Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana doesn’t emerge from his shell too often, unless it’s to create Skechers shoe ads. NFL.com got him talking about this year’s quarterback class, and Montana is well aware of the attitude concerns about fellow Notre Dame alum Jimmy Clausen.
He just doesn’t see them as a negative.
“He came in with a little bit more of an attitude than most people wanted, but if you don’t have an attitude, you don’t make it in the league,” Montana said of Clausen. “You can’t be timid and shy.
“Jimmy comes from a system that’s been run in the NFL, so he’s been under center and in the shotgun. He has all those things that are intangible. He’s a tremendous competitor,” added the eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback. “The easiest way that you can find out about guys is the old fashioned way, and that’s to turn on the tape. Watch the game, and can he play? Watch who he’s playing against, and watch the things he does. I think some teams lose sight of that.”
Seemingly, few observers question Clausen’s game film. According to NFL Network’s Mike Mayock, Clausen possesses a top-ten skill set. Apparently, though, Clausen is still in store for a Dan Marino-like slide.