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BRIAN GRIESE Hello, how are you guys doing? Just like to say a few things and I will answer any questions that you'd like to. It's an exciting day for me. It's good for me to be home and after spending 18 years here and growing up in South Florida and having gone away, it feels very nice to be back home. When I stepped off that plane, the heat and the humidity hit me and I knew I was home and I was ready to go back to work. I have had a lot of time to think about the past few months, where my career has been and where it's going and I am very -- I'd like to say I am very thankful to the fans and the community of Denver for the support that they gave me when I spent my time out there and to the coaching staff and all the players. I am very grateful and Mike Shanahan, the coaching staff there, gave me my first opportunity in this League and I have learned a lot. I have grown a lot and I am looking forward to a new chapter in my career. And I couldn't think of a better place than do it here in Miami, with the team that they have here and the organization, it's first class, I am very excited about the opportunity that we do have. I have been a Miami Dolphins fan my entire career, my entire life and to watch guys like the Paul Warfields and the Joe Roses, (laughter) to watch the Larry Littles and the Dwight Stephensons. I mean, I grew up with the Dolphins and loved every minute of it. I never thought when I was a kid coming up to training camp and on the field with these idols and going to Orange Bowl and going to Joe Robbie Stadium and watching the games, I never thought that I would have the opportunity to be down there playing for the Dolphins. So this is kind of surreal for me, but it is a great opportunity and I am very excited about coming here and getting this team back to the Super Bowl like it was 30 years ago.

Q. Is this more about coming home or more about playing for the Dolphins?

BRIAN GRIESE: I think it's more about playing for the Dolphins. It just so happens that this is my hometown, but I had an opportunity to go to different places that weren't necessarily as good in motivation or as good a team or as good a people as the Miami Dolphins have, and so this team has something special and I think that we all understand the opportunity that this team has this year and I do, too. And I am happy and I am looking forward to being a part of helping out in any way I can.

Q. Will you be content as No. 2 or will you be looking to be the starter?

BRIAN GRIESE: I don't know the offense. I don't know the players. The players don't know me necessarily, and it's June. So I am going to come in; I am going to work hard. I don't know the players or the system yet but I do know this: I am going to work hard to fulfill any type of role that I do have in any way that I can to help this team. I don't care if it's carrying the water out to the players I am going to do it because I understand that there's a lot of different roles to a successful team and whatever role I might end up having, I am going to do it to the best of a my ability.

Q. When you were at Michigan did you ever think that there was a possibility that you would wind up here? Was it a long-term dream? Did you wish it would happen?

BRIAN GRIESE: When I was at Michigan I didn't even know that I was going to be in the National Football League so my fifth year we won the National Championship and I was fortunate enough to get drafted and have an opportunity to play in the League. I wasn't thinking about playing for the Miami Dolphins, although, it would have been great. No, I never imagined that I would be here today.

Q. What was it like growing up being Bob Griese's kid?

BRIAN GRIESE: You know what, I have always said that my father was a Hall of Fame quarterback. But more importantly and to me he was a Hall of Fame father. We went through a lot in my childhood, my brother's childhood, and he has been through a lot in his life, and I am very proud of him and the way that he handled the situations that we went through and the way that he brought his kids up. So from that standpoint, he's unbelievable.

Q. Did he give you any special advice when it came to picking the team? Is it a help or a hindrance to have him?

BRIAN GRIESE: It's been funny, he used to call me once or twice a week and over the past couple of months he called me once or twice a day. I don't know if he's been trying to push the Dolphins or what, but I guess it worked out okay.

Q. Is it tough to be in his shadow or is it good that you are following in his footsteps; are you comfortable with it?

BRIAN GRIESE: I don't know any other way. It's been that way my whole life. And any negatives that might come with following somebody, or being in somebody's shadow had been far outweighed by the type of person that he is and the type of father that he has been to me. So I wouldn't trade my situation for anything.

Q. When you played here a couple of years ago and saw his name on the Dolphin Honor Roll, was it strange?

BRIAN GRIESE: It was weird. I was five years old when he retired, so I didn't get to see him play as much in person. Now I watched the old ESPN re-runs where they have the Sports Century Classics and I get to see him and the '72 Dolphins. But I knew what type of team they had. I knew what type of player my dad was. But it was kind of surreal for me to see his name up there and have me playing down on the field, but I guess that's the way it's going to be now. I am looking forward to it. He said that he'd bring the No.12 jersey out of retirement for me, but I said no, I don't need that much pressure.

Q. What pressures are you feeling, if any?

BRIAN GRIESE: I feel great. The only pressure that I feel is the pressure that I want to feel from the teammates. And I am going to come in here and work hard. I expect them to work hard, but I am looking forward to the opportunity of getting to know those guys and putting the hard work in that it's going to take to get us where we want to go. I am looking forward to learning and growing with them. It's great to be part of a team and a team that's going somewhere.

Q. What was your reaction when this deal didn?t get done as quickly as you first thought?

BRIAN GRIESE: Last week I was hoping -- I mean, I had been hoping to get this done since March. I had actually booked a ticket to come down here Tuesday morning thinking that it would be done and I wanted to get down here as soon as I could. It didn't work out that way. Had some things to go through and work out, but you know, when it happened on Friday I couldn't have been more excited. I was just happy that we had gotten it done. My dad was happy that it was done and we were excited and he's excited and I am sure you guys are going to have a few questions for him, so don't take it easy on him by any stretch and we'll go from there.

