Former Panthers quarterback Jimmy Clausen looking for second chance in NFL
It wasn't that long ago that Jimmy Clausen was viewed as a potential franchise saving quarterback coming out of Notre Dame. Now? Clausen just wants a chance to be someone's backup.
"That's what I want," Clausen told USA TODAY Sports. "The only thing I can ask for is an opportunity - a legit opportunity to compete to be a No. 2 and hopefully work my way up."
Clausen was a second-round pick of the Carolina Panthers, 48th overall in the 2010 draft. He started 10 games as a rookie but looked overwhelmed, completing just 52.5 percent of his passes for 1,558 yards to go with three touchdowns and nine interceptions. The Panthers finished the year 2-14, giving them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft. Carolina used that pick to select Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton and Clausen has not seen the field since.
After suffering a torn labrum during the preseason finale last season, Clausen was placed on injured reserve for the final year of his contract. Now a free agent, the 26-year-old Clausen believes he still has a lot to offer teams.
"I'm still really young," Clausen said. "I'm going into my fifth year in the league. I feel great. This is probably right now the healthiest I've been since my junior year in college, to be honest with you."
Clausen's no longer the highly touted prospect out of Notre Dame, nor the wide-eyed rookie that struggled when he was thrown to the fire. The difficult years since and the search for a new team has been a learning experience for Clausen, and one that he feels has made him a better person in the long run.
"Just like everybody else in life, you grow up," Clausen said. "You're immature in high school, and then you start maturing the more you get older. I don't really want to get into that, but as far as people out there - everybody's going to have an opinion.
"The biggest thing [I learned] growing up and being in the NFL for the past four years is that you can't take things for granted. Each and every day is an opportunity for you to grow."