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Frank Clark (American football)

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Not to be confused with Frank Clarke (American football).

Frank Clark
refer to caption
Clark with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019
Personal information
Born: (1993-06-14) June 14, 1993 (age 31)
Bakersfield, California, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:265 lb (120 kg)
Career information
High school:Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio)
College:Michigan (2011–2014)
Position:Linebacker
NFL draft:2015 / round: 2 / pick: 63
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Tackles:271
Sacks:58.5
Forced fumbles:14
Fumble recoveries:7
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Frank Dominick Clark (born June 14, 1993), nicknamed "the Shark", is an American professional football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, where he was All-Big Ten. Clark was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. He has also played for the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs, with whom he won two Super Bowls. In his postseason career, he has collected 13.5 sacks, third most in NFL history.[1]

Early life

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In high school, Clark played numerous positions for head coach Ted Ginn Sr. at Glenville High School, but he was least interested in playing the position that Ginn felt he was most naturally suited to play (outside linebacker or defensive end).[2] The position he was most interested in playing was safety.[3] As a senior, he recorded 70 tackles and 19 sacks on defense, and caught 12 passes, including three for touchdowns on offense.

In track & field, Clark competed in events ranging from sprints, hurdles and jumps. He had bests of 23.5 seconds in the 200-meter dash, 15.53 seconds in the 110m hurdles, 39.55 seconds in the 300m hurdles, 1.88 meters (or 6–2) in the high jump, 6.37 meters (20–5) in the long jump and 13.07 meters (42–7.75) in the triple jump.[4][5] He also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds.

Clark was a three-star nationally rated player at outside linebacker,[6] tight end,[7] and defensive end.[8] He signed his National Letter of Intent to attend Michigan on February 2, 2011.[9]

College recruiting information
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight 40‡ Commit date
Frank Clark
TE/OLB/DE 		Cleveland, Ohio Glenville High School (OH) 6 ft 2.5 in (1.89 m) 207.5 lb (94.1 kg) 4.53 Feb 2, 2011 
Star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 77
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 33 (TE)   Rivals: 52 (OLB)  ESPN: 83 (DE), 46 (OH)
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Michigan Football Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  • "2011 Michigan Football Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  • "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  • "2011 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved December 3, 2013.

College career

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Clark with Michigan in 2012

As a freshman for the 2011 Wolverines, Clark had an interception that set up one of Michigan's two touchdowns in the January 3, 2012 Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech.[10] In the following offseason leading up to the season opener for the 2012 team against Alabama, Clark was suspended from the team for felony second-degree home invasion, for alleged theft of a MacBook Air.[11] He was allowed to return to practice a few weeks later.[12] He eventually pleaded guilty to the felony charge after missing one week. He was subject to punishment not more than 15 years in prison and $3,000 fine, but was eligible for sentencing under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, which would expunge the record upon satisfaction of probation requirements.[13] Clark had quarterback sacks in each of the team's two final regular season games against Iowa and Ohio State.[14]

In Clark's first two years at Michigan he added over 60 pounds (27.22 kg), without losing any speed.[3] On September 21, he had 1.5 sacks against Connecticut,[15] including one on third down during Connecticut's final possession as the 2013 Wolverines clung to a 24–21 lead.[16] He also had two sacks against Penn State on October 12 and ran back a fumble recovery for a touchdown, although it was not enough to help Michigan avert its first loss of the season.[15][17] Following the regular season, he was recognized as a second-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and an honorable mention selection by the media.[18][19] On November 16, 2014, Clark was arrested for domestic violence and dismissed from the football team.[20]

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 2+7⁄8 in
(1.90 m) 		271 lb
(123 kg) 		34+3⁄8 in
(0.87 m) 		10+1⁄8 in
(0.26 m)		 4.64 s 1.58 s 2.63 s 4.05 s 7.08 s 38.5 in
(0.98 m)		 9 ft 10 in
(3.00 m)		 19 reps
Values from NFL Combine and Michigan Pro Day.[21][22][23]

Seattle Seahawks (first stint)

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Clark playing for the Seahawks in his rookie season.

