Latest news with #KennyClark
Forbes
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
The Most Important Packers: No. 8 — Kenny Clark
Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark (97) is hoping for a bounceback year after an ... More injury-filled 2024 season. The Green Bay Packers went 11-6 last season, sweeping the NFC West and the AFC South along the way. Overall, though, no one in the building was happy. The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia. Afterwards, general manager Brian Gutekunst turned up the heat on everybody in the building. 'We need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency,' Gutekunst said. 'I think it's time we started competing for championships.' Those are fair expectations. The Packers return 20 of 22 starters, and appear to have upgraded the roster via free agency and the draft. With several third and fourth year players trending upward, Green Bay should be poised to make a move. 'I think they're ready,' Gutekunst said. Now, it's time for the Packers to prove their G.M. right. Green Bay's first training camp practice is July 23. Between now and then I will count down the '30 Most Important Packers' heading into the 2025 campaign. At No. 8 is defensive tackle Kenny 8 Kenny Clark, DT Last season Clark played most of the 2024 campaign with a right foot injury that slowed him throughout and needed to be surgically repaired in January. 'It was tough,' Clark said. 'It was a tough year for me.' Clark suffered the injury during the Packers' Week 1 loss to Philadelphia in São Paulo, Brazil. Afterwards, Clark was critical of the field conditions at Arena Corinthians, where the game was held. 'It was trash, man,' Clark said. 'I've played in snow. I've played in rain. I ain't never played on a surface like that. There was like clay coming out of the ground. You got holes in the ground. It was a tough surface to play on.' Playing the rest of the season with a foot injury was also brutal for Clark. Clark described the injury as 'like a bunion, bone spurs.' And it dramatically affected his production. Clark's 37 tackles were his fewest since his rookie season in 2016, when he started just two games. His one sack and five quarterback hits were also his fewest since 2016, and he finished with just four tackles for to date Clark was an All-American nose tackle at UCLA before entering the NFL at just 20 years old in 2016. Clark played nose tackle his first seven years in Green Bay before moving to defensive end in 2023. He then moved back to defensive tackle in 2024 when the Packers switched their base defense to a 4-3. Clark ranks 10th on the Packers' all-time sack list with 35.0, just 1.0 behind ninth place Tony Bennett (36.0). Clark also has five career postseason sacks, which ranks fourth in team history and No. 8 in the NFL from 2019-'24. Clark has led or tied for the lead on the defensive line in tackles in seven of his first nine years with the Packers. Among those listed as a defensive lineman or defensive tackle by he was one of only five players to post 40-plus tackles and multiple sacks in each season from If the Packers can get Clark back on track, their inconsistent defensive line could take a step up in 2025. Clark had a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2023, which ranked third on the team. Clark also led the Packers with nine tackles for loss that season. Clark added 16 quarterback hits, had two forced fumbles, three passes defensed and didn't miss a game in 2023. Green Bay's pass defense was 0.51 yards per play better when Clark on the field in 2023, and its run defense was 0.18 yards per play better with Clark playing. Clark earned his third trip to the Pro Bowl that season, joining Henry Jordan (1960-61, 1963, 1966) as the only Packers defensive tackles to make three-plus Pro Bowls. Green Bay then signed Clark to a three-year, $64 million contract extension in July, 2024. 'He is a model player that you kind of want to build a program around,' Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said of Clark. 'Obviously he's a great player, has been as consistent as you could ever imagine. We're just really excited to kind of be able to extend him and let him lead that group for the foreseeable future.' After a subpar 2024, though, many wondered if Clark had hit the wall. Now, Clark and the Packers are hoping better health leads to a big 2025. 'Yeah, I'm excited. I'm so excited to play ball,' Clark said. 'It's going to be a huge year, I'm excited about it.'They Said It … 'Every step, you know what I'm saying. You're taking every step and the toe is busting. It's something you've got to deal with, but it is what it is. That's done. I got the surgery done, and yeah, we're moving forward.' — Clark on his foot injury that required surgery in January'Kenny's just a pro's pro. He loves football. To play as long as he has at the level that he has, you've got to love it. He certainly loves football and he's an unselfish team guy. He's all about winning. He is the exact example of the kind of guys we want in that locker room.' — Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst on Clark 'I've been watching Kenny since I was in college. When I got drafted, he was the first person to call me. When I got here, he was the first person who made me feel like I was part of this team and part of the family. I really appreciate him. I've got a lot of respect for him.' — Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt on Clark'Ever since I came in, I was watching him and taking notes and soaking everything in. He's a leader by example.' — Packers defensive tackle Karl Brooks on ClarkTHE TOP 30 • No. 30 — RB MarShawn Lloyd • No. 29 — WR Dontayvion Wicks • No. 28 — S Javon Bullard • No. 27 — WR Savion Williams • No. 26 — LB Isaiah McDuffie • No. 25 — OL Jordan Morgan • No. 24 — WR Matthew Golden • No. 23 — CB Carrington Valentine • No. 22 — WR Romeo Doubs • No. 21 — QB Malik Willis • N0. 