Former tight end and long-time NFL great Dallas Clark is joining the Iowa Hawkeyes Hall of Fame as a part of their 2022 class. Clark is set to be inducted along with the rest of Iowa’s 33rd class of inductees.
The class includes field hockey’s Amy Fowler, wrestling’s Dan Holm, softball’s Kari Knopf, baseball’s Keith Noreen, golf’s George Roddy, and swimming’s Nancilea Underwood.
The Call to the Hall.
Dallas 🤝 KF#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/KudAWZVGeq
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) June 1, 2022
Clark spent the 1999-2002 seasons as part of the Hawkeyes football program where he began his career as a linebacker prior to the switch to tight end in his second year.
The move proved to be very fruitful as Clark eventually won the John Mackey Award given to the best tight end in college football, was an All-Big Ten first team selection, a unanimous first-team All-American, and an eventual first round NFL draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 2003.
In just two seasons as a tight end, Clark provided the Hawkeyes with 1,281 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
“This one caught me off guard. You know, I think, yeah, it’s certainly something you don’t just sit around and, you know, like wonder, ‘Oh, is it going to happen?’ All I do know is, every year going back to games and seeing that Hall of Fame Class on the field and just seeing some fellow teammates, some fellow athletes that were on campus when I was on campus, and just feeling a sense of pride of like, ‘Man, I remember reading about that person in The Daily Iowan. Or, I remember going to that person’s game and watching them wrestle, or play volleyball or what have you and play basketball.’
“And, I’m in with that crowd, in that family, in that group. Honestly, I can’t even, you know, it’s an unbelievable honor. Especially when all I was…my five-year plan was to just make special teams. That was the start. That’s all. I just wanted that letterman’s jacket. I mean, come on now. We kid ourselves, but, if you didn’t switch me, we would still just be talking about how do I coach better? Because I’d probably be a teacher and a coach right now, which isn’t a bad thing, which would be phenomenal, but certainly wouldn’t have had the career I had as a linebacker. And so any time, especially when it comes to Iowa football, something, an accolade or a recognition I get, you obviously are the first person to come to mind for that switch and obviously giving me a chance. It was just an unbelievable fit,” Clark said in a video call with Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz.
Clark went on to play 11 seasons in the NFL, the majority with the Colts and quarterback Peyton Manning, where he added a Super Bowl ring to his collection in 2006.
His NFL career saw him appear in 143 games. Throughout his 11 seasons, Clark tallied 5,665 receiving yards and 53 touchdowns. His 2009 season saw him receive recognition as a Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection.
Clark played an important role in helping turn Iowa into a program that is now known for their tight ends that they send to the NFL. His collegiate and NFL career helped continue to establish the long lineage of successful Iowa tight ends that is still very alive and well today.
Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta looks like the next player set to join that list alongside Clark as former Hawkeyes that have turned into impact NFL tight ends.
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