LDS athletes have always attracted my interest. I’d be hard-pressed to explain why I have such an interest in them. Perhaps it’s the history our people have of raising up against the odds and accomplishing things they’re not supposed to accomplish. The LDS athlete has had, and continues to have, an uphill struggle. The playing fields are equal through high school, but at the collegiate level, things begin to change once a two-year mission is factored in.

Until the 80s, the LDS athlete who chose to serve a mission saw his athletic career end with his acceptance of the call to serve. Things have changed over the past couple of decades and we’ve seen the likes of Bart Oates, Vai Sikahema, Mark Madsen, Rob Morris, Chad Lewis, McKay Christensen, Shawn Bradley, Itula Mili and John Tait go on missions, return to excel at the collegiate level, then go on to successful professional careers. It’s been refreshing to see the trend change.

If you’re like me, there’s a small list of LDS athletes to track. They’re the bigger names, the ones that stand out. Greg Clark was on my short list of LDS players in the NFL for several seasons. Drafted by San Francisco in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft, Clark saw action in 15 games as a rookie, including his first NFL start that came as a result of an injury to 49er legend Brent Jones. By 2000, Clark had become a regular part of the 49er system, starting 15 of 16 games. In 2001, Clark was sidelined the entire season with a hamstring injury. By all indications, he would rehabilitate during the off season and pick up where he left off.

The 49ers terminated his contract on Feb. 27, 2002.

Where’d He Go?

So what happened to the next 49er legend? With little explanation, his contract was terminated and Clark disappeared. The scoop behind the scenes was given by Clark from his office in northern California where he now works in the real estate industry.

“I had a couple of hamstring injuries,” he said. “I also threw my back out pretty bad and that injury was what was really kept me from coming back. I spent the next four to five months after the 2001 season trying to rehab the back, but it kept getting worse.”

After the 2001 season, Clark learned he had a couple of blown discs in his back. On Aug. 28, 2002, he underwent back surgery and was hampered by an infection that required four hours a day of intravenous antibiotics for two and a half months. His back surgery has pretty much wiped out any chance of him making a comeback to pro football. He will officially announce his retirement from professional football within the next few weeks, he said.

In spite of the injuries, he received offers from several other NFL teams once the 49ers released him. His inability to pass the physicals kept him from pursuing any of the offers.

Utah Bred

Clark was born in Centerville, Utah, and is the oldest of eight children born to Jay Dee and Colleen Clark. Greg played at Viewmont High School in Bountiful where he played eight positions, including wide receiver, running back, punter, kicker and return specialist. He also played baseball and basketball, earning honors on the diamond as a two-time, all-state, all-conference selection as a pitcher, shortstop and outfielder. On the hardwood as a senior, he averaged 14.0 points a game as a shooting guard. He was scouted by major league scouts as a pitcher, but opted to play football instead. BYU offered him a football scholarship out of high school, then rescinded the offer at the last minute.

Ricks College was the place he chose to hone his athletic skills prior to leaving on his mission. He intended to play both football and baseball in Rexburg but opted for the gridiron when the new baseball coach frowned on his players pursuing anything other than baseball.

From 1991-93, Clark served in the Peoria Illinois Mission. In 1994, he returned to Ricks and earned All-American honors and received scholarship offers from Stanford, UCLA, Ohio State, Arizona State and Texas. BYU recruited him again while he was at Ricks, but he felt the pool of tight ends, which included Chad Lewis and Itula Mili, was pretty deep. After BYU unsuccessfully persuaded him to play defensive end, Clark decided to entertain the other offers.

“I narrowed it down to Stanford and UCLA,” he said. “I decided on UCLA then changed my mind at the last minute. I chose Stanford for the academics.” After majoring in economics through his junior year, he switched his major and graduated with a degree in psychology.

Missionary Man

A full-time mission was something that was always a part of Greg’s game plan. “I always knew and felt it was the right thing to do,” he said. “To be honest, it was something I never questioned.”

Greg understands the dilemma LDS athletes face when it comes time to decide whether to serve a mission or not. “My advice has always been the same,” explained Greg. “Going on a mission will only help you in the long run. A mission will only enhance your athletic career. It will help you to be more disciplined, more focused, more driven, and spiritually stronger. You’d have two more years to mature, to get bigger and stronger. In the end, the Lord will only bless you for your service. Whatever your path in life, it will only be enhanced by having the missionary experience. There’s absolutely not one negative thing that is going to come from serving a mission.”

Blind Dating

Greg and his wife Carie live in northern California where Greg is now working in the real estate industry. They have a son, Jayden, 3. Greg met Carie on a blind date that was arranged by her roommate and his brother during Greg’s rookie season with the 49ers. The couple married on May 2, 1998, in the Oakland Temple.

Greg is presently the priests quorum advisor in his ward and enjoys working in his new career. “I really enjoy what I’m doing now,” he said. “It helps me from becoming preoccupied with things like feeling sorry for myself because I’m not playing football anymore.”

The Clan

Each of the Clark children have served missions and those that are married have been married in the temple. Greg, 30, Taylor, 29, Ryan, 28, Michael, 26, Natalie, 25, John, 24, Jason, 22, and Nathan, 19, comprise the Clark roster.

Football runs deep in the Clark family. Jay Dee was an offensive and defensive lineman at BYU and Weber State. Ryan was a football standout at Ricks. Michael was an All-American kicker at Ricks and went on to the University of Houston on a scholarship. He followed his collegiate career with a stint in the NFL with Oakland. John is a senior at the University of Houston where he plays tight end and wide receiver. Jason is the starting outside linebacker at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. Nathan is a tight end on scholarship at Weber State and is currently on a Spanish-speaking mission in Texas.

Coaching Aspirations

It is widely assumed that former football players have a strong desire to remain involved in the game and pursue careers in coaching after the limelight of the playing field has run its course. That assumption isn’t necessarily true with Greg.

“I’d love to coach,” said Greg. “However, coaching these days has gone to the extreme that you’ve got to put in 18 hours a day or you’re not considered a good coach. For me, to take 18 hours out of my day away from my family doesn’t seem worth it. The benefits don’t seem worth the sacrifice. For now, I’ve chosen not to go that route.”

Does that mean he’ll never wear the headset and pace the sidelines?

“The thing is, since I’ve spent such a big part of my life playing football, now that it’s over for me, I just want to take some time and focus on things other than football,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to be as successful at business as I’ve been at football. I’m trying to translate what made me successful in sports to helping me be a successful businessman. Once I conquer that, who knows