20 — DE Lukas Van Ness • No. 19 — RG Sean Rhyan • No. 18 — LT Rasheed Walker • No. 17 — DT Devonte Wyatt • No. 16 — S Evan Williams • No. 15 — CB Nate Hobbs • No. 14 — LB Quay Walker • No. 13 — OL Aaron Banks • No. 12 — CB Keisean Nixon • No. 11 — K Brandon McManus • No. 10 — TE Tucker Kraft • No. 9 — WR Jayden Reed
USA Today
08-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Packers' Kenny Clark falls out of top 10 DL rankings after injury-plagued 2024 season
An injury-plagued 2024 season caused Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark to fall out of ESPN's top 10 ranking of defensive tackles entering the 2025 season. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler puts together the annual preseason rankings based on votes from coaches, executives and scouts. While Clark received votes among the top 10, he fell from No. 9 in the ranking entering 2024 to outside the top 10 -- and wasn't even an honorable mention -- entering 2025. However, the injury context is important. Clark, 29, said he needed surgery in January to correct a foot injury suffered during the Packers' Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last season. After producing 7.5 sacks, 66 pressures, 16 quarterback hits and nine tackles for loss in 2023, Clark's production dropped to 1.0 sack, 34 pressures, five quarterback hits and four tackles for loss in 2024. It represented a stunning lack of impact from the Pro Bowler. Injuries are a part of pro football, but Clark said the injury affected him "a lot" throughout the season. A foot injury for a 314-pound player who wins with power and explosiveness ended up being crippling. From Fowler: "The durable Clark started all 17 games for the third straight season but was unable to build on a strong statistical 2023 that saw him record a career 7.5 sacks and reach his third Pro Bowl. Clark told reporters in June that he played the entire 2024 season through a foot injury sustained Week 1 in Brazil. Set to begin his 10th season with the Packers, the 29-year-old Clark seeks a healthier journey in 2025." Might Clark regain his status as a top interior defender? The three-time Pro Bowler has played a lot of football in his career and might be past his physical prime, but he's been a disruptive player throughout his career when healthy and a bounce back season should be expected if he can avoid a debilitating injury in 2025. The Packers need one from Clark, who will once again be a key part of Jeff Hafley's defensive line. Losing Clark's pressure production was at least one part why the Packers struggled at times to consistently disrupt the quarterback in 2024. The top 10 defensive lineman entering 2025: The Packers want a bounce back season from Clark, obviously. But it will also be interesting to see if Devonte Wyatt, a 2022 first-round pick who just had his fifth-year option picked up, can put himself in contention for a spot in the preseason 2026 rankings with a big fourth NFL season. He was pushing toward a breakout season to start 2024 but suffered an ankle injury in Week 4. Wyatt has elite pass-rushing potential from the inside if he can stay healthy and take a step forward in 2025.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What have Packers players been up to this summer?
The Green Bay Packers don't return to organized football activities until late July, but several members of Matt LaFleur's team have been busy with other events during the down period between the end of minicamp and the start of training camp. Weddings and football camps have been the big events. Advertisement The headliner: quarterback Jordan Love, who married Ronika Stone in a ceremony this past weekend. Among the attendees was former Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari, who provided this look at the newly married couple: Backup quarterback Sean Clifford also got married during the break. Running back Josh Jacobs rode in the "Fastest Seat in Sports" to start the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Jacobs also held his football camp in Green Bay. Tight ends Tucker Kraft and John FitzPatrick attended the fifth annual "Tight End University" event in Nashville. Tight end Luke Musgrave hosted his first ever football camp at Bend High School in Oregon. Advertisement Receiver Jayden Reed has been busy, hosting a celebrity basketball tournament in Chicago, a football camp in Chippewa Falls and a football skills camp in Green Bay. Defensive lineman Kenny Clark held his ninth annual football camp in California. Like Love, rookie receiver Matthew Golden threw out the first pitch at a Brewers game in Milwaukee earlier in June. Love also participated in Mookie Betts' celebrity softball game in Los Angeles. This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: What have Packers players been up to this summer?
