Chad Clifton
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Chad Clifton is an American football
offensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Packers in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Tennessee
.
, and has twin sisters. Former Packers first round draft pick Justin Harrell
is also from that city. At Westview High School
in Martin, Clifton was an all-around athlete. He lettered four times in football
, starting
his last three seasons as a two-way player; he also was on the basketball team for three years. Throughout his high school years, Clifton played on the defensive tackle position and on tight end
as a sophomore and offensive tackle in his junior and senior years. As a senior, he was named an All-American
by Parade
and Scholastic Coach magazines and received the Gatorade
Circle of Champions "Player of the Year" award and Tennessee Class 2A Mr. Football lineman award.
and redshirted
his first year. From then on he was a fixture on the offensive line - starting one season at right tackle and three at left tackle. During these four years, the Tennessee Volunteers
enjoyed great success with a 43-7 record and a win in the Fiesta Bowl
following the 1998
regular season to claim the National Championship
. Clifton was a two-time All-Southeastern Conference
selection (1997 second team, 1998 first team) and a Sporting News second-team All-American as a senior.
, the Packers selected Clifton in the second round with the 44th overall choice.
Halfway through his rookie season, he took over the starting left tackle position and did not relinquish it thereafter. He enjoyed continue success during his second season when he established a reputation as one of the NFL's best and unheralded blindside blockers
.
Clifton's 2002 season
seemed as promising as his first two until November 24 when he suffered a severe pelvic injury after receiving a hit from the Tampa Bay Bucs
defensive tackle Warren Sapp
. Because the incident occurred after an interception
with Clifton far from the play, Sapp received harsh criticism for his action.
After the game, Sapp was involved in a profanity-laced argument with Packers coach Mike Sherman
that was caught on camera. As a result of the injury, Clifton missed the rest of the season. He was hospitalized for almost a week and could not walk unaided for five more weeks. In 2005, the NFL Competition Committee agreed on new guidelines for "unnecessary roughness", making hits such as that suffered by Clifton illegal.
Clifton returned in 2003
to start all 16 regular season games and two more in the playoffs. He played all 1,031 offensive snaps that season and contributed to establishing a team record for fewest sacks
allowed in a season (19).
On January 23, 2008 it was announced that he would replace Seattle Seahawks
tackle Walter Jones in the 2008 Pro Bowl
. It was his first Pro Bowl. He went to Hawaii
to the Bowl with teammates Donald Driver
, Aaron Kampman
, and Al Harris, as well as head coach
Mike McCarthy. Brett Favre
was scheduled to be in the Pro Bowl, but was replaced by Jeff Garcia
.
On March 5, 2010, the Packers resigned Clifton to a 3 year, $20 million dollar contract, with $7.5 million guaranteed.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Packers in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
.
Early years
Clifton was born in Martin, TennesseeMartin, Tennessee
Martin is a city in Weakley County, Tennessee, United States. Martin is the home of the University of Tennessee at Martin. The population was 10,515 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Martin is located at ....
, and has twin sisters. Former Packers first round draft pick Justin Harrell
Justin Harrell
Justin Tyrell Harrell is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 16th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee.-Early years:...
is also from that city. At Westview High School
Westview High School (Tennessee)
Westview High School is a public high school in Martin, Tennessee, in the Weakley County school district. As of 2006, it has an enrollment of approximately 650 students...
in Martin, Clifton was an all-around athlete. He lettered four times in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
his last three seasons as a two-way player; he also was on the basketball team for three years. Throughout his high school years, Clifton played on the defensive tackle position and on tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
as a sophomore and offensive tackle in his junior and senior years. As a senior, he was named an All-American
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
by Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
and Scholastic Coach magazines and received the Gatorade
Gatorade
Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
Circle of Champions "Player of the Year" award and Tennessee Class 2A Mr. Football lineman award.