Clark was selected in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft with the 63rd overall selection by the Seattle Seahawks.[24][25] With his selection he joined the Legion of Boom defense coming off back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. He spent the 2015 season as a backup to Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril at defensive end.[26] Clark had 2 tackles in week 3 against the Chicago Bears on September 27.[27] On November 29, Clark had a sack against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[28] On December 6 against the Minnesota Vikings, Clark had 2 sacks.[29] In the Divisional Round of the 2015–16 NFL playoffs against the Carolina Panthers, Clark had one sack in the 31–24 loss.[30]

Clark finished the 2016 regular season with 10 sacks and two forced fumbles.[31]

During the offseason on May 9, 2017, Clark was criticized for a tweet he directed at Bleacher Report journalist Natalie Weiner. Weiner had previously written about Clark's domestic violence arrest. Clark told Weiner that "People like you don't have long careers in your field. I have a job for you cleaning my fish tanks when that lil job is ova."[32] In the 2017 season, he finished with nine sacks, 32 total tackles, two passes defensed, and two forced fumbles.[33] In Week 6 of the 2018 season, Clark recorded 2.5 sacks on quarterback Derek Carr to along with four tackles in a 27–3 win over the Oakland Raiders, earning him NFC Defensive Player of the Week.[34] He finished the season with 41 combined tackles, 13 sacks, two pass deflection, one interception, and three forced fumbles through 16 starts.[35]

On March 4, 2019, the Seahawks placed the franchise tag on Clark.[36]

Kansas City Chiefs

[edit]
Clark signing an autograph at Chiefs' training camp in 2019

On April 23, 2019, Clark was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs along with the Seahawks' 3rd round selection in the 2019 NFL draft, in exchange for the Chiefs' 1st and 3rd round selections in the 2019 NFL draft and a conditional second-round selection (less favorable of Chiefs/49ers second-round picks) in the 2020 NFL draft. After the trade, he signed a five-year contract worth $105.5 million with $63.5 million guaranteed.[37] Clark made his debut with the Chiefs in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the game, Clark made one tackle and intercepted quarterback Gardner Minshew in the 40–26 win.[38] In Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens, Clark recorded his first sack of the season on Lamar Jackson in the 33–28 win.[39] In Week 6 against the Houston Texans, Clark forced a fumble on Carlos Hyde and recovered the ball in the 31–24 loss.[40] In Week 7 against the Denver Broncos, Clark recorded 2 sacks on Joe Flacco in the 30–6 win.[41] Overall, Clark finished the 2019 season with 37 total tackles, eight sacks, four passes defensed, three forced fumbles, and one interception [42]

In the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Texans, Clark sacked Deshaun Watson three times during the 51–31 win.[43] In the AFC Championship Game against the Tennessee Titans, Clark made a game ending sack on Ryan Tannehill on a fourth down late in the fourth quarter to seal a 35–24 Chiefs' win.[44] In Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers, Clark recorded a sack on Jimmy Garoppolo on a fourth down late in the fourth quarter during the 31–20 win.[45]

Clark finished the 2020 season with 29 total tackles, six sacks, and two passes defensed in 15 games.[46] In the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills, Clark recorded two sacks on Josh Allen during the 38–24 win.[47] In Super Bowl LV against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Clark recorded one sack on Tom Brady during the 9–31 loss.[48]

In 2021, Clark started 14 games and finished the season with 22 total tackles and 4.5 sacks. Clark was also selected to his third Pro Bowl.

