This week’s Faith, Family, & Football feature is: Danny Clark, Former Jaguar, Raider, Saint, Texan, and Giant.
Danny Clark is a 12-year NFL veteran playing 11 seasons for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans, and New York Giants. He was drafted in the 7th round (245th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft. After a prosperous NFL career, Clark has successfully transitioned into a role in sports working outside the lines. Danny serves as an NFL analyst for Comcast Sports Net Houston. As an analyst, Clark is responsible for providing pre and post-game analysis for the Houston Texans and all other NFL games with co-host and former teammates Keenan McCardell and Derrick Ward. From Clark’s breadth of playing experience with several organizations he is able to provide insightful commentary and perspective on team’s strategy and performance.
Clark also spends his time serving as an Ambassador for the Houston Texans. In this role, Clark is able to broaden the reach of the Texans impact in the community by participating in autograph signings, radio shows, youth outreach and several other community related events.
As we begin the New Year Clark is looking forward to watching his Texans compete in the playoffs and re-launching the Danny Clark Foundation in Houston. The foundation’s mission is to positively impact the lives of youth through education and personal development initiatives. His programing will focus on relationship building, physical fitness, personal hygiene, teen pregnancy, and much more. As we go into the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, Clark was happy to speak with NFLPE and provide his perspective on Faith, Family, & Football.
PE: Why is faith important to you?
Clark: Faith is what guides my steps on a daily basis. It allows me to live and walk through life's trials and tribulations completely worry-free. There is nothing like having the confidence to do anything humanly possible without the concern of failure or falling short. I demonstrate faith in everything I do including: my marriage, parenting my children, and even in the simplest task of coming and going.
PE: Tell us about your family and the impact they’ve had on your life?
Clark: Family is the most important piece of my life, of course behind God. Growing up, my family consisted of three incredible parents, my dad, mom, stepmom, and my four brothers. When I was two years old, my parents divorced and unlike the usual occurrence of mothers retaining custody of the child, my parents agreed that it was best I was raised by my dad. My mom was and still is an extremely important part of my life. This decision made by my parents proved to be one the best things to ever to happen to me as a man. It displayed so much sacrifice by both parents to totally remove their individual desires for the sole benefit of the child. My dad re-married and my stepmom immediately became an equally important piece of the puzzle.
We didn't come up in church as did many of my friends growing up. In fact, I played football on Sundays from the ages 8-13 years old. My parents gave us the freedom to choose our faith as children. They didn't push or pull us into any direction of a particular religion, but they did challenge us to search and learn each one for our own understanding. After allowing God to live within my entire mind, body and soul, He blessed me with a beautiful God-fearing wife with an undying faith. God placed her into my life to strengthen my relationship with Him.
PE: What does being a father mean to you?
Clark: God blessed us with seven children (Brandon-16, Dasia-16, Laniyah-12, Daniel-10, Skyler-8, Alijah-5, Dallas-10m). I'm so thankful I had an amazing example of what a father should be in my dad. I spend every day trying to live up to what my father has been to my brothers and me. Having children comes with grand responsibility. You take part in instilling all the necessary morals, values, and tools for them to be upstanding, productive, and faithful adults. This grand responsibility is one that I proudly accept as a father.
PE: How has your faith and family helped you develop off the field?
Clark: I was once told that the most dangerous person in the world is the one who has no one to disappoint. I have several people that I can disappoint with the first being God. Having faith in God removes any questions or doubts in relationships whether it’s with my wife or children. It has allowed me to take a completely selfless approach in my everyday life, and to truly understand how to empathize for others.
PE: How do you balance faith, family, and football?
Clark: In the past, I found it really tough to balance faith, family, and football because of some of the stigmas that come with the business. There was so much that makes you take your eyes and heart off of God. When you make the decision to put God in EVERYTHING you do, is when you experience true spiritual freedom. So, it is effortless now to balance faith, family, and football because God lives within them all in my life.
PE: What advice would you give to student athletes and current professional athletes in regards to their faith, family and football?
Clark: The advice I offer to student athletes and professional athletes is:
1.) Allow God to intercede in all of your decision making. It will save you a ton of heart-ache, stress, & money.
2.) Allow people to see your faith whether you're speaking or not. They will see the God within you through your actions.
3.) Remain faithful to God even when you're going through your most trying times because, He will never leave nor forsake you. You must have a TEST in order to have a TESTIMONY!
God Bless!