New York Times
05-06-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Kenny Clark's surgery, Keisean Nixon's retraction and more Packers OTA takeaways
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Kenny Clark might've had the worst season of his career in 2024-25. We now know, at least in part, why this is the case. The longtime Packers defensive tackle revealed Tuesday that he underwent foot surgery in January. His right foot got caught in the turf during Green Bay's season opener against the Eagles in Brazil, and he was listed on the injury report throughout the season with a toe issue but didn't miss a game. Advertisement Clark said the surgery corrected a bunion, which is 'a deformity of the bone or tissue around the joint at the base of the big toe or at the base of the little toe,' according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Clark said the injury affected him 'a lot' throughout the season, one in which he posted his fewest sacks (one) and second-fewest tackles for loss (four) since his 2016 rookie year. 'It was a tough year for me,' said Clark, who will begin his 10th season still at only 29 years old. 'Every step and the toe is busting. It's something you've got to deal with, but it is what it is. That's done. I got the surgery done and yeah, we're moving forward.' Clark isn't a full participant in practice yet, but Tuesday marked his second day participating in position-specific drills with his teammates. He has three years remaining on a contract extension signed in July that pays him more than $21 million annually. The three-time Pro Bowl player hopes to be a full participant by the start of training camp in late July and back to his usual disruptive self. Not long after the Packers' season ended in January, two-time first-team All-Pro kick returner Keisean Nixon said he was done returning kicks. He was frustrated with teams kicking away from him despite touchbacks moving back to the 30-yard line and wanted to focus on being the Packers' No. 1 cornerback. Top cornerbacks, he said, don't return kicks. Nixon spoke with the media Tuesday for the first time since those comments and retracted his statement. 'I was kind of frustrated when the season was over,' Nixon said. 'Of course I'm open to it. I'm always going to do what the team needs. Also, just me knowing who I am as a person, if the game's on the line, I'm gonna want the ball, anyway. That's a comment I probably could've kept to myself, for sure, but it is what it is. I meant what I said, but I'm also a team player and if the coach and the team need me to do something, I'm gonna do it, for sure.' Advertisement After returning 35 kicks in 2022 and 30 in 2023, his two All-Pro seasons, Nixon only returned 18 kicks in 2025 for a career-high 29.3 yards per return. Despite teams shying away from Nixon because of his reputation as a returner, he earned the fifth-most All-Pro votes among kick returners (seven for the second team). Touchbacks have moved back to the 35-yard line for this season, but Nixon still isn't convinced teams will kick to him. 'The rule change doesn't matter,' he said. 'I don't think they'll fully kick me the ball. They'd rather (us) get it at the 35 than give it at the 50. I think it'll be the same.' Keisean Nixon said on locker cleanout day that he was done returning kicks. The two-time first-team All-Pro KR now says frustration in the moment lead to that statement and he should've kept it to himself. 'Of course I'm open to it. I'm always gonna do what the team need.' — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) June 3, 2025 Time will tell if the Packers' defensive front can generate more consistent pressure on the quarterback this season, but the group is at least putting in the work this spring to make it happen. Seventh-year defensive end Rashan Gary said players have been meeting on weekends at Clark's house to watch practice film. Players who are out of town have even tapped in via Zoom. 'We might have pizza, wings, things like that, but we getting together and we locking in on details,' said Gary, who added that defensive linemen have never watched film together outside the facility this early in the year during his time in Green Bay. The Packers had dominant games rushing the quarterback last season in Tennessee and Seattle, for example, but key players like Gary, Clark and defensive end Lukas Van Ness went missing too often. Advertisement Head coach Matt LaFleur envisioned rushing a traditional four, but the team struggled to generate pressure that way and resorted to exotic looks, such as blitzing a safety or linebacker while a defensive lineman dropped into coverage. After the season, LaFleur fired defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich and replaced him with former Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington. After an offseason in which the Packers didn't make any splashy additions to a unit that could've used one, they're hoping extra time off the field will pay dividends on the field. 'We've been doing it pretty much this whole offseason,' Clark said. 'We did it a little bit last year, get together and watch (individual drills) and all that kind of stuff. But we've been more consistent with it, just picking each other's brain, talking about different formations, fronts. 'The main thing with them, I'm trying to get all the younger guys to understand formations and how to play the blocks. We're going back to more playing technique, so it's huge for them to understand formations and how people are going to try to block the front.' LaFleur said Tuesday that second-year running back MarShawn Lloyd suffered another injury this offseason but that he's in 'a lot better spot' now. LaFleur didn't specify what the injury was, and Lloyd practiced on Tuesday, so it doesn't appear to be a concern. The 2024 third-round pick played in only one game last season while dealing with multiple injuries in the preseason and regular season. Running backs coach Ben Sirmans said in mid-May that Lloyd had no limitations, but then he didn't practice during the first OTA session open to reporters last week. MarShawn Lloyd in action — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) June 3, 2025 The Packers are counting on Lloyd's explosiveness to complement Josh Jacobs in a backfield that also featured Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks last season. There will likely be only two spots on the active roster behind Jacobs. As a recent third-round pick, Lloyd will get one of them — if he can finally stay on the field. Advertisement 'I think we have a feel for what he's certainly capable of,' LaFleur said. 