In week 7 of the 2022 season, Clark recorded his first career safety, sacking Jimmy Garoppolo in the end zone. Two days later on October 25, 2022, he was suspended for two games for his arrest in June 2021.[49] In the AFC divisional Round, Clark recorded a sack in the Chiefs 27-20 victory over the Jaguars. In the AFC Championship Game, Clark recorded 2.5 sacks in the Chiefs 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals to avenge the loss from the previous year and reach Super Bowl LVII. In the Super Bowl, Clark recorded 1 tackle in the Chiefs 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.[50] It was the Chiefs' second Super Bowl win in four years.

On March 7, 2023, the Chiefs released Clark.[51]

Denver Broncos

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Clark signed with the Broncos on June 13, 2023.[52] He was released on October 14, 2023. He was released after being on the Broncos roster for 5 games, three of which he was inactive for. His short tenure with the Broncos ended with recording just two tackles.[53]

Seattle Seahawks (second stint)

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On October 26, 2023, the Seahawks signed Clark to a one-year deal.[54] On December 30, the Seahawks waived Clark.[55]

NFL career statistics

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Legend
Won the Super Bowl
Bold Career high

Regular season

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Year Team Games Tackles Fumbles Interceptions
GP GS Cmb Solo Ast Sck FF FR Yds Int Yds Avg Lng TD PD
2015 SEA 15 0 16 15 1 3.0 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
2016 SEA 15 5 47 25 22 10.0 2 1 27 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
2017 SEA 16 12 32 19 13 9.0 2 1 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 2
2018 SEA 16 16 41 33 8 13.0 3 2 0 1 26 26.0 26 0 3
2019 KC 14 11 37 27 10 8.0 3 1 0 1 5 5.0 5 0 4
2020 KC 15 15 29 21 8 6.0 0 1 14 0 0 0.0 0 0 2
2021 KC 14 14 22 15 7 4.5 2 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
2022 KC 15 15 39 25 14 5.0 1 1 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
2023 DEN 2 0 2 2 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
SEA 6 0 6 2 4 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
Total 128 88 271 184 87 58.5 14 7 41 2 31 15.5 26 0 13

Playoffs

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Year Team Games Tackles Fumbles Interceptions
GP GS Cmb Solo Ast Sck FF FR Yds Int Yds Avg Lng TD PD
2015 SEA 2 0 3 2 1 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
2016 SEA 2 0 1 1 0 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
2018 SEA 1 1 4 2 2 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
2019 KC 3 3 9 6 3 5.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
2020 KC 3 3 9 5 4 3.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
2021 KC 3 3 7 4 3 0.0 0 1 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
2022 KC 3 3 7 6 1 2.5 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
Total 17 13 40 26 14 13.5 1 1 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
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While at Michigan in 2012, Clark was arrested for felony home-invasion charges.[56]

During Michigan's 2014 season, Clark was arrested for domestic violence. He said at the time of his arrest that he and his girlfriend got into an argument in a hotel room in Sandusky, Ohio, but that he didn't touch her. The officer who responded said that Clark had an injury on his nose and determined he was intoxicated at the time of his arrest. A lamp in the hotel room was damaged and his girlfriend had a large welt on the side of her cheek and marks on her neck, as well as what appeared to be a rug burn. She reportedly threw a remote at Clark during the argument, to which Clark responded by restraining her on the bed. She bit his nose to try to get free, after which he shoved her head into the bed but she got free. After getting free Clark reportedly punched her. As she was trying to leave the room, she threw the alarm clock at Clark.[57] Clark pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct but had the assault charges dropped. He was required to pay a $350 fine and was sentenced to a three-day jail sentence, but was given credit for time already served after his arrest. He was also dismissed from the football team.[58]

On June 20, 2021, Clark was arrested in Los Angeles for felony firearm possession. He was pulled over by police on suspicion of a vehicle code violation. Police noticed a bag with an uzi sitting in the backseat. He was released the following day on bond.[59] After the arrest, it was reported that he was also arrested on a gun charge in March 2021.[60] He was charged with felony possession of an assault weapon, which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison.[61] He pled no contest to the charges and was sentenced to one year of probation and 40 hours of community service on September 8, 2022.[62]

