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Ryan Clark (American football)
Encyclopedia
Ryan Terry Clark is an American football
safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the New York Giants
as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football
at LSU
.
Clark has also played for the Washington Redskins
.
in Marrero, Louisiana.
, Clark started
36 consecutive games. In 2000, he was selected to the All-SEC
second team by the league's coaches. Clark ranked third on the Tigers in 2001 with 88 tackles, including 63 solo, and also intercepted three passes. He recorded five tackles, including a 13-yard sack, in the Sugar Bowl
and was LSU's Special Teams Player of the Year in 1998. In 2002, Clark was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants.
Clark had a breakout season with the Giants in 2003, starting four games and appearing in every game, either on defense or special teams. He posted 23 tackles (17 solo) and one sack, two pass deflections and five special teams stops.
prior to the 2004
season. He stepped in for injured safeties Matt Bowen
and Andre Lott
early in the season and played in 15 games, starting 11. He led Redskins defensive backs with 91 tackles and ranked fourth on the team in tackles.
Clark played in thirteen games in the 2005
season making 57 tackles and three interceptions.
He signed with the Steelers as a free agent on March 15, 2006 replacing former safety Chris Hope
who signed with the Tennessee Titans
.
In 2006, Clark made 72 tackles playing free safety for the Steelers, along with one interception and three fumble recoveries. He played 13 games and started 12 of them, missing the final three with a groin injury. During training camp before the 2007 season, he remained starter despite playing a position battle with second year player Anthony Smith.
Clark ended his 2007 season early after having his spleen
and gall bladder removed, after a game in the thin air of Denver caused health problems with Clark's blood due to sickle cell trait
(because of this, whenever his team plays in Denver, Clark does not play). Clark lost 30 pounds after the removal, but has returned to the Steelers in 2008.
To honor his former Redskins teammate, the late Sean Taylor
, Clark wears Taylor's #21 during practices.
. He joined forces with students from the Leadership In Public Services High School located at Ground Zero
for "Operation PaintFest." Sponsored by the Foundation for Hospital Art, the participants created paintings of hope that would later be donated to the five New York hospitals involved in the September 11th tragedies.
Clark suffers from sickle-cell trait, which can cause complications during extreme exercise conditions and hypoxia from high altitudes. In 2007 during a game against Denver at Invesco Field at Mile High, because of the altitude he had to be rushed to the hospital in the middle of the game to have his spleen and gallbladder removed. Since recovering from his crisis in 2007, Clark has been involved with sickle cell disease awareness, research, treatment and programming in Pittsburgh.
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...
safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
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 signed by the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2002. 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 LSU
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
.
Clark has also played for 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,...
.
Early years
From 1993 to 1997, Clark attended Archbishop Shaw High SchoolArchbishop Shaw High School
Archbishop Shaw High School is an Archdiocesan school administered under the Salesians of St. John Bosco. It is approved by the Louisiana State Department of Education and the Southern Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges. Founded in 1962, it is located in Marrero, Louisiana...
in Marrero, Louisiana.
College career
At Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
, Clark started
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...
36 consecutive games. In 2000, he was selected to the All-SEC
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...
second team by the league's coaches. Clark ranked third on the Tigers in 2001 with 88 tackles, including 63 solo, and also intercepted three passes. He recorded five tackles, including a 13-yard sack, in the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
and was LSU's Special Teams Player of the Year in 1998. In 2002, Clark was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants.
New York Giants
Clark played for the Giants for two seasons. He played in the first six games of the 2002 season for Giants, all on special teams. He was waived during the bye week and signed with the practice squad two days later, remaining there for the rest of the season.Clark had a breakout season with the Giants in 2003, starting four games and appearing in every game, either on defense or special teams. He posted 23 tackles (17 solo) and one sack, two pass deflections and five special teams stops.
Washington Redskins
He signed as a free agent to the Washington RedskinsWashington 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,...
prior to the 2004
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
season. He stepped in for injured safeties Matt Bowen
Matt Bowen (football player)
Matthew Sean Bowen is a former American football strong safety in the National Football League. He currently works as a sports journalist.-High school career:...
and Andre Lott
Andre Lott
Andre Marquette Lott is an American football strong safety most recently with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He is now a free agent. He played college football at the University of Tennessee and was drafted in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Washington...
early in the season and played in 15 games, starting 11. He led Redskins defensive backs with 91 tackles and ranked fourth on the team in tackles.
Clark played in thirteen games in the 2005
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
season making 57 tackles and three interceptions.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Chris Hope
Chris Hope is an American football player who plays for the Tennessee Titans.-High school:...
who signed with the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
.
In 2006, Clark made 72 tackles playing free safety for the Steelers, along with one interception and three fumble recoveries. He played 13 games and started 12 of them, missing the final three with a groin injury. During training camp before the 2007 season, he remained starter despite playing a position battle with second year player Anthony Smith.
Clark ended his 2007 season early after having his spleen
Spleen
The spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system. In humans, it is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock...
and gall bladder removed, after a game in the thin air of Denver caused health problems with Clark's blood due to sickle cell trait
Sickle cell trait
Sickle cell trait describes a condition in which a person has one abnormal allele of the hemoglobin beta gene , but does not display the severe symptoms of sickle cell disease that occur in a person who has two copies of that allele...
(because of this, whenever his team plays in Denver, Clark does not play). Clark lost 30 pounds after the removal, but has returned to the Steelers in 2008.
To honor his former Redskins teammate, the late Sean Taylor
Sean Taylor
Sean Michael Maurice Taylor was an American football free safety who played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Taylor was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins...
, Clark wears Taylor's #21 during practices.
Personal
Clark was active in the community while with the Giants, participating in the 2002 United Way Hometown Huddle by conducting a football clinic at the Highbridge Center for members of Alianza Dominicana, a local United Way agency that services families in Washington HeightsWashington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...
. He joined forces with students from the Leadership In Public Services High School located at Ground Zero
World Trade Center site
The World Trade Center site , also known as "Ground Zero" after the September 11 attacks, sits on in Lower Manhattan in New York City...
for "Operation PaintFest." Sponsored by the Foundation for Hospital Art, the participants created paintings of hope that would later be donated to the five New York hospitals involved in the September 11th tragedies.
Clark suffers from sickle-cell trait, which can cause complications during extreme exercise conditions and hypoxia from high altitudes. In 2007 during a game against Denver at Invesco Field at Mile High, because of the altitude he had to be rushed to the hospital in the middle of the game to have his spleen and gallbladder removed. Since recovering from his crisis in 2007, Clark has been involved with sickle cell disease awareness, research, treatment and programming in Pittsburgh.