'I mean, we've seen enough. He's an explosive player … he's getting into a better spot, but he's got to prove it over the course of time, you know? 'He trained his butt off before, from the day the season ended to coming back here and he worked hard to get back, and then he had another thing pop up. But he's in a lot better spot right now, and we'll give him more as tolerated.' (Photo of Kenny Clark: Eric Hartline / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
San Francisco Chronicle
04-06-2025
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Packers believe weekend film studies at Kenny Clark's home may produce more consistent pass rush
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Kenny Clark is hosting his fellow Green Bay Packers pass rushers for weekend offseason gatherings in hopes of producing more frequent get-togethers in opposing backfields each Sunday this fall. The three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman realizes Green Bay's pass rush can't afford a repeat of its inconsistent 2024 performance. 'It was on and off,' the three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman said during organized team activities this week. 'Honestly, not good enough. Not good enough. Not good enough to win a championship, so we've got to be better.' That's why Green Bay's pass rushers have been conducting regular offseason film sessions at Clark's home. Rashan Gary, a Pro Bowl defensive lineman entering his seventh season in Green Bay, says this marks the first time they've had these types of weekend film studies at somebody's house this early in the year. 'KC's is the spot,' Gary said. 'KC's is the film study house. Everybody pulls up (to) KC. We might have pizza, wings, things like that, but we're getting together and we're locking in on details.' Green Bay collected 45 sacks last season to tie for eighth place among all NFL teams, but more than half of those sacks came in just four games. The Packers had eight sacks against Tennessee, seven against Seattle, five against Miami and four against Houston. In seven of their 17 games, the Packers had no more than one sack. They sacked Jalen Hurts twice in their 22-10 wild-card playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Green Bay ranked 16th in pressure rate, which calculates the number of hurries, knockdowns and sacks for each team divided by an opponent's dropback attempts. The Packers must find creative ways to improve because they didn't add proven pass rushers in the offseason. Their main free-agent move involving a player on the front seven was allowing T.J. Slaton to sign with the Cincinnati Bengals. Green Bay did add three defensive linemen in the final day of the draft by selecting Texas' Barryn Sorrell in the fourth round, Oklahoma State's Collin Oliver in the fifth and Georgia's Warren Brinson in the sixth. Perhaps their biggest offseason move to address the pass rush was the hiring of defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington to replace the fired Jason Rebrovich, who now is an assistant defensive line coach for the Buffalo Bills. Covington spent the last eight seasons in New England and was the Patriots' defensive coordinator in 2024. 'He's just a leader of men,' defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness said. 'We've started doing handshakes at the beginning of every meeting, just building that camaraderie. I think when you want to play for the guy next to you on the field, it's a brotherhood. Together when we're one, that's when we're the best.' The Packers believe they can get more production from their returning players. 'There's a number of young players that are coming into their own and should play their best football in front of them,' general manager Brian Gutekunst said after the draft. A couple of them were playing through injuries last year. Clark injured his right foot during the Packers' season-opening loss to the Eagles in Brazil — he complained about the Corinthians Arena turf after the game — and underwent surgery in the offseason. Clark went from having a career-high 7 ½ sacks in 2023 to a career-low one in 2024. 'You're taking every step and the toe is busting,' Clark said. 'It's something you've got to deal with, but it is what it is. That's done. I got the surgery done, and yeah, we're moving forward.' Van Ness, the 13th overall pick in the 2023 draft, said he wore a cast on his broken right thumb until about the 10th or 11th week of the 2024 season. Van Ness recorded three sacks last season, none after Thanksgiving. 'I don't know if any of you guys have ever broken a thumb or hand or anything, you kind of get a little bit of a mental block, and it's kind of taken me a little bit of time to gain some confidence again in utilizing my hand to its fullest extent,' Van Ness said. The Packers expect to be healthier this year. They also should be more comfortable now that they've had time to adapt to second-year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and his 4-3 scheme. They just need to be more dynamic on a week-in, week-out basis. They're hoping that improvement starts in Clark's home. 'The main thing is just getting the bonding. Just building as a team,' Clark said. 'We're going to need everybody, and need everybody to be playing at a high level to start the season, and so forth. So (we're) just make sure we're hitting on all cylinders.' ___
