Former Colts TE Dallas Clark doing Ironman challenge to raise $2 million for charity

 

Nate Atkins

Indianapolis Star

This October, former Colts tight end Dallas Clark will be running 26.2 miles, swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112 miles, all in a single race.

It's an Ironman Challenge, with a target goal in mind: He's looking to raise $2 million to split between the Peyton Manning Children's Hospital and the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.

To get ready for such an undertaking, he'll run the 500 Festival Mini Marathon on Saturday in Indianapolis. Back in the city where he played nine NFL seasons, Clark will train for the ironman challenge and recruit as many donors as he can.

"It's swim, run and bike. I feel like that's right up a tight end's alley," Clark said. "I have to go block the big, ugly defensive ends and then I have to go get open on the slow linebackers and safeties."

Clark, 42, was the 24th overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. The Colts took him out of Iowa to become the chain-mover for an offense with Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Clark caught 427 passes and 46 touchdowns during his Colts run, topping out with 100 catches for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns as a first-team All-Pro in 2009. He started two Super Bowls, including when the Colts beat the Bears following the 2006 season.

Dallas Clark played nine seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and started in two Super Bowls. Matt Kryger

He signed a one-day contract to retire as a Colt in 2014, and he figured he'd have an easy retirement at that point. He went to work on an organic farm in Iowa and raised three children.

But now, a new challenge is calling him. He wanted to chase an aggressive athletic goal again, and now he's found a way to do so and to give back to two causes that have always mattered to him with his alma mater and with Manning's charity.

Clark will compete in October at the Ironman world championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. His goal is to finish the race in less than 12 hours.

"My goal is constantly changing because I'm doing stuff right now that I've never done before," Clark said. "It's crazy to me to go out and run for 45 minutes before I start getting tired. Even in my best shape of football, never could I do that. It's just a complete switch of training."

He's not holding such lofty goals for this weekend's half-marathon in Indianapolis, as the bigger goal is to spread the word and raise donations. As of Thursday afternoon, he was up to $269 raised of the $2 million goal, so he has work to do this weekend.

Those interested in contributing can visit his page on the Ironman Foundation website.

He's excited for the adrenaline rush of competition again, but he's also invested in the outcome.

"Kids with illnesses and kids in this world have a huge place in my heart," he said.

Contact Colts insider Nate Atkins at natkins@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.

Tyler Linderbaum Wants to Be the Next Marshal Yanda

 

Apr 29, 2022 at 06:01 PM

Ryan Mink

BaltimoreRavens.com Staff Writer

Left: Former G Marshal Yanda. Right: C Tyler Linderbaum

The last time the Ravens took an offensive lineman out of Iowa, it turned out to be a pretty good pick.

Marshal Yanda went from a third-round pick in 2007 to an eight-time Pro Bowler and one of the most revered players in Ravens history.

Now Tyler Linderbaum, the center the Ravens picked at No. 25 overall Thursday night, will try to become the next Hawkeye Baltimore falls in love with.

 

Linderbaum also played for Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz, who previously worked for three years as an offensive line coach and other duties in Baltimore (1996-1998).

 

"We've had two Hawkeyes that were very successful here. I'm just trying to get on the same path as them," Linderbaum said.

 

Linderbaum has trained with Yanda, as the former Ravens guard would go home and work out at his old college during offseasons. A renowned warrior who coined the phrase "embrace the grind," Yanda displayed what it took to reach his level.

"Just seeing his work ethic as a young guy, that's a guy you want to be like. He's an All-Pro offensive lineman and that's someone you want to be," Linderbaum said.

 

Head Coach John Harbaugh was asked if the Ravens spoke to Yanda to get information about Linderbaum. Turns out, Yanda came to Baltimore instead.

 

"When he visited, he was volunteering information," Harbaugh said. "He couldn't talk enough about him – his guy."

 

Bucs add another Tight End in the 2022 NFL Draft

 

Bucs bring in a blocking specialist to help pave the way for the team's skill position players.

COLLIN HAALBOOM

APR 30, 2022

 

The Buccaneers have selected their second tight end in this year's draft, by moving up to select Ko Kieft, a player who spent his collegiate career playing for the Golden Gophers of the University of Minnesota.

Don't make assumptions based on his position label, because the Bucs' latest draft pick, tight end, Ko Kieft, isn't here to make plays with the football in his hands. His primary role will be to pave the way for other players on the roster who can. 

Jason Licht obviously views Kieft's specific skill-set (a blocking tight end) as a priority for his current roster. This is supported by the fact he made the decision to trade picks 235 and 261 in order to move up to 218 to select Kieft.

At 6'4" and 259 pounds, Ko Kieft certainly has the size required to be on an NFL football field. He has 33" arms, and clearly has the necessary strength, as indicated by his 21 reps on the bench press. Let's be clear, Kieft is big enough, and strong enough, but he is not an athletic player. He ran a very modest 4.59 40-time, while jumping 30" in the vertical testing. 

Kieft has been described as a player who has an excellent motor, and an aggressive demeanor while demonstrating exceptional strength and power as a blocking specialist. He knows what he is, and he clearly embraces that role. 

Kieft isn't a jack of all trades, he's a master of one. 

He embraces his ability to block, which obviously paid off for him in terms of his effectiveness as a football player for Minnesota. He was considered by some evaluators to be one of, if not the best blocking tight end in the nation last year. He excels so much as a blocker, that he was often used in various different roles and alignments within the Golden Gophers' offense, but it was always with the same purpose—to put him in a position to create alleys for Minnesota ball carriers to run through. 

Kieft had minimal production as a receiver at the college level, where he only managed to produce 12 catches, and 166 yards receiving over the course of his collegiate career. Again, this isn't an issue. This is a player who was selected 100% for his blocking ability, not for what he can't do as a pass-catcher. You could go as far as to consider him as another, more agile version of an offensive lineman. 

Ko Kieft will join Tyler Johnson and Antoine Winfield Jr. as the third Golden Gopher alumni to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the NFL Draft.

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