References

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  1. ^ Kerr, Jeff (February 11, 2023). "2023 Super Bowl: Chiefs' Frank Clark says Eagles have 'done nothing but earn' title of best O-line in NFL". CBSSports.com. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  2. ^ Snyder, Mark (August 11, 2013). "Michigan football: Frank Clark's prep coach could see future was at DE before he could". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  3. ^ a b Hogg, Dave (August 19, 2013). "Frank Clark adds muscle, retains speed". FOX Sports. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  4. ^ "OHSAA District Track and Field Championship – Mentor – Complete Results (Raw)". Ohio MileSplit. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  5. ^ "OHSAA Northeast – Mentor Division I District Track – Track & Field Meet". Athletic.net. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  6. ^ "Frank Clark". Rivals.com. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  7. ^ "Frank Clark". Scout.com. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  8. ^ "Frank Clark". ESPN. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  9. ^ "Michigan Recruiting: Frank Clark of Glenville Commits to Brady Hoke's Wolverines". Bleacher Report. February 2, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  10. ^ "Brendan Gibbons' OT FG boots Michigan past Va. Tech, to Sugar Bowl title". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 3, 2012. Archived from the original on January 5, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  11. ^ Meinke, Kyle (July 23, 2012). "Frank Clark, facing home invasion charge, is 2nd Michigan football player suspended". AnnArbor.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  12. ^ Snyder, Mark (August 12, 2012). "Pair of suspended Michigan players to return to practice". USA Today. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  13. ^ Meinke, Kyle (September 12, 2012). "Frank Clark's status with Michigan won't change after felony plea, Brady Hoke says". AnnArbor.com. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  14. ^ "Frank Clark Game By Game Stats (2012)". ESPN. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  15. ^ a b "Frank Clark Game By Game Stats (2013)". ESPN. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  16. ^ "(15) Michigan 24 (4–0, 1–0 away); Connecticut 21 (0–3, 0–3 home) (Play-By-Play)". ESPN. September 21, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  17. ^ "Bill Belton's 2-yard TD run puts Penn St. by No. 18 Michigan in 4 OTs". ESPN.com. Associated Press. October 12, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  18. ^ "Lewan, Funchess Earn Top Big Ten Position Awards". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. December 2, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  19. ^ "2013 Big Ten Individual Award Winners" (PDF). CSTV.com. December 2, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 6, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  20. ^ Murphy, Dan (November 17, 2014). "Wolverines dismiss DE Frank Clark". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
  21. ^ "Frank Clark Draft and Combine Prospect Profile", NFL.com, retrieved February 24, 2015.
  22. ^ "Devin Funchess, Frank Clark shine at Michigan's pro day", NFL.com, archived from the original on May 3, 2020, retrieved December 12, 2015
  23. ^ "2015 NFL Draft Scout Frank Clark College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  24. ^ "2015 NFL Draft Central". BigTen.org. CBS Interaction. May 2, 2015. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  25. ^ "Funchess Selected by Panthers; Clark Goes to Seahawks in Second Round". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  26. ^ Drovetto, Tony (November 19, 2015). "Seahawks Rookie Defensive End Frank Clark In Line For More Snaps vs San Francisco 49ers". Seahawks.com. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  27. ^ "Chicago Bears 0; 26 Seattle Seahawks". ESPN. September 27, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  28. ^ "Pittsburgh Steelers 30 6–5, 2–3 Away;Seattle Seahawks 39 6–5, 4–2 Home". ESPN. November 30, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  29. ^ "Seattle Seahawks 38 7–5, 3–3 Away; Minnesota Vikings 7, 8–4, 4–2 Home". ESPN. December 6, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  30. ^ "Seattle Seahawks 10–6, 5–3 Away 24; 31 Carolina Panthers 15–1, 8–0 Home". ESPN. January 17, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  31. ^ "Frank Clark 2016 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  32. ^ Florio, Mike (May 10, 2017). "Frank Clark would prefer that we not mention his domestic violence incident". NBC Sports. