Ryan Clark Reflects on How Danny Smith Saved His Career
After the Pittsburgh Steelers lights out performance on special teams in Sunday night’s win over the New York Jets, former Steeler Ryan Clark named special teams coordinator Danny Smith the Inside the NFL “Football Guy of The Week.” The Steelers have recorded two blocked field goals and a blocked punt in the last three games. The officials also robbed a blocked extra point from Minkah Fitzpatrick on Sunday night.
Smith has been the Steelers special teams coordinator since 2013, but his history with Clark dates back to when they were both in Washington. In fact, it was Smith who gave Clark his first-ever chance in the NFL.
“Without Danny Smith, I’m not sitting here hosting this show,” Ryan Clark said. ” It’s 2004, I was picked up the day before camp. I was down the first week. The second week, I’m up because I’m a starter on every special teams. LaVarr Arrington, on the Sunday of the second game of the year against the New York Giants, who had just cut me, goes and says, hey Coach, I can play. I can play a couple of snaps on defense. Danny Smith and Greg Williams have a conversation with Joe Gibbs.
“Danny Smith says Ryan Clark practiced this entire time. He was a guy who busted his tail the entire preseason on special teams. I told him that he would be up. And I want to keep my word. Danny Smith wins the argument and keeps his word. It’s halftime of that game. I’m using the bathroom next to Steve Jackson. He turns to me and goes, do you know strong safety? I go, yes, Coach, I do. Those were the first defensive snaps I played for Washington.”
Clark did not let Smith down and worked his way up to being a starter. Ultimately, Clark carved out a 13-year career in the NFL after going undrafted in 2002. Clark is most known for his role at free safety on some of the dominant Steelers defenses of the mid-to-late 2000s.
Clark’s career could have came to a halt if it wasn’t for Smith standing up for him back in 2004.
“I played the next week and the next week. And the week after, I was the starter,” Clark said. “If Danny Smith doesn’t fight for me to be up, just to play special teams because All-Pro LaVar Arrington said he could go after not practicing all week, I’m probably not sitting in this position.”
.@RealRClark25 shares how Danny Smith kept his word and gave him first-ever chance in the NFL 💛@InsideTheNFL Tonight 9/8c on @TheCW pic.twitter.com/IdLwLej7zG
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) October 23, 2024
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