Cardinals’ Carson Palmer getting to know his coach’s voice
May 16, 2013, 6:08 PM | Updated: 6:26 pm
The Arizona Cardinals accessorized their first week of organized team activities.
Head coach Bruce Arians introduced the headset to call in plays to the quarterbacks.
“They’ve got to hear my voice and get used to hearing the play and if I want to add anything to it, a coaching point: ‘Time to take a shot’, ‘Let’s get the first down’, ‘Be alert for a blitz’,” he said. “They get to hear that voice and it takes a long time. We’ll do that every time we have a live practice.”
Arians said he’s always done this during the offseason workout program.
Carson Palmer, going into his 11th NFL season, liked the move even though most teams will wait until training camp to break out the headset.
“I have a long way to go to really get to know him,” Palmer said of Arians. “You don’t get to know a play-caller until they’ve called a ton of plays for you. Having him in the headset, calling in plays, getting used to the way he puts a little punctuation on certain formations or motions or protections. That will come. That will definitely come.
“I’m excited that he started the headset communication this early.”
The headset certainly helps with learning a new offense and understanding the terminology. There is another reason why Palmer likes the headset.
“(Arians has) got a little bit of an accent and puts a little emphasis on some words, so I’ve got to get used to that,” he said with a smile. “I’ll get more comfortable with him as we go.”
Yeah, just exactly what is that accent?
Arians grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, played collegiately at Virginia Tech and spent a handful of years early in his coaching career in the SEC.
“I’m not quite as northern as (assistant head coach) Tom (Moore) and not as southern as (quarterbacks coach) Freddie (Kitchens). I’m in between in there somewhere,” Arians said chuckling. “Yeah, you’ve got to learn to hear (my voice).”
