Bill Parcells’ Commandments of Quarterback

Ah, yes! HELL YEAH!

Football season is back — and the parallels between the game and life are bountiful.

I love the metaphors that arise from the great game of football. The many influential coaches and players have plenty of quotes, frameworks, and systems for success on the football field and beyond.

I was watching Undisputed on FS1 the other day, I was introduced to Bill Parcell's Quarterback Commandments. I believe Keyshawn Johnson brought it up, and it instantly intrigued me.

Bills Parcells is an NFL Hall of Fame head coach, with 2 Super Bowl rings and a tremendous coaching tree that has impacted the game of football forever.

Bill Parcells was known for his no-nonsense style of coaching and management of his teams. Some might say he was overly harsh, but I believe that he was perfectly fit for the 80s-90s-00s football landscape.

Football is a sport that requires multiple humans to do their job — repetitively, routinely, and with great focus. All it takes is one play to change to course of a game — or even a season, OR even a career.

Simply put — you cannot be lacking on the football field. Head on a swivel — especially when you're playing at the highest level competing against the world's best athletes.

The undisputed leader of most football teams is the quarterback. He touches the ball on every offensive play, and his leadership, poise, and focus often dictate the fortunes of his team.

Not only does the quarterback have to throw the football to his teammates with impeccable timing, accuracy, and consistency — but the QB also has to gain the trust, admiration, and support of his teammates and coaching staff.

The position and duties of the quarterback serve as a fantastic guideline for any leader.

The best part? There are only 32 spots available for starting QB in the NFL — the pressure is relentless. Year after year, new QBs implement their will while other QBs fade out.

What keeps the best QBs on the field and in command? What skills and qualities make a QB worthy of a starting NFL spot but also a potential contender for the Super Bowl championship?

Lucky for us — Bill Parcells laid out the QB Commandments for us. I will share the commandments as well as my interpretation for our context of chasing curiosity, leadership, and presence.

Let’s get into the wisdom from the legendary “BIG TUNA!”

Quarterback Commandments - Bill Parcells

1. Press and TV (sports media), agents or advisors, family, relatives, wives, fans, etc. — should be ignored on football matters. They do not know what's happening here.

   • Parcells is reminding his quarterback that professional football players should only take coaching on football from professional football coaches.

   • We mustn't let outside voices interfere with our craft/profession. Parcells is not saying to ignore your circle when it comes to financial, emotional, or mental matters — he is saying that their opinion on football happenings does not hold weight in the football arena.

2. Don’t forget to have fun, but don’t be the class clown. Clowns and leaders don’t mix, clowns can’t run a huddle.

   • BARS BARS BARS — this is my favorite. There is a fine line between having fun and a clown show. Football is a child's game and professional football is grown men playing for livelihood and legacy. The margin for error is so small — it goes against the goals of the team if the QB is head of the clown committee.

   • Again, Bill Parcells understands the context outside of football. Having fun is allowed in football but being a clown is to never reach your ultimate goals. Leaders must hold themselves to a higher standard.

3. A quarterback throws with his legs more than his arms. Squat and run, fat quarterbacks cannot avoid the pass rush.

   • Fat quarterbacks can’t avoid the pass rush! Bill is reminding his QB to stay in tip-top shape, as the pass rushers hunting him down are some of the most athletic beasts known to humankind!

   • The throwing motion does not come from the arm directly, you must utilize your lower body and core to create a repeatable and consistently powerful throwing motion in multiple positions.

   • Take the whole system into consideration. Even in our day-to-day lives, investigate how to input the best variables while decreasing the worst inputs. How can you become more efficient in your operations?

4. Know your job cold, as this is not a game without errors. Keep your errors to a minimum — STUDY!

   • A great way to win football games is to minimize your mistakes. The best QBs are known not only for their production but also for their adherence to this principle.

   • Study the “playbook” relentlessly — when the game comes, break the huddle with the utmost confidence in your preparation.

   • As we proceed on our journey, we must minimize mistakes and learn from the mistakes we make.

5. Know your players/teammates. Who’s fast, who can catch, who needs encouragement? Be precise. Know your team and know your opponent.

   • As great as the QB might be, he is nothing without his teammates and coaches. A leader knows his team, a hall-of-fame leader knows his team and their tendencies, emotions, and how to inspire and motivate each of his teammates.

   • Know the people around you and make sure they know you. At times of dependence, we can lift others up with our specific knowledge.

6. Be the same guy every day. In condition — preparing to lead and studying your plan. A coach cannot prepare you for every play/situation. Prepare yourself and remember, impulse decisions usually equal mistakes.

   • Being the same person allows for trust and camaraderie to grow among teammates. Take responsibility for your own preparation and leadership.

   • Avoid situations that may cause you to lose focus on the mission. For example, it would not serve the QB well to go out late-night partying the night before a big-time game.

7. Throwing the ball away is a good play. Sacks, interceptions, and fumbles are bad plays. Protect our team from bad plays.

   • Sometimes, the best thing we can do is simply call it a day. Next play mentality works in everyday life. Eliminating costly mistakes will improve your chances of being successful in the long run.

   • Even though we believe in our ability to make something out of nothing, we must resist the temptation to overstride our ability.

8. You must learn to manage the game. Personnel, play calls, motions, ball handling, proper reads of the defense, accurate throws, play fakes. Clock, Clock, Clock — never lose track of the clock!

   • Manage the game. Control the Controllables. Doing the basics right will lead to success and overall enjoyment of the craft. Ego can override this principle if we let it — must maintain focus on the mission at hand.

9. Passing stats and TDs are not how you are going to be judged. Your job is to get the team into the endzone. That is how you will be judged.

   • Always remember the mission. There are a lot of shiny rewards that come with stats and recognition, but the best recognition is always winning.

10. You must be the hand that steers the ship when all around is chaos. If you have a panic button, so will everyone else. Our ship cannot have panic buttons.

    • The best leaders maintain composure during the storm. A leader's main job is to calm the team and regain clarity and focus.

    • Work on mindfulness techniques to maintain your cool — in your profession but also in your private life. Think and act with the full picture and avoid panic.

11. Do not be a celebrity quarterback. We do not need any of those, we need battlefield commanders who are willing to fight it out every day, every week, every season — and lead their team to win after win.

    • Being focused on the wrong things will lead to a life full of mistakes and misery. If you get paid to lead your team to wins, keep doing that. The ego always wants more credit, we must find techniques to ensure we do not let the negative aspects of ego impact us.

This list of principles for quarterback success lays down an excellent foundation for those of us trying to lead and strive for higher levels.

I am curious about how these rules might translate/change for other sports or even other disciplines.

As always, guidelines are simply guidelines. Does every commandment need to be followed to the perfect end? Absolutely not, and we all know damn well that mistakes are a part of the game and life.

However, it is helpful to be aware of the traits, actions, and attitudes of an effective leader.

So — create your own list of commandments and continue to add to your legacy.

Until next Sunday,

Embrace the Chase

Parils Top Five List

My Top 5 Favorite Athletes Growing Up

1. LaDainian Tomlinson

2. LeBron James

3. Shawn (HBK) Michaels

4. Carmelo Anthony

5. Ed Reed OR Mike Vick