Clyde Duncan

American football player (1961–2015)

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

American football player

Clyde DuncanNo. 86

Position:| Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:| (1961-02-05)February 5, 1961
Oxon Hill, Maryland, U.S.
Died:| February 16, 2015(2015-02-16) (aged 54)
Fort Washington, Maryland, U.S.
Height:| 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:| 202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school:| Oxon Hill (MD) Potomac[1]
College:| Tennessee
NFL draft:| 1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 17
Career history

* St. Louis Cardinals (1984–1985)
* Indianapolis Colts (1987)

Career NFL statistics
| Receptions:| 4

|

Receiving yards:| 39
Touchdowns:| 1

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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. ^ Palmer, Pete; Pullis, Ken; Lahman, Sean; Silverman, Matthew; Gillette, Gary. The ESPN Pro Football Encyclopedia: First Edition, p. 201. ESPN Books, 2006. 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. ^ Clayton, John. "Lethargic Cardinals sink deeper in loss to Eagles". 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.

* v
* t
* e

1984 NFL draft first-round selections

* Irving Fryar
* Dean Steinkuhler
* Carl Banks
* Kenny Jackson
* Bill Maas
* Mossy Cade
* Ricky Hunley
* Leonard Coleman
* Rick Bryan
* Russell Carter
* Wilber Marshall
* Alphonso Carreker
* Keith Millard
* Jackie Shipp
* Ron Faurot
* Pete Koch
* Clyde Duncan
* Don Rogers
* Ron Solt
* David Lewis
* John Alt
* Terry Taylor
* Louis Lipps
* Todd Shell
* Billy Cannon Jr.
* Greg Bell
* William Roberts
* Brian Blados

* v
* t
* e

St. Louis Cardinals 1984 NFL draft selections

* Clyde Duncan
* Doug Dawson
* Rick McIvor
* Martin Bayless
* Jeff Leiding
* John Goode
* Rod Clark
* Quentin Walker
* Niko Noga
* Bob Paulling
* John Walker
* Mark Smythe
* Kyle Mackey
* Paul Parker
* Mike Ruether (supp.)
* Derek Kennard (supp.)
* Tim Riordan (supp.)

* v
* t
* e

Arizona Cardinals first-round draft picks

Formerly the Chicago Cardinals (1920–1959), St. Louis Cardinals (1960–1987) and Phoenix Cardinals (1988–1993)

* Lawrence
* Buivid
* Robbins
* Aldrich
* Cafego
* Kimbrough
* Lach
* Dobbs
* Harder
* Trippi
* D. Jones
* Coulter
* Spavital
* Fischer
* Groom
* Matson
* Olszewski
* McHan
* Boydston
* Childress
* Tubbs
* K. Hill
* Crow
* Stacy
* Izo
* K. Rice
* Echols
* Goode
* Stovall
* Brumm
* Kortas
* Namath
* McAdams
* D. L. Williams
* Lane
* Wehrli
* Stegent
* Thompson
* Moore
* Butz
* Cain
* Gray
* Dawson
* Pisarkiewicz
* Little
* Greene
* Anderson
* Greer
* Junior
* Sharpe
* Smith
* Duncan
* Nunn
* Bell
* Stouffer
* Harvey
* E. Hill
* Wolf
* Swann
* Hearst
* Dye
* Miller
* S. Rice
* Knight
* Wadsworth
* Boston
* Shelton
* T. Jones
* Davis
* Bryant
* B. Johnson
* Pace
* Fitzgerald
* Rolle
* Leinart
* Brown
* Rodgers-Cromartie
* Wells
* D. E. Williams
* Peterson
* Floyd
* Cooper
* Bucannon
* Humphries
* Nkemdiche
* Reddick
* Rosen
* Murray
* Simmons
* Collins
* P. Johnson
* Harrison Jr.
* Robinson

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