After spending 15 years playing in the league as a quarterback, the former Super Bowl champion has built a career around adapting to new teams, offensive systems, and changing circumstances. Now, as opportunities come for a transition into coaching, Brian Hoyer is not ready to embrace another demand of NFL life.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“I’ve been offered positions…It was an AFC team that was looking for a quarterback coach. And I just, I wasn’t ready to commit my life to that. I just moved into a new house. I’m here in Boston. Like I just — I’m not ready to live that life. I lived that life as a quarterback for 15 years, and it wasn’t just in one place. It was nine different teams,” said Brian Hoyer on the Up and Adams Show with Kay Adams.
“And I’ve always looked at coaching. You are getting into a profession where you are going to have to move. Either you get, move up the ladder, and you move, or you get fired, and you move. So I’m not ready to do that yet. It’s my first year with the freshman football team. We have not punted in the last three games. I will say that.”
The Browns and Raiders were mentioned as possible destinations for Hoyer, and both teams have a connection to his playing career. He finished his NFL career with Las Vegas in 2023, while his ties to Cleveland go back much further.
A Cleveland native, Hoyer grew up in North Olmsted and played high school football at St. Ignatius before heading to Michigan State. He got his first real opportunity as an NFL starter with the Browns in 2013, winning all three of his starts before a torn ACL ended his season.
Nevertheless, his experience could make him a valuable addition to Cleveland’s coaching staff, particularly with its current quarterback situation. The Browns have four quarterbacks on the roster, with Deshaun Watson already approaching the end of his contract after this season. Therefore, helping the younger quarterbacks develop will be crucial.
However, for now, Brian Hoyer revealed that after years of moving around the country to continue his career, he wants to prioritize stability and spend more time in Boston with family in his new house. His hesitation showed the reality of professional football beyond the playing field. Coaches face demanding schedules, frequent relocations, and the constant pressure to show results.
Even a promising opportunity can come with uncertainty about how long the job will last. The former QB acknowledged that the perspective of coaching has always interested him. But he understands that the profession often needs people to uproot their lives whenever their careers take a new direction.
For someone who has experienced the instability of an NFL career firsthand, that reality is hardly unfamiliar. Hoyer played for eight different teams, including the New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, and Las Vegas Raiders, during his 15-year career, experiencing the challenges of finding a place in different QB rooms and adjusting to new environments.
His journey has included multiple stints with the New England Patriots, where he was part of the 53-man roster that won Super Bowl LIII. Although a backup throughout his career, Hoyer’s experience across multiple offensive systems makes him a valuable resource for young QBs.
Yet, that chance to pass on that knowledge is not enough to convince him to sacrifice the stability he has established.
He also shared that his first year coaching a freshman football team at Xaverian Brothers High School is offering him an opportunity to work with young players while maintaining a more manageable lifestyle. Rather than rushing into another high-pressure position, he prefers to enjoy teaching the game and help young athletes grow.
So, whether Hoyer decides to pursue a coaching opportunity or not, his comments show that he remains a respected figure around the NFL. Returning to Cleveland in a coaching role would give him a chance to help the team where his NFL starting career began.
After all, playing for eight franchises, Hoyer has a wealth of experience that could translate into a professional coaching career. For now, however, the QB is comfortable waiting. His next move does not have to begin immediately, even if NFL teams are already interested in bringing him aboard.