Dallas Clark facts for kids
Clark in 2007
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| Position: | Tight end | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | June 12, 1979 Sioux Falls, South Dakota, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 252 lb (114 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Twin River Valley (Bode, Iowa) | ||||||
| College: | Iowa (1998–2002) | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Dallas Dean Clark (born June 12, 1979) is a former professional football player. He played as a tight end for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Most of his career was with the Indianapolis Colts.
Clark played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes. He was recognized as the best college tight end in the country. The Indianapolis Colts chose him in the first round of the 2003 NFL draft. He helped the Colts win Super Bowl XLI against the Chicago Bears. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens.
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Early Life and Sports
Clark was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He grew up in Bode, Iowa, and went to Twin River Valley High School. He was a talented athlete in many sports. He played football, basketball, and track. He also played baseball.
In high school football, he was a strong player. As a junior, he made 140 tackles. He was named his team's most valuable player. In his senior year, he was team captain and MVP again. He recorded 160 tackles that season.
College Football Career
Clark attended the University of Iowa. He played for the Iowa Hawkeyes football team from 1999 to 2002. He did not play much in 1999. In 2000, he played on special teams as a linebacker.
Before the 2001 season, Iowa's coaches moved Clark to the tight end position. This was a great move for him. In 2001, he started 10 games as a tight end. He caught 38 passes for 539 yards. He also scored four touchdowns.
In 2002, Clark started all 13 games. He helped Iowa have its first undefeated conference season in 80 years. He had an amazing game against Purdue. He caught three passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns. One touchdown was a 95-yard play, which was very long!
Clark won the John Mackey Award in 2002. This award goes to the best tight end in college football. He was also named a first-team All-American. He decided to enter the NFL Draft after this successful season. He finished his college career with 1,281 receiving yards.
Professional Football Career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | Vertical jump | Broad jump | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3+3⁄8 in (1.91 m) |
257 lb (117 kg) |
32 in (0.81 m) |
10+1⁄8 in (0.26 m) |
4.65 s | 37.5 in (0.95 m) |
10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) |
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| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
Indianapolis Colts Years
The Indianapolis Colts drafted Clark in the first round of the 2003 NFL draft. He was the 24th player chosen overall. The Colts thought he would be a perfect fit for their team.
As a rookie in 2003, he started 10 games. He had 340 receiving yards before he broke his leg. In 2004, he played in 15 games. He had 423 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
In 2006, Clark played in 11 games before a knee injury. He returned for the playoffs. He helped the Colts reach their first Super Bowl in Indianapolis. The Colts won Super Bowl XLI against the Chicago Bears. Clark caught four passes in that game.
In 2007, Clark set a Colts record for tight ends. He had 58 receptions and 616 yards. On February 19, 2008, the Colts signed him to a six-year contract. This made him one of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL.
Clark continued to break records in 2008. He broke the Colts' record for receiving yards by a tight end in a season (848 yards). In 2009, he had a career-high 183 receiving yards in one game. He also caught 14 passes in another game. He finished the 2009 season with 100 catches for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was only the second tight end in NFL history to have 100 catches in a season.
In 2010, Clark had wrist surgery. This ended his season early. He played in only 6 games. His wrist injury also affected his 2011 season. He played in 11 games that year. This was also the first season Clark played without quarterback Peyton Manning. The Colts released Clark on March 7, 2012.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Clark signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on May 21, 2012. He finished the season with 47 catches for 435 yards. He also scored 4 touchdowns.
Baltimore Ravens
On August 13, 2013, Clark signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. He played in 12 games. He had 31 catches for 343 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Retirement from Football
On June 18, 2014, Dallas Clark signed a special one-day contract with the Colts. This allowed him to officially retire as a member of the team he played for the longest.
NFL Career Statistics
| Year | Team | Games Played | Receiving | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receptions | Yards | Average | Longest | Touchdowns | |||
| 2003 | IND | 10 | 29 | 340 | 11.7 | 42 | 1 |
| 2004 | IND | 15 | 25 | 423 | 16.9 | 80 | 5 |
| 2005 | IND | 15 | 37 | 488 | 13.2 | 56 | 4 |
| 2006 | IND | 12 | 30 | 367 | 12.2 | 40 | 4 |
| 2007 | IND | 15 | 58 | 616 | 10.6 | 39 | 11 |
| 2008 | IND | 15 | 77 | 848 | 11.0 | 33 | 6 |
| 2009 | IND | 16 | 100 | 1,106 | 11.1 | 80 | 10 |
| 2010 | IND | 6 | 37 | 347 | 9.4 | 50 | 3 |
| 2011 | IND | 11 | 34 | 352 | 10.4 | 21 | 2 |
| 2012 | TB | 16 | 47 | 435 | 9.3 | 33 | 4 |
| 2013 | BAL | 12 | 31 | 343 | 11.1 | 45 | 3 |
| Career Total | 143 | 505 | 5,665 | 11.2 | 80 | 53 | |
Personal Life
Dallas Clark lives with his wife, Karen, and their three children. They live in Livermore, Iowa. They also have a home in Zionsville, Indiana.
Clark once appeared as a guest star on the TV show Criminal Minds. He played a police officer named Austin Kent. He said it was a dream of his to be an actor.
