Watch CBS News

Tommy Armstrong Making NFL Adjustment From QB To Defense With Vikings

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (WCCO) – The Minnesota Vikings have an established rookie quarterback in camp who is not vying for the job.

That's because they signed Nebraska's Tommy Armstrong to play safety. He's making the NFL adjustment.

Tommy Armsstrong is practicing and getting advice from his new head coach: Mike Zimmer.

"Just doing everyday things. Just trying to get my footwork right. I think it's going well working with him and Terence Newman just trying to get the DB fundamentally all together," Armstrong said.

It's a new world. Now a safety, and that takes some adjustments and some coaching.

"The transition is closer to what he did in college. He's still learning a lot of things that we're trying to teach as far as hand and pad level and different things like that," Zimmer said. "But you see some flashes in there every day of his improvement."

Armstrong comes here by way of Nebraska, where he was a quarterback. His size moved his position in the NFL, but what a ride as a Husker leader.

"It was fun. Mentally and physically it was tough but at the same time that's football regardless of what position you play," Armstrong said.

So he now needs to forget about getting offensive, and start getting defensive for the sake of his hopeful career.

"It's fun actually. It was tough at first but just getting out there and learning first-hand and just getting thrown out there every once in a while and saying 'Hey we're going to put you on your own and see how much you've learned,'' Armstrong said. "It's a business, you've got to know what you've got to do."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.