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  33. ^ "Frank Clark 2017 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  34. ^ Lam, Quang M. (October 17, 2018). "Albert Wilson, Todd Gurley among Players of Week". NFL.com. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  35. ^ "Frank Clark 2018 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  36. ^ Maya, Adam (March 4, 2019). "Seahawks place franchise tag on DE Frank Clark". NFL.com. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  37. ^ Teope, Herbie (April 23, 2019). "Seahawks agree to trade Frank Clark to Chiefs for draft picks". NFL.com. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  38. ^ "Chiefs lose Hill, handle Jags 40–26 behind Mahomes, Watkins". ESPN. Associated Press. September 8, 2019. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  39. ^ "Mahomes throws 3 TD passes as Chiefs hold off Ravens, 33–28". ESPN. Associated Press. September 22, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  40. ^ "Watson, Hyde lead Chiefs to 31–24 victory over Chiefs". ESPN. Associated Press. October 13, 2019. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  41. ^ "Patrick Mahomes hurts knee in Chiefs' win over Broncos". ESPN. Associated Press. October 17, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  42. ^ "Frank Clark 2019 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  43. ^ "Chiefs rally from 24–0 hole to beat Texans 51–31 in playoffs". ESPN. Associated Press. January 12, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  44. ^ "Mahomes' feet, arms, lift Chiefs to Super Bowl over Titans". ESPN. Associated Press. January 19, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  45. ^ "Mahomes leads Chiefs' rally past 49ers in Super Bowl, 31–20". ESPN. Associated Press. February 2, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  46. ^ "Frank Clark 2020 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  47. ^ "AFC Championship – Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs – January 24th, 2021". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  48. ^ Junda, Zach (February 8, 2021). "White, Fournette Help Lead Bucs to Super Bowl 55 Win". And The Valley Shook. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  49. ^ "NFL suspends Frank Clark for two games under Personal Conduct Policy". NBCSports.com. October 25, 2022.
  50. ^ "Super Bowl LVII - Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs - February 12th, 2023". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  51. ^ McMullen, Matt (March 7, 2023). "Chiefs Bid Farewell to Two-Time Super Bowl Champion Frank Clark". Chiefs.com. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  52. ^ DiLalla, Aric (June 13, 2023). "Broncos sign OLB Frank Clark". DenverBroncos.com.
  53. ^ DiLalla, Aric (October 14, 2023). "Broncos release OLB Frank Clark". DenverBroncos.com.
  54. ^ Boyle, John (October 26, 2023). "Seahawks Sign Frank Clark, Place Uchenna Nwosu On Injured Reserve". Seahawks.com. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  55. ^ Boyle, John (December 30, 2023). "Seahawks Place Jamal Adams & Dee Eskridge On Injured Reserve, Waive Frank Clark & Sign Three Off Practice Squad". Seahawks.com. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  56. ^ "Frank Clark would prefer that we not mention his domestic violence incident". NBCSports.com. May 10, 2017.
  57. ^ "Officer describes violent scene in Frank Clark's hotel room". FreeP.com.
  58. ^ "Frank Clark pleads guilty to disorderly conduct; domestic violence, assault charges dropped". MLive.com. April 10, 2015.
  59. ^ "Kansas City Chiefs Frank Clark arrested in Los Angeles on firearm charge". KMBC.com. June 22, 2021.
  60. ^ McDowell, Sam (June 21, 2021). "Kansas City Chiefs' Frank Clark arrested on gun charge. It's his second this offseason". Kansas City Star. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  61. ^ Crawford, Brad (July 9, 2021). "Frank Clark arrest: Chiefs pass rusher facing felony charges after uzi found". 247Sports.com. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  62. ^ "Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Frank Clark pleads no contest to Los Angeles gun charges". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 8, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
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