Clifford Ignores Big Picture Ahead of Homecoming

With the release of Danny Etling, the backup quarterback position is in the grasp of Sean Clifford ahead of this week’s trip to his hometown of Cincinnati.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Aug 9, 2023 12:46 AM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

CINCINNATI – Green Bay Packers rookie quarterback Sean Clifford is headed to his hometown of Cincinnati with the backup position within his grasp.

That doesn’t mean he was overjoyed by the news of Danny Etling’s release and what it could mean for his career.

“Obviously, I got to know Danny through OTAs and the summer and being here in camp,” Clifford said after Monday’s practice at Packers training camp. “I have a lot of respect for him, everything that he put on tape and the things that he did with us in the quarterback room. I just felt like he always carried himself with a lot of class. I learned a whole lot from him.

“I definitely was bummed to see that, but I also understand how this league works. Moving forward, excited to continue to get reps and continue to learn from the guys in the room and try to make this team the best that I can do.”

Clifford and USFL MVP Alex McGough are the last men standing in the race to be Jordan Love’s primary backup for the season-opening game next month at the Chicago Bears. Clifford’s taking nothing for granted, though. Things can change quickly in the NFL, as he just learned as his top challenger for the No. 2 job was released before the first preseason game.

“I never try to put unnecessary pressures on myself, especially when a month from now is still a month from now,” he said. “I’d rather focus on what I can do today and what I can do tomorrow to get myself better in the moment. Those little wins and stacking day by day, I feel like, that’s always been my mantra and that’s how you continuously improve. I’m just focusing on what I can control right now.”

The next step on Clifford’s journey is Wednesday’s joint practice and Friday’s preseason game at the Cincinnati Bengals. Clifford is a Cincinnati native. Before his record-setting career at Penn State, he was a state champion and All-American at St. Xavier High School.

“Very excited to go back to Cincinnati. That’s my home,” he said. “I’m excited to get to experience going against another team, seeing how they practice, taking the good from what they’re doing and try to incorporate it across the way.

“I was bummed to see that Joe [Burrow, the Bengals’ star quarterback is] not going to be practicing because I’d love to see him practice and how he goes about his business. I learned so much from Jordan (Love) so being able to Joe would’ve been cool.”

Sean Clifford (Photo by Tork Mason/USA Today Sports Images)

Clifford grew up a Bengals fan and his family had season tickets. Some of his fondest memories as a kid were watching games with his brother, Liam, who is a redshirt sophomore receiver at Penn State.

While Liam will be at Penn State’s fall camp, Clifford figured 30 friends and family members would be in attendance on Friday night.

“You’ll definitely see some Clifford shirts walking around the stadium,” he said with a smile.

Clifford has had a strong training camp, highlighted by a 2-minute drill touchdown last week and a 2-minute drill field goal on Family Night. He is well ahead of McGough, who signed just before the start of training camp, in the race to be Love’s backup.

The battle isn’t on Clifford’s mind, though. It’s about getting ready for Wednesday’s joint practice. Then, it will be about getting ready for the preseason game, which he could wind up starting, depending on coach Matt LaFleur’s plan for Love and the starters.

“I hate to be cliché about it,” Clifford said, “but it’s really one of those things that, in this lifestyle, I feel like you always have to be so focused on the now because if you pass up and start looking ahead, you’ll start skipping on little details that you’ll miss and it’ll make you less of a player.

“I feel like earlier in my career at Penn State, I looked forward to the NFL too much sometimes and it came to bite me. I don’t think about a week, two weeks from now. I’m thinking about what, ‘Did I do in this practice to get better for tomorrow’s walk-through practice?’ And that walk-through practice will take me through the practice against the Bengals. Those little ebbs and flows of that, that’s generally what I focus on.”