College career
In 1995, Clifton enrolled at the University of TennesseeUniversity of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
and redshirted
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
his first year. From then on he was a fixture on the offensive line - starting one season at right tackle and three at left tackle. During these four years, the Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
enjoyed great success with a 43-7 record and a win in the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
following the 1998
1998 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1998 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. Tennessee entered the 1998 season coming off an 11–2 record in 1997...
regular season to claim the National Championship
1999 Fiesta Bowl
The 1999 Fiesta Bowl, the designated BCS National Championship Game for the 1998 season, was played on January 4, 1999, in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil Stadium. The teams were the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida State Seminoles...
. Clifton was a two-time All-Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
selection (1997 second team, 1998 first team) and a Sporting News second-team All-American as a senior.
Green Bay Packers
During the 2000 NFL Draft2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
, the Packers selected Clifton in the second round with the 44th overall choice.
Halfway through his rookie season, he took over the starting left tackle position and did not relinquish it thereafter. He enjoyed continue success during his second season when he established a reputation as one of the NFL's best and unheralded blindside blockers
Blocking (American football)
In American football, blocking is a legal move occurring when one player obstructs another player's path with his body. The purpose of blocking is to prevent defensive players tackling the ball carrier, or to protect the quarterback while attempting to pass or hand-off the ball...
.
Clifton's 2002 season
2002 Green Bay Packers season
During the 2002 Green Bay Packers season, the team completed a 12-4 regular season with before losing in the Wild Card playoff round to Michael Vick's Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field...
seemed as promising as his first two until November 24 when he suffered a severe pelvic injury after receiving a hit from the Tampa Bay Bucs
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
defensive tackle Warren Sapp
Warren Sapp
Warren Carlos Sapp is a retired American football player who played defensive tackle in the National Football League. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders during his 13 year professional career, and college football for the University of Miami Hurricanes. He was then...
. Because the incident occurred after an interception
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
with Clifton far from the play, Sapp received harsh criticism for his action.
After the game, Sapp was involved in a profanity-laced argument with Packers coach Mike Sherman
Mike Sherman
Michael Francis "Mike" Sherman is the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies football team. Prior to coaching the Aggies, he served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from the 2000–05 seasons. Sherman led the Packers to five consecutive winning seasons from 2000–04 and three divisional titles...
that was caught on camera. As a result of the injury, Clifton missed the rest of the season. He was hospitalized for almost a week and could not walk unaided for five more weeks. In 2005, the NFL Competition Committee agreed on new guidelines for "unnecessary roughness", making hits such as that suffered by Clifton illegal.
Clifton returned in 2003
2003 Green Bay Packers season
The 2003 Green Bay Packers season finished with an overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round of the playoffs, after the Packers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card round in overtime off an interception return for a touchdown by Al Harris...
to start all 16 regular season games and two more in the playoffs. He played all 1,031 offensive snaps that season and contributed to establishing a team record for fewest sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
allowed in a season (19).
On January 23, 2008 it was announced that he would replace Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
tackle Walter Jones in the 2008 Pro Bowl
2008 Pro Bowl
The 2008 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2007 season. It was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 10, 2008. The game was televised in the United States by Fox and began shortly after 11:40am local time . The NFC won, 42–30, despite a 17-point first half AFC...
. It was his first Pro Bowl. He went to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
to the Bowl with teammates Donald Driver
Donald Driver
Donald Jerome Driver is an American football wide receiver and children's author. He plays for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League...
, Aaron Kampman
Aaron Kampman
Aaron Allan Kampman is an American football defensive end and linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Iowa....
, and Al Harris, as well as head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Mike McCarthy. Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
was scheduled to be in the Pro Bowl, but was replaced by Jeff Garcia
Jeff Garcia
Jeffrey Jason "Jeff" Garcia is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at San Jose State University....
.
On March 5, 2010, the Packers resigned Clifton to a 3 year, $20 million dollar contract, with $7.5 million guaranteed.