Will Grier Excited For First NFL Start

Ahead of his first NFL start as quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, WVU alum Will Grier held a press conference Thursday with the media and discussed his excitement as well as his families.

“It feels awesome, I am obviously very excited and just ready to go,” Grier said.

Grier, 24, is from Davidson, North Carolina, and grew up a Panthers fan. His dream of playing in the NFL came true when his hometown team selected him in the third round of the NFL Draft.

When asked about this, Grier said playing for his hometown team doesn’t add any additional pressure.

“Not necessarily. I can see where that would be valid, but with me, I am playing football,” he explained. “It is the same game that I have loved forever so that is what I am focused on.”

Grier maintained throughout the press conference that football is his job, making it easy for him to separate out distractions.

“My family has been really cool about not being a distraction but being supportive. This is my job, I come in here and focus and try to win games for the Panthers,” he said. “When it comes down to it that is being a professional is just being able to do you job at the highest level.”

His job, he said, is to go out on the field, execute and get the ball into the playmakers’ hands.

“I am extremely excited just to get the game experience. Camp and preseason is one thing, it’s a grind … I am excited to actually play a game, where you play a full game and you go through different types just what a game really is,” Grier told the media. “I am excited to get out there with these guys and try and get a win.  You have to prepare every week like you are starting and you may not but you rather be prepared, and Cam said this, you rather be prepared and not play then be unprepared and thrown in there so that is kind of the mentality I have taken all year.”

Grier saw limited action in the preseason but got his NFL first playing time against the Chicago Bears. Things were up and down for Grier in the game with throwing an interception but also leading the Panthers to a touchdown. He finished the game going 9-16 for 77 yards.

From that experience, Grier said he learned a lot and plans to learn from those experiences.

“I just tried to take the good and bad I did from preseason and translate it to what can I do in a real game,” Grier said. “Throughout the course of the season, I have just tried to learn how I could continue to get my self better. And I have been able to try different things because I didn’t have to get ready to lay the next week. Like Joe is talking about a lot of it is just patience.”

While known for the deep ball at WVU, Grier said he has learned that it is not always the best option in the NFL.

“I think learning the offense in general over time has been great and what comes with that just learning how to play the game,” he said. “You don’t always have to take a shot on every play. A lot of my West Virginia tape is me throwing the ball downfield – almost every play and that is not necessarily going to work in the NFL.  Just learning a lot as you go.”

Anticipation for his first high school game, anticipation for his first collegiate game and anticipation for his first NFL has been the same, Grier said.

“I think the anticipation is pretty much the same because really it is the same game I have played my whole life and it really just is excitement,” he said. “And you know all I can do is all I can do and I am going to give my best to this organization.”

Grier said what is important to him is taking his job “very seriously” and giving his all to the organization and his teammates with the ultimate goal to help the team win.

“That isn’t as important to me as just taking this job very seriously and trying to give my all to this organization and to my teammates and do what I can to help us win.”

The 5-9 Panthers will kick-off at 1 p.m. Sunday against the Colts in Indianapolis.