Boyle positions himself to be No. 2 after putting on a ‘Laser Show’
Not much fazes Tim Boyle. Nor should it.
The Connecticut high school player of the year in 2012, he was supposed to resurrect the University of Connecticut football program. Instead, after posting the worst career passer rating for any major-college quarterback since 2000, Boyle left his home-state school after the 2015 season and transferred to Eastern Kentucky. Playing down a level at the FCS school, he threw 11 touchdowns vs. 13 interceptions in 2017.
With that resume, it’s no surprise Boyle went undrafted in 2018. What was a surprise is that Boyle made the Green Bay Packers’ roster as an undrafted free agent.
You know what does faze Boyle? The mention of “Tim Boyle Laser Show” and the accompanying Twitter hashtag of “#TBLS.” In fact, Boyle’s face turned a bit red when it was brought up at his locker on Tuesday.
“No, I don’t pay attention to any of that stuff,” Boyle said. “I know what it is. I know there’s a hashtag behind it. I don’t know if it’s a slight toward me.”
It definitely was not a slight when the nickname was created on the practice field by Connecticut native and then-Athletic beat writer Michael Cohen. Boyle’s arm talent is undeniable, and it was obvious when he started throwing, well, lasers across the practice field as a rookie.
“It’s flattering that you guys think I have a strong arm but I don’t pay much mind to it,” he said.
While some players enter training camp hoping to simply be the best player they can be, Boyle entered training camp with a tangible goal: to be the No. 2 quarterback to Aaron Rodgers this season. After a sensational three-touchdown performance against Oakland on Thursday, Boyle took a giant step in that direction.
“It’s huge. Whenever you can get that going, that’s obviously a plus,” Boyle said after the game. “It’s a motivating factor moving forward. That’s the name of the game – score points. Whenever you can do that, it’s a fun day.”
Scoring points is what Boyle has done. In 15 preseason possessions, he’s put 45 points on the scoreboard with six touchdowns and one field goal. In 11 possessions, DeShone Kizer has led the offense to 10 points. While this week’s slate of preseason games will continue this weekend, Boyle led the NFL in touchdown passes (five) and passer rating (113.0) through the end of Friday.
It takes more than passing talent to put up impressive numbers. It takes a grasp of the offense. That stood out to coach Matt LaFleur on one particular play on Thursday.
“I just think the plays that were there to be made, he made,” LaFleur said on Friday. “That was encouraging. I thought the operation was solid. There was one play in particular I kind of got him all messed up on, in terms of called it one way, flipped the play, called it another way and then Tim did a nice job. The play didn’t come out exactly as we called it, but he did a good job of communicating to our 10 guys on the field and made the play work, and we hit Trevor Davis on it for a first down gain, so it was a good job by him of making it right even though it wasn’t perfect.”
Boyle has wisely latched onto Rodgers, trying to soak up every bit of knowledge from the two-time MVP quarterback. He famously wore a Rodgers jersey in the locker room the day after Rodgers’ memorable come-from-behind victory over Chicago last year. He even hangs around for part or all of Rodgers’ weekly conversations with reporters at his locker.
“OTAs and training camp, I’ve seen a change in my approach and I think my play,” Boyle said on Tuesday. “When you’re around a dude who throws like Aaron, I’ll feel myself in the pocket, and Aaron does some funky stuff with his arm angles, and I feel myself doing that. Right after I do it, I almost feel like, ‘Wow, that was almost Aaron Rodgers-esque.’ He’s definitely rubbing off on me a little bit. I obviously have my own style and my own rhythm, but being around him has really improved my game both physically and mentally. From last year to this year, I feel more comfortable. I feel like I belong. I definitely feel like my confidence is on the rise.”
It’s not as if Boyle intentionally tries to play like Rodgers. Instead, it’s a byproduct of more than 15 months together in the quarterback room and practice field.
“It just happens,” Boyle said. “Your body’s in a position but you need to throw the ball now, so you’re almost torqueing your body to make sure you get enough arm strength behind it and enough accuracy. That’s something 100 percent I got from Aaron but it’s not something I’ve practiced, which was the weirdest part. I see him do it all the time; it was nice to see me do it and do it well.”
If Boyle can do it again on Thursday against Kansas City, the former worst statistical quarterback in college football history could start the season serving as the backup to one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.
Long live the hashtag.
“You guys started it last year,” Boyle said. “If it sticks, it sticks. I wouldn’t mind it.”
