Clyde Duncan

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For the West Indian cricket umpire, see Clyde Duncan (umpire).
Clyde Duncan
No. 86
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:(1961-02-05)February 5, 1961
Oxon Hill, Maryland
Died:February 16, 2015(2015-02-16) (aged 54)
Fort Washington, Maryland
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school:Oxon Hill (MD) Potomac[1]
College:Tennessee
NFL Draft:1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 17
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:4
Receiving yards:39
Touchdowns:1
Player stats at NFL.com

Clyde Louis Duncan, Jr. (February 5, 1961 – February 16, 2015)[2] was a professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played two seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1984 and 1985, finishing his career with 4 receptions.[3]

Early life[]

Duncan attended Potomac High School, in Oxon Hill, Maryland.[4] Playing at both receiver and tailback for Potomac's football team, he accumulated 2,209 yards his senior year, including 958 yards receiving and 808 yards rushing, and was named a high school All-American by Football News and the Maryland Player of the Year by the Washington Pigskin Club.[1]

Duncan played college football at Tennessee from 1979 to 1983. Along with teammates Willie Gault, Anthony Hancock, Lenny Taylor and Tim McGee, he helped create the school's reputation as "Wide Receiver U."[5] He played sparingly in 1979, redshirted in 1980, played as a defensive back in 1981, and played primarily as a reserve receiver in 1982.[6] In 1983, however, he led the team in receiving with 33 catches for 640 yards and six touchdowns.[7] He caught touchdown passes of 80 yards and 57 yards in Tennessee's 41-34 win over Alabama,[8] and his 85-yard touchdown catch against Vanderbilt remains the third-longest in school history.[9] He attracted close attention from scouts for his workout performance at the 1983 Blue–Gray Football Classic.[10]

Professional football career[]

Duncan was selected in the first round of the 1984 NFL Draft by the Cardinals.[11] Duncan's rookie year was disrupted by a contract dispute,[12] and he did not sign with the Cardinals until September 10.[13] He soon separated his shoulder, sending him to the injured reserve list.[14] In 1985, Duncan did work his way into the lineup, but caught only four passes on the season[15] and lost his role as third receiver.[16] The Cardinals released Duncan on August 18, 1986.[17] Duncan was subsequently acquired by the Cleveland Browns in the spring of 1987,[18] but he was released at the start of preseason[19] and did not appear in another NFL game.

He died at the age of 54 in 2015.[20] [21]

References[]

  1. ^ a b 1979 Signees Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, 1979 Tennessee Volunteers Football Guide, p. 56.
  2. ^ "Clyde L. Duncan Jr. Obituary", Washington Post, February 26, 2015.
  3. ^ Palmer, Pete; Pullis, Ken; Lahman, Sean; Silverman, Matthew; Gillette, Gary. The ESPN Pro Football Encyclopedia: First Edition, p. 201. ESPN Books, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4027-4216-3.
  4. ^ Southeast Missourian. "Cards make surprise drafts". Associated Press, May 2, 1984, p. 9. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  5. ^ Mike Strange, "Vols Were Sugar Sweet", Knoxnews.com, September 30, 2012. Retrieved: July 10, 2013.
  6. ^ 1983 Squad Archived November 13, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, 1983 Tennessee Volunteers Football Guide, p. 45.
  7. ^ 1983 Offensive Statistics, 1984 Tennessee Volunteers Football Guide, p. 91.
  8. ^ "Fierce Offensive Struggle Swings UT's Way on Johnnie Jones' Scamper Archived November 13, 2013, at the Wayback Machine", 1984 Tennessee Volunteers Football Guide, p. 87.
  9. ^ Individual Football Records Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, UTSports.com, p. 332.
  10. ^ Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington). "Tennessee's Duncan dazzling pro scouts". December 25, 1983, p. C2. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  11. ^ Palmer et al., p. 1426.
  12. ^ Reading Eagle. "Notes". July 29, 1984, p. 99. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  13. ^ Southeast Missourian (Cape Girardeau, Mo.). "Duncan to sign with Cardinals". September 9, 1984, p. 27. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  14. ^ St. Petersburg Times. "NFL notes". October 16, 1984, p. 3C. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  15. ^ Palmer et al., p. 201.
  16. ^ Clayton, John. "Lethargic Cardinals sink deeper in loss to Eagles". Pittsburgh Press, October 14, 1985, p. C6. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  17. ^ Palm Beach Post. "Transactions". August 19, 1986, p. 6C. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  18. ^ Gadsden Times. "Deals". March 17, 1987, p. C2. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  19. ^ Spokesman-Review. "Moves". August 3, 1987, p. C4.
  20. ^ Tom Mattingly, "Clyde Duncan, Part of 'Wide Receiver U,' Dies at 54", Knoxville News Sentinel, February 23, 2015.
  21. ^ "Former 1st-round NFL draft pick, Vols WR Clyde Duncan dies". USA TODAY. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
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