a named the starting quarterback for today’s season opener against the Broncos.
Had Frerotte not followed Linehan, his offensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings, to Miami, Denver coach Mike Shanahan is convinced Frerotte would be on the Broncos’ sideline today. Frerotte was a backup in Denver in 2000 and 2001 and started seven games in that time.
“If he didn’t go to Miami and the offensive coordinator from Minnesota didn’t take the job, he would have come back here,” Shanahan said last week. “He built a house here, so I’m a little upset” at losing Frerotte.
The Broncos were looking for a veteran quarterback during the offseason. After Jeff Garcia turned down the Broncos to go to Detroit, the Broncos went hard after Frerotte. He was close to signing, but found the opportunity in Miami promising.
“I knew that if I went to the Broncos I wasn’t going to have the opportunity to be a starter,” Frerotte said. “If I came to Miami, I was going to have that opportunity. That’s been my whole career, to go someplace where I get the opportunity to be a starter. That’s basically why I moved around so much. I’ve played with six teams in 12 years, and you just look for that shot.
“I’m 34 now, but still can play and feel really good. That’s why you move around, and that’s why my family has gone with me. I thank them all the time for letting me take my opportunity to play football.”
Still, Shanahan wishes Frerotte had taken that opportunity with the Broncos.
“(He has) great arm strength, really likes to throw the ball downfield, (is) very consistent throwing the ball downfield, and that can be a great challenge for our team,” Shanahan said.
