Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Packer Plus
Holmgren fails to persuade Montana
Editor’s note: This story was published Nov. 9, 1995.
Green Bay — Almost every signal emanating from the Green Bay Packers’ uptight world Wednesday suggested that coach Mike Holmgren has little or no faith in T.J. Rubley.
Apparently, that’s why Holmgren said he tried but failed to tempt Joe Montana into making what would have been a bizarre comeback during a telephone call Wednesday morning to the retired quarterback’s home south of San Francisco.
Why he summoned vagabond Bob Gagliano from the tennis courts of Santa Barbara, Calif., and might even start him in the 150th Packers-Bears game Sunday in Lambeau Field.
Why he tried out veteran Doug Pederson.
Why he signed rookie Mike McCoy to the practice squad.
And why, in the event the decision is made to withhold Brett Favre because of his damaged ankle and, with No. 2 Ty Detmer out for the year, Holmgren declined to commit to the No. 3 Rubley as his starter.
“If you don’t believe in a guy, it’s hard to put him out there,” said Rubley, who must be dying inside but wouldn’t second-guess his coach.
Rubley was one dumb audible and one wretched interception away from being a hero of sorts last Sunday in the Metrodome. Instead, his entire worth as a player seems to have been questioned after his amateurish stunt led to the Vikings’ 27-24 victory.
The decision by Rubley flew in the face of everything Holmgren demands and expects from his quarterbacks. Whether he reaches the conclusion that a second chance is in order is the coach’s decision to make.
“We had a little meeting today and he showed his disgust,” Rubley said. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a coach that upset. But, then again, I’ve never made a decision like that, so I think the shoe fits.
“I imagine how I’d feel if I was a coach.”
In retrospect, Rubley offered no excuse, only explanation.
“I’ve gone through a lot of frustrations in the last two years and I tried to be a hero,” said Rubley, whose last start was for the Los Angeles Rams in December 1993.
The Packers closed practice to the media for the week. Afterward, Holmgren declined to discuss which players missed practice due to injury.
Both Rubley and Gagliano shared snaps with the No. 1 offense, while McCoy directed the scout team. Holmgren said the No. 3 quarterback this week would be wide receiver Mark Ingram, an all-state drop-back passer in 1982 at Northwestern High School in Flint, Mich., where his favorite target was Andre Rison.
“I can throw,” said Ingram, who threw three passes off reverses during his career at Michigan State.
As for Rubley, Ingram said: “It’s hard to come in cold turkey and be asked to bring a team back. He’ll be fine.”
In the first leg of the most important practice week of his life, Rubley said he
made no mistakes other than to fumble the first snap from Frank Winters during the 9-on-7 period. He did the same thing on his first play in Minneapolis.
“That probably erased everything else I did,” Rubley said glumly.
Gagliano, sporting the only sun tan in the building, tried to be as matter-offact as possible.
Here he is, 37 years old and not having played in a regular-season game since Dec. 17, 1992, and suddenly he is thrust into the white-hot passions of Bear Week and a football team feeling the pressure from its coach and everyone else.
The call from the Packers’ scout came Sunday night. Soon Gagliano was on the red-eye from L.A. to Chicago, arriving in Green Bay at 8:30 a.m. for basic training.
“I’m not saying it’s going real good,” said Gagliano. “But I probably feel more comfortable than you’d expect. God is looking over me.
“The chalkboard is one thing. It’s a whole different thing to get under center with pads on and do it.”
Earlier, Holmgren had mentioned to him the thing about trying to sign Montana.
“Nothing’s too crazy,” said Gagliano, who was supplanted by Montana as the 49ers’ replacement starter after one game in `87 when Montana crossed the picket line.
The thought of the 39-year-old Montana, who announced his retirement in San Francisco April 18 with one year remaining on his contract with Kansas City, struck tight end Keith Jackson as odd.
“I think T.J. has a stronger arm than Joe Montana does,” Jackson said. A strange day, indeed.
At his noon press briefing, Holmgren volunteered the news that he had contacted Montana. If it was said in jest, his tone didn’t suggest it.
“I said, `Before you say no, listen to my proposition,’ “said Holmgren. “He said he hadn’t touched a football in a while and he likes what he’s doing.”
Besides relaxing with his four children, Montana is doing some studio work for NBC-TV.
The Chiefs own his rights and the trading deadline is past, so in some fashion they would have to relinquish his rights before he could play for another team.
On the Favre front, the quarterback spent another day in the trainer’s room and away from reporters. The club listed him as questionable on the injury report, meaning he has a 50-50 chance of playing.
The Bears expect to see him. So do some of his teammates, although Holmgren warned them all not to discuss Favre’s condition this week.
Even if Favre couldn’t practice all week, Holmgren said he still might start Sunday.
“We’re in a little bit of a desperate strait at quarterback,” Holmgren said. “I think there’s been some improvement, but maybe that’s just me. I almost want to will it to happen.”
Can the Packers win without Favre? “Well, we’ll find out,” Green Bay offensive line coach Tom Lovat said. “I don’t know. We never played without him. We’ve been fortunate it’s been that long.”