As quickly as head coach Doug Marrone delivered the news of the quarterback change, he reminded us that this is not the end of the road for the man most affected by the decision, QB EJ Manuel.
"I think there are things that are going on right now that we discussed where it gives him a chance to just step back for a moment, look at things that he can work on and correct," Marrone said of his conversation with Manuel Monday. "Again he'll have to have some thick skin and you've got to fight. That's what usually happens in life. To get what you want you have to fight for it."
The plan, which Marrone has continuously been candid about, was always to bring in a veteran quarterback in the offseason with the idea that the experience could help aid player development and, if need be, act as a safety net. The Bills head coach determine he was at the latter point.
He was also clear that, from the beginning, Manuel was always going to get a fair shot to keep the spot that was his to lose.
Similarly now, QB Kyle Orton will be given a fair shot as well.
That is not to say that Orton is guaranteed to be under center for the remaining 12 game or that he's on a short leash. It just means that he will have a few games to earn the spot.
Marrone also added that Manuel can easily regain the spot with hard work.
"I think it's a great opportunity for him to sit back now. Really look and go back," He said. "We've got a lot on film. See the things that he has to work on and go ahead and work on it. So from that standpoint I think it's more of the player and how he goes about his business. Or how he goes about correcting those issues and we'll work with him."
Marrone was also sure to mention a few times that the offensive struggles do not all fall on Manuel – that there are other deficient areas beyond the quarterback position. Maybe in an attempt to ease the mind of his new backup QB, he said this happens all the time at other positions, but doesn't garner as much attention given the way the public and the league view the quarterback role.
And as you might expect, Manuel handled the news with class and respect.
"I thought he handled it very professionally," Marrone said. "And obviously it's never an easy thing. I think that's what I'd like to say about it. How normally you would think someone reacts to it ... I'll tell you what, he showed a hell of a lot of courage. He really did an outstanding job. He really did. And that's a credit to him. Now, he's got a tough road ahead of him. It's going to be tough. Everything is going to be reported, things are going to come at him. And he has to fight through this thing. If he fights through it, he'll be fine."
