Player
Ryan Clark
FS (retired)
Ryan Clark: facts drawn from the play-by-play.
Undrafted out of LSU in 2002 — won Super Bowl XLIII with Pittsburgh, made 1 Pro Bowl, and played 13 NFL seasons.
MilestoneCareer snapshot
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Seasons | 13 (2002-2014) |
| Teams | 3 (NYG, WAS, PIT, WAS) |
| Draft | Undrafted (LSU) |
| Super Bowl | XLIII champ (2008 PIT) |
| Pro Bowl | 1 (2011) |
The Steelers run (2006-2013) is the entire career — 8 straight seasons as the FS next to Troy Polamalu.
TrendPIT roster weeks by year
| Season | Weeks |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 17 |
| 2007 | 10 |
| 2008 (SB) | 21 |
| 2009 | 17 |
| 2010 (SB run) | 21 |
| 2011 (PB) | 18 |
| 2012 | 17 |
| 2013 | 17 |
Bookended his career in Washington: WAS 2004-2005 to start, WAS 2014 to finish.
SplitCareer stops
| Team | Years | Note |
|---|---|---|
| NYG | 2002-2003 | Career start (UDFA) |
| WAS | 2004-2005 | Established starter role |
| PIT | 2006-2013 | 8 yrs, 1 SB win, 1 Pro Bowl |
| WAS | 2014 | Final season |
Sickle cell trait forced him to skip 2 games in Denver (high altitude) — extremely rare medical accommodation in modern NFL.
RareDenver-altitude history
| Issue | Detail |
|---|---|
| Condition | Sickle cell trait |
| 2007 DEN trip | Lost spleen + gallbladder, near-death |
| Post-2007 | Steelers held him out of all DEN road games |
Came back from a near-fatal sickle cell crisis in 2007 and played 7 more seasons of starting safety.
AnomalyPost-crisis career
| Year | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | DEN crisis | 10 weeks played |
| 2008 | Returned | Started, won SB XLIII |
| 2010 | All-Pro caliber | SB run |
| 2011 | Pro Bowl | Career peak year |
13-year career as an UDFA safety = top-tier longevity for the path.
ComparisonUDFA safeties, modern era
| Player | Seasons |
|---|---|
| Mike Adams | 16 |
| Ryan Clark | 13 |
| Eric Weddle | 12 (drafted) |
| Antoine Bethea | 14 (drafted) |
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