Clyde Duncan

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For the West Indian cricket umpire, see Clyde Duncan (umpire).

Clyde Duncan
No. 86
Position:
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 an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. Duncan was a first-round pick for the Cardinals in the 1984 NFL draft, but he only played in 1984 and 1985, finishing his career with just four 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.[5] Along with teammates Willie Gault, Anthony Hancock, Lenny Taylor and Tim McGee, he helped create the school's reputation as "Wide Receiver U."[6] He played sparingly in 1979, redshirted in 1980, played as a defensive back in 1981, and played primarily as a reserve receiver in 1982.[7] In 1983, however, he led the team in receiving with 33 catches for 640 yards and six touchdowns.[8] He caught touchdown passes of 80 yards and 57 yards in Tennessee's 41–34 win over Alabama,[9] and his 85-yard touchdown catch against Vanderbilt remains the third-longest in school history.[10] He attracted close attention from scouts for his workout performance at the 1983 Blue–Gray Football Classic.[11]

Professional football career

Duncan was selected in the first round of the 1984 NFL draft by the Cardinals.[12] Duncan's rookie year was disrupted by a contract dispute,[13] and he did not sign with the Cardinals until September 10.[14] He soon separated his shoulder, sending him to the injured reserve list.[15] In 1985, Duncan did work his way into the lineup, but caught only four passes on the season[16] and lost his role as third receiver.[17] The Cardinals released Duncan on August 18, 1986.[18] Duncan was subsequently acquired by the Cleveland Browns in the spring of 1987,[19] but he was released at the start of preseason[20] and did not appear in another NFL game.

He died at the age of 54 in 2015.[21][22]

References

  1. ^ a b 1979 Signees Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, 1979 Tennessee Volunteers Football Guide, p. 56.
  2. ^ "CLYDE DUNCAN Obituary (2015) - Dunkirk, MD - The Washington Post". Legacy.com. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  3. 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. ^ Shaw, Taylor (February 24, 2015). "Former 1st-round NFL draft pick, Vols WR Clyde Duncan dies". WATE 6 On Your Side. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  6. ^ Mike Strange, "Vols Were Sugar Sweet", Knoxnews.com, September 30, 2012. Retrieved: July 10, 2013.
  7. ^ 1983 Squad Archived November 13, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, 1983 Tennessee Volunteers Football Guide, p. 45.
  8. ^ 1983 Offensive Statistics Archived November 13, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, 1984 Tennessee Volunteers Football Guide, p. 91.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ Individual Football Records Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, UTSports.com, p. 332.
  11. Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington). "Tennessee's Duncan dazzling pro scouts"
    . December 25, 1983, p. C2. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  12. ^ "1984 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  13. ^ Reading Eagle. "Notes". July 29, 1984, p. 99. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  14. ^ Southeast Missourian (Cape Girardeau, Mo.). "Duncan to sign with Cardinals". September 9, 1984, p. 27. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  15. St. Petersburg Times. "NFL notes"
    . October 16, 1984, p. 3C. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  16. ^ Palmer et al., p. 201.
  17. Pittsburgh Press
    , October 14, 1985, p. C6. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  18. Palm Beach Post. "Transactions"[permanent dead link
    ]    . August 19, 1986, p. 6C. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  19. Gadsden Times. "Deals"
    . March 17, 1987, p. C2. Retrieved on July 18, 2013.
  20. ^ Spokesman-Review. "Moves". August 3, 1987, p. C4.
  21. ^ Tom Mattingly, "Clyde Duncan, Part of 'Wide Receiver U,' Dies at 54", Knoxville News Sentinel, February 23, 2015.
  22. ^ "Former 1st-round NFL draft pick, Vols WR Clyde Duncan dies". USA TODAY. Associated Press. February 23, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
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