Ryan Clark (American football) facts for kids
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Clark with Washington in 2014
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||
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| Born: | October 12, 1979 Marrero, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 205 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Archbishop Shaw (Marrero, Louisiana) | ||||||||
| College: | LSU (1997–2001) | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2002 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Ryan Terry Clark (born October 12, 1979) is a former American football player. He played as a safety in the National Football League (NFL). A safety is a defensive player who helps stop long passes and runs. Ryan played college football for the LSU Tigers. He then joined the New York Giants in 2002. He also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington Redskins. Ryan won a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. He was also chosen for the Pro Bowl in 2011, which is a special game for the best players.
Ryan has a condition called sickle cell trait. This condition made it risky for him to play football in places with high altitudes, like Denver, Colorado.
Contents
Early Life and College Football
Growing Up in Louisiana
Ryan Clark was born in Marrero, Louisiana. He finished high school at Archbishop Shaw High School in 1997.
Playing for the LSU Tigers
After high school, Ryan went to Louisiana State University. He played for the LSU Tigers football team. He started 36 games in a row for them. In 2000, he was named to the All-SEC second team. This means he was one of the best players in his college league. In 2001, he made 88 tackles and caught three passes from the other team (interceptions). He was also named LSU's Special Teams Player of the Year in 1998.
Ryan Clark's NFL Journey
Starting with the New York Giants
Ryan Clark was not chosen in the 2002 NFL draft. This means he was an undrafted free agent. But the New York Giants still signed him to a contract in 2002. He started as a backup safety and played on special teams. Special teams are groups of players who play during kickoffs and punts. Ryan made his first tackle in a game against the St. Louis Rams. He later made his first start in October 2003. In his last game of the 2003 season, he got his first career sack. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback.
Playing for the Washington Redskins
In 2004, Ryan joined the Washington Redskins. He became a starting free safety during the season. This happened after other players got hurt. In November 2004, he made 11 tackles in one game. In 2005, he made his first career interception. He caught a pass from Giants' quarterback Eli Manning. The next week, he caught another pass from Donovan McNabb. He also forced two fumbles that season. A forced fumble is when a player makes the ball carrier drop the ball.
Winning a Super Bowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers
In 2006, Ryan signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He became their starting free safety. He played alongside famous strong safety Troy Polamalu.
In 2006, he made 72 tackles and caught one interception. He also recovered three fumbles.
Sickle Cell Trait and Playing at High Altitude
In 2007, Ryan played a game against the Denver Broncos. Denver is a city with high altitude. During the game, Ryan felt severe pain. He had to go to the hospital. Doctors found out he had a problem with his spleen because of his sickle cell trait. He had to have his spleen and gallbladder removed. This ended his season early. He lost a lot of weight after the surgery.
Even though doctors said he could play again, the Steelers were careful. They did not let him play in Denver for the rest of his career with them. This was to keep him safe.
Super Bowl Success
Ryan won the Ed Block Courage Award in 2008. This award is for players who show courage. After the 2008 season, Ryan played in Super Bowl XLIII. The Steelers won this game against the Arizona Cardinals. He made five tackles in that game. He also played in Super Bowl XLV after the 2010 season. The Steelers lost that game to the Green Bay Packers. Ryan made eight tackles in that Super Bowl.
Ryan left the Steelers in 2014. They signed a new safety to replace him.
Returning to the Washington Redskins
In 2014, Ryan went back to play for the Washington Redskins. He signed a one-year contract. He was named a defensive captain for the team. He caught two interceptions that season.
Retirement from Football
On February 18, 2015, Ryan Clark announced he was retiring from the NFL. He retired as a Steeler.
Life After Football
Working in Broadcasting
After retiring, Ryan started a new career in television. In 2015, he joined ESPN. He became an NFL analyst. This means he talks about football on shows like NFL Live and SportsCenter. He also appears on Get Up! and First Take. Since 2023, he has also hosted Inside the NFL. In 2023, Ryan won an award for being an "Outstanding Personality/Studio Analyst" at the Sports Emmy Awards.
Hosting Podcasts
Ryan also hosts podcasts. In 2021, he started a weekly podcast called DC & RC with former UFC champion Daniel Cormier. In 2022, he started The Pivot Podcast with his friends and former NFL players Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder.
Personal Life and Community Work
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Ryan Clark is married to Yonka Clark. They have three children: Jaden, Jordan, and Loghan. His son, Jordan, also plays football at Notre Dame.
Ryan has always been active in his community. When he played for the Giants, he helped with a football clinic for kids. He also helped create paintings of hope for hospitals after the September 11 attacks.
Ryan is very involved in raising awareness about sickle cell disease. In 2012, he started Ryan Clark's Cure League. This group helps teach people about sickle cell trait and works to find a cure.