Q. Are you 100%? Full go now for the next mini-camp?

BRIAN GRIESE: I feel great. I am still strengthening my left shoulder. But I don't have any problems throwing the ball, or moving around or doing anything or participating in any camps so I should be full-go by training camp.

Q. You and Jay (Fiedler) have a lot in common, you following (John) Elway and he following (Dan) Marino. Do you see some similarities in your situations?

BRIAN GRIESE: We were both in kind of similar situations. I think we both are similar type of quarterbacks. I had a chance to see Jay on film when I had been studying my games in Denver, and I think Jay is a hell of a quarterback. I think he's tough. I think he's smart. He makes good decisions and he knows how to win. Those are all attributes that you most definitely need as a quarterback. So I have a lot of respect for him. He knows the situation that I am in. I know the situation that he's in, and I am looking forward to doing anything I can to help him whether it's in practice or helping him watch during the games, whatever I can do, I will, to help him out.

Q. Have you talked to him since you've been back?

BRIAN GRIESE: I haven't.

Q. Have you ever talk to him?

BRIAN GRIESE: Yeah.

Q. Are you surprised you are in this position because you signed a long-term deal in Denver and expected to be there a while? in your mind what went wrong and why do you find yourself here?

BRIAN GRIESE: Well, I think I could have played better, first and foremost. When things don't go the way that you really wanted them to I know myself, I look at myself first and I say, well, could I have done better. had done that, and I am going to use my time and my experiences in Denver to grow and to learn. I don't know as much as a lot of guys in this business about football, but I do know one thing, I am going to go out there and work hard and I am going to get better and I am going to learn from my mistakes and I am going to be there when my team needs me. That's what I am looking forward to getting back to here in Miami.

Q. How difficult was it to follow John Elway?

BRIAN GRIESE: I think it was a difficult situation following John and after having won two Super Bowls and -- but the fans in Denver were great. They were very supportive of me and when times were tough they were supportive as well. You always have a few that aren't, but that's the name of the game. You understand that in this business, and especially as a quarterback when you are winning and things are going well you get too much of the credit. When things are going bad you get a lot of blame, whether it's deserved or not. But I learned a lot. I look at my time in Denver as kind of like my first physics test in high school where I prepared and I prepared and I studied and I thought I knew what was going to happen. I thought I knew the answers, but I had no idea. And when I went out there to Denver, I thought I prepared myself, I thought I was ready to go and ready to be an NFL quarterback, and I had no idea. But kind of like I did in high school on that physics class, I came back and I did better in the second test and eventually got an A in the class and hopefully I will get an A in this class too. (Laughs).

Q. What is your primary recollection of playing the Monday night game against the Dolphins in your first NFL start?

BRIAN GRIESE: A lot of pain. A lot of pain. I think that the 54 number (Zach Thomas) was kind of plastered right here on my chest, and my 14 had gone somewhere deep into my chest. But I had a great time that night and I was competing, trying to get my first win and Miami just had too much for us. But I had a great time out there.

Q. Were you a little miffed back in '98 when the Dolphins didn't take you in the draft?

BRIAN GRIESE: No, I wasn't, actually. I was just -- I really truthfully, I was, honestly, happy that I was drafted, and because the year before that I was thinking about getting a real job. After I came back to Michigan and we won the championship and then I was drafted, I was just happy to go -- was real excited. The team Denver had just won the Super Bowl and I was excited about going out there. No, I wasn't upset.

Q. Was it frustrating for you over the last couple of years that you really hadn't played healthy?

BRIAN GRIESE: Yeah, you know, in this League as a quarterback you are going to have injuries and if you are not really injured, you are going to have little nagging things that are going to affect your game, but that's just part of it. You have to learn how to play injured and play hurt: There are 21 other guys out there that are hurt as well that are playing. So it's just something that you have to fight through.

Q. You talked about why this was a personal fit for you, but why was this a professional fit for you?

BRIAN GRIESE: I think the way that this team is set up now, and the organization, the organization is second to none. I think the team has an unbelievable opportunity to do something special this year and I wanted to be a part of something special and I wanted to contribute to a team effort and I think that if this team maintains the right attitude and works hard, I think it can accomplish a lot.

Q. You turn on the radio down here and they are not talking about the Dolphins or Ricky Williams now, they are talking about you. Are you impressed by that?

BRIAN GRIESE: Impressed?

Q. Yes, what is your impression of it?

BRIAN GRIESE: The quarterback situation is one that everybody likes to talk about. This team does not need a controversy. It needs consistency and hopefully that's what I will bring. And I am going to support Jay in any way that I can. And I think Jay is going to play well and have a hell of a year. In case something happens I am here so that what happened last year won't happen again. I think that's the bottom line.

Q. How serious were the negotiations with the Bears?

BRIAN GRIESE: They showed interest and Chicago made an offer but I just thought that Miami was a better fit for me and this is the place I wanted to be.

Q. The Packers also made an offer?

BRIAN GRIESE: No, they did not make an offer, but they were interested.

Q. This is a two-year deal; is this something that might last longer than that?

BRIAN GRIESE: I hope that things go well this year and I hope that the team goes well and I will be totally honest with you, I'd love to be here for a long time because this is, like I said, it is a great organization and it's my hometown. But we'll see what happens.

Brian Griese Miami Dolphin Press Conference