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By Phillip B. Wilson
November 11, 2009
The tight end that typically gets overlooked for awards finally got one today as the Indianapolis Colts’ Dallas Clark was named NFL AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Clark, a seventh-year pro who has flourished in this offense but has yet to make his first Pro Bowl, tied a franchise record with a career-high 14 catches in Sunday’s 20-17 home victory over Houston.
“It’s cool. It’s never happened before,” Clark said. “But a lot of things went into it. It certainly wasn’t just an individual thing.”
Clark’s catches tied former receiver Marvin Harrison for most in a Colts game. It’s also the third-best single-game total by a tight end in NFL history, behind Kellen Winslow (1984) and Jason Witten (2007), each with 15.
The first AFC tight end to win the honor since Denver’s Shannon Sharpe in Week 11 of 2003, Clark is in the midst of a career year that could shatter single-season league records for the position. Clark’s 60 catches lead the AFC and are second overall. His 703 receiving yards rank sixth in the league.
“He’s a guy who’s been playing extremely well all year long, as you well know,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said.
