placeholder image

Bob Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports


Cowboys didn’t draft Joe Montana because Tom Landry believed they already had three better quarterbacks

Mar 26, 2018 at 1:33 PM--


Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Greg Aiello, who recently retired, served as the NFL's senior vice president in charge of communications for 29 years. He spent 39 total years in NFL public relations and marketing roles, including time with the Dallas Cowboys.

Aiello was with Dallas in 1979 and shared an interesting draft story during an interview with our friends at the Talk of Fame Network. Apparently, the Cowboys had an opportunity to select a quarterback named Joe Montana out of Notre Dame in the third round of that draft. Not only was the opportunity there, but Montana was at the top of the team's draft board when their selection came around.

Even more interesting is the fact that, according to the draft rules set by Tom Landry and the Cowboys, Montana should have been Dallas's pick with the 76th-overall selection.

Montana went on to be selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the 82nd-overall pick, which was six selections after Dallas picked tight end Doug Cosbie. Montana went on to win four Super Bowls with the 49ers, was a three-time Super Bowl MVP, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, a three-time First-team All-Pro, and was twice named the league's Most Valuable Player. Dallas' decision worked out well for the 49ers.

Aiello explained why the Cowboys passed on Montana.

"That was my first year in Dallas, 1979," said Aiello. "It was actually my first month on the job. I was a few weeks there in April of 1979. So I'm wide-eyed and in the draft room, and I was a graduate of Note Dame. So I had a particular interest as we got into the third round — and our pick was coming up — in the guy at the top of our board, Joe Montana. I was curious what we were going to do.

"The Cowboys' system devised by Tex Schramm, and Tom Landry, and Gil Brandt specified that the players would be ranked according to who the best players are, regardless of position. Rank the board from one to whatever many they ranked, and whoever ranked at the top of the board when the Cowboys' pick came, that was who we were supposed to take, regardless of position.

"So here we go, we're in the third round and nobody, of course, knew that Joe Montana was going to become one of the all-time greats, Pro Football Hall of Famer, or he would have been already taken before the third round.

"But nevertheless, here we are, here's our pick, and there's Joe Montana's name at the top (of the draft board), and I remember Tom Landry saying, 'Well, we have three quarterbacks better than him right now.' So, in other words, 'Why would we want to take him?'

"And he was talking about Roger Staubach, who was about to go into his final season with the Cowboys. Nobody knew that. He was 37 at that point."

The Cowboys also had quarterbacks Danny White and Glenn Carano, who was Dallas' second-round draft pick in 1977.

"(Landry) took a pass and violated our own system, and took the next guy on the board who happened to be Doug Cosbie, who turned out was a very good pick," Aiello continued. "He was an outstanding tight end."

Landry passed on Montana, Bill Walsh and the 49ers didn't, and less than three years later, San Francisco knocked off the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game on the way to their first Super Bowl.

You can listen to the entire interview with Aiello here.



Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News


placeholder image

NFL Draft: 49ers meet with OT, DB, LB at Pro Days

By David Bonilla
Mar 19

The San Francisco 49ers recently attended UCLA's and Fresno State's Pro Days, aiming to bolster their roster with promising prospects. With an eye on the 2024 NFL Draft, the team may want to add to their defensive back and linebacker positions. The 49ers observed defensive back Alex Johnson's performance in Westwood. When asked about his interactions with NFL teams, Johnson revealed, "I'm on my way to talk with the Niners right now." UCLA defensive back Alex Johnson is meeting with the San Francisco 49ers after his Pro Day in Westwood.


placeholder image

Kiper's latest mock draft has 49ers addressing O-line at No. 31

By David Bonilla
Mar 19

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper has just released his latest mock draft, and it has the San Francisco 49ers addressing their offensive line needs. With the initial wave of free agency signings complete, analysts can better predict what teams might do in next month's rookie selection event. Last month, ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine, Kiper projected the 49ers selecting former Penn State pass rusher Chop Robinson. San Francisco has recently bolstered its defensive end spot opposite Nick Bosa by signing


placeholder image

49ers insider: If Brandon Aiyuk is traded, it will be before the draft

By David Bonilla
Mar 20

Brandon Aiyuk appears open to the possibility of playing elsewhere in 2024. If the San Francisco 49ers can't negotiate a favorable long-term deal with their star receiver, he knows someone else will. However, the 49ers primarily aim to retain Aiyuk for the long haul. The team exercised the fifth-year option on his contract but seeks to secure an extension before he retakes the field. General manager John Lynch recently praised Aiyuk, calling him one of his "favorite guys around the building." "He's a competitor. He's a warrior," Lynch added. "He plays with such physicality, also with grace, in the way some of the positions his body can get into. And then he's got a flair


placeholder image

Daniel Jeremiah has 49ers landing pass rusher in latest mock draft

By David Bonilla
Mar 20

With the initial flurry of free agency in the books, respected draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah unveiled his latest mock draft, projecting teams' potential moves in the 2024 NFL Draft. While many fans questioned ESPN analyst Mel Kiper projecting Washington offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten to the 49ers with the No. 31 overall pick, Jeremiah's choice for the Bay Area team may receive a warmer reception. Despite the Niners adding defensive ends via free agency, Jeremiah has San Francisco using their first-round pick to add former Penn State pass rusher Chop


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone