Nate Clements
Encyclopedia
Nathan D. Clements is an American football
cornerback
for the Cincinnati Bengals
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills
21st overall in the 2001 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Ohio State
.
He has also played for the San Francisco 49ers
.
. Clements excelled at both defensive back
and quarterback
and was named an All-American by USA Today
, Blue Chip Illustrated and Super Prep.
Clements was also named first team All-Ohio during a season in which he had seven interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown
. He also returned two kicks for touchdowns. Clements led the Raiders to a playoff berth in 2001 and led them past a Euclid Panther team that featured Notre Dame back Tony Fisher. Clements also holds the Shaker record for career interceptions with 14. The school retired his number 20 jersey in 2005.
. Clements started 24 of 36 games and recorded 177 career tackles and seven interceptions. As a junior, he intercepted four passes and racked up 470 yards returning punts, with an average of 13.1 yards per return. In 2000 He was an All-Big Ten Conference
first-team choice. After his junior year Clements decided to forego his senior season and declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft
. He majored in general studies.
with the 21st pick of the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft
. Clements played for the Bills from 2001 to 2006 and was a Pro Bowl
selection in 2004
.
Nate recorded his first career interception and touchdown against Peyton Manning and the Colts on 9/23/2001.
In 2002, Clements set a career high with 6 interceptions, including 3 against Miami in Week 7, one of which was returned for a TD. Clements was named Defensive Player of the Week.
Clements earned his first Pro-Bowl trip in 2004, after tying his career high in Ints with 6.
He finished his career with the team starting 91 of 96 games, recording 432 tackles
, 13 forced fumbles
and 23 interceptions.
On March 2, 2007 Clements became the highest paid defensive player in NFL history after signing an eight-year, $80 million with $22 million guaranteed deal with the San Francisco 49ers
. The contract has since been topped by Washington Redskins
defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth
, who signed a seven-year, $100 million contract with $41 million guaranteed with the Washington Redskins
on February 27, 2009. Clement's streak of playing in 119 straight games was snapped in 2008, when he was inactive against the New York Jets. On September 27, 2009, Clements joined Kevin Ross
as the only players in NFL history to return a blocked field goal for a touchdown twice. On November 1, 2009, Clements suffered a right shoulder injury against the Indianapolis Colts in the first quarter and forced to leave the game. Reports indicate that he suffered a fractured right scapula. He was placed on the IR and missed the remainder of the 2009 season.
He was released on July 28, 2011.
on July 30, 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...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
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 Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
21st overall in the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
. 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 Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
.
He has also played for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
.
Early years
Clements went to Mercer Elementary school and graduated at Shaker Heights High SchoolShaker Heights High School
Shaker Heights High School is a public high school located in Shaker Heights, Ohio, USA, in Greater Cleveland. The high school is the only public high school in the Shaker Heights City School District, which serves Shaker Heights and a small part of Cleveland...
. Clements excelled at both defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
and quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and was named an All-American by USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, Blue Chip Illustrated and Super Prep.
Clements was also named first team All-Ohio during a season in which he had seven interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. He also returned two kicks for touchdowns. Clements led the Raiders to a playoff berth in 2001 and led them past a Euclid Panther team that featured Notre Dame back Tony Fisher. Clements also holds the Shaker record for career interceptions with 14. The school retired his number 20 jersey in 2005.
College career
Clements attended Ohio State UniversityOhio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. Clements started 24 of 36 games and recorded 177 career tackles and seven interceptions. As a junior, he intercepted four passes and racked up 470 yards returning punts, with an average of 13.1 yards per return. In 2000 He was an All-Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
first-team choice. After his junior year Clements decided to forego his senior season and declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
. He majored in general studies.
Buffalo Bills
Clements was drafted by the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
with the 21st pick of the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
. Clements played for the Bills from 2001 to 2006 and was a Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection in 2004
2005 Pro Bowl
The 2005 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played February 13, 2005 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38 - NFC 27. The most valuable player was Peyton Manning of the Colts. The game holds the record as the latest Pro Bowl played during the calendar year.-Game summary:The game...
.
Nate recorded his first career interception and touchdown against Peyton Manning and the Colts on 9/23/2001.
In 2002, Clements set a career high with 6 interceptions, including 3 against Miami in Week 7, one of which was returned for a TD. Clements was named Defensive Player of the Week.
Clements earned his first Pro-Bowl trip in 2004, after tying his career high in Ints with 6.
He finished his career with the team starting 91 of 96 games, recording 432 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
, 13 forced fumbles
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
and 23 interceptions.
San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. The contract has since been topped by Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth
Albert Haynesworth
-Tennessee Titans:Haynesworth was elected to the Pro Bowl for the first time for the 2007 NFL season. During this season following the stomping incident, he ranked second on the team with six sacks in his 11 games played up to the selection, led or tied for the team-high in total tackles three...
, who signed a seven-year, $100 million contract with $41 million guaranteed with the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
on February 27, 2009. Clement's streak of playing in 119 straight games was snapped in 2008, when he was inactive against the New York Jets. On September 27, 2009, Clements joined Kevin Ross
Kevin Ross
Kevin Lesley Ross was a cornerback and safety who played 14 seasons in the National Football League...
as the only players in NFL history to return a blocked field goal for a touchdown twice. On November 1, 2009, Clements suffered a right shoulder injury against the Indianapolis Colts in the first quarter and forced to leave the game. Reports indicate that he suffered a fractured right scapula. He was placed on the IR and missed the remainder of the 2009 season.
He was released on July 28, 2011.
Cincinnati Bengals
Clements signed a 2-year contract worth $10.5 million and $6 million guaranteed with the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
on July 30, 2011.