Desmond Clark
Encyclopedia
Desmond Darice Clark is an American football
Tight End
who is currently a free agent in the National Football League
. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos
in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Wake Forest
. Clark also played for the Miami Dolphins
and Chicago Bears
.
, free safety, and return specialist
. He was also the holder for former Chicago Bears
place kicker Paul Edinger
. He also played basketball
and baseball
during his high school years. His brother, Dominique Davis
, plays quarterback at East Carolina University
.
, where he was a wide receiver and caught at least one pass against every ACC opponent he faced. He was a two-time second team All-ACC selection, a two-time team MVP, and finished his career with 216 receptions for 2834 yards (13.12 yards per rec. avg.) and twenty touchdowns.
drafted Clark in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft
. He played with them for three seasons, until the team waived him the preseason. Clark, who was nursing an arm injury, was signed by the Miami Dolphins
, and spent a lone season with them before joining the Chicago Bears
in 2003. In 2006, Clark helped the Bears win the NFC Championship and a trip to Super Bowl XLI with regular season statistics of 626 yards on 45 catches with a 13.9 average and 6 touchdowns.
On February 24, 2008, the Chicago Bears awarded Clark with a two year extension. During the 2008 season, Clark caught 41 passes from Kyle Orton
and recorded 367 receiving yards and one touchdown. With the emergence of fellow tight end Greg Olsen
, Clark dropped to the number two tight end on the team's depth chart. Clark suffered a back injury during the team's 2009 season opener against the Green Bay Packers
, and subsequently missed five starts. He ultimately accumulated 19 receptions, 145 receiving yards, and two touchdowns in this injury-shortened season.
In 2010, Mike Martz
was hired to replace Ron Turner
as the Bears offensive coordinator
. Clark's role in the Bears offense began to diminish, as he spent most of his time on the team's inactive list. He recorded just one reception for twelve yards. The Bears won the NFC North, but lost the NFC Championship to the Green Bay Packers
. After the game, Clark, who was on the final year of his contract, stated he was not sure if the team would offer him an extension.
Clark re-signed with the Bears on August 2, 2011, but was later released on September 3, 2011.
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...
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...
who is currently a free agent in 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 originally drafted by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17-18, 1999...
. 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 Wake Forest
Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represents Wake Forest University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest plays its home football games at BB&T Field....
. Clark also played for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early life
Clark attended Kathleen High School, where he played football as a quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, free safety, and return specialist
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
. He was also the holder for former Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
place kicker Paul Edinger
Paul Edinger
Paul Edinger is a gridiron football placekicker, who is currently a Free Agent of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
. He also played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
during his high school years. His brother, Dominique Davis
Dominique Davis
Dominique D. Davis is a quarterback for East Carolina University. He played for the Boston College Eagles for two seasons before transferring to Fort Scott Community College after an academic suspension. Davis was the back-up quarterback for senior Chris Crane and took over after Crane suffered a...
, plays quarterback at East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
.
College career
Clark attended Wake Forest UniversityWake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
, where he was a wide receiver and caught at least one pass against every ACC opponent he faced. He was a two-time second team All-ACC selection, a two-time team MVP, and finished his career with 216 receptions for 2834 yards (13.12 yards per rec. avg.) and twenty touchdowns.
Professional career
The Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
drafted Clark in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17-18, 1999...
. He played with them for three seasons, until the team waived him the preseason. Clark, who was nursing an arm injury, was signed by the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and spent a lone season with them before joining the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2003. In 2006, Clark helped the Bears win the NFC Championship and a trip to Super Bowl XLI with regular season statistics of 626 yards on 45 catches with a 13.9 average and 6 touchdowns.
On February 24, 2008, the Chicago Bears awarded Clark with a two year extension. During the 2008 season, Clark caught 41 passes from Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
and recorded 367 receiving yards and one touchdown. With the emergence of fellow tight end Greg Olsen
Greg Olsen (American football)
Gregory Olsen is an American football tight end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, Clark dropped to the number two tight end on the team's depth chart. Clark suffered a back injury during the team's 2009 season opener against 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...
, and subsequently missed five starts. He ultimately accumulated 19 receptions, 145 receiving yards, and two touchdowns in this injury-shortened season.
In 2010, Mike Martz
Mike Martz
Michael Martz is a former NFL head coach and currently the offensive coordinator for the National Football League's Chicago Bears....
was hired to replace Ron Turner
Ron Turner
Ron Turner may refer to:*Ronald Turner , Canadian politician*Ronald L. Turner, chairman and chief executive officer of Ceridian Corporation*Ronald William Turner , English World War I flying ace...
as the Bears offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
. Clark's role in the Bears offense began to diminish, as he spent most of his time on the team's inactive list. He recorded just one reception for twelve yards. The Bears won the NFC North, but lost the NFC Championship to 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...
. After the game, Clark, who was on the final year of his contract, stated he was not sure if the team would offer him an extension.
Clark re-signed with the Bears on August 2, 2011, but was later released on September 3, 2011.
External links
- NFL.com: Desmond Clark
- 2006 Interview: http://juicedmedia.blogspot.com/2007/08/desmond-clark-interview-i-can-catch-80.html