Jeromey W. Clary (born November 5, 1983) is a former American football offensive lineman who played his entire career for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Chargers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL draft and played college football at Kansas State.
 Clary during a game at Denver in November 2009 | |||||||
| No. 66 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Offensive tackle | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | November 5, 1983 Norfolk, Nebraska, U.S. | ||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 320 lb (145 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Mansfield (TX) | ||||||
| College: | Kansas State | ||||||
| NFL draft: | 2006 / round: 6 / pick: 187 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Early life
editClary attended Mansfield High School in Mansfield, Texas.
College career
editClary closed out his K-State career as one of the top offensive tackles in the Big Twelve Conference, where he excelled on the field, as well as in the classroom. He was selected to the Academic All-District VII team as a senior and was also a three-time Academic All-Big Twelve first-team selection. During his collegiate career, Clary showed his versatility by playing both tackle positions. Clary proved to be an extremely durable player during his Wildcat career, starting 37 consecutive games over his final three seasons.
Clary earned his bachelor's degree in psychology and graduated in December 2005.
Professional career
editThe San Diego Chargers selected Clary out of Kansas State with their pick in the sixth round (187th overall) of the 2006 NFL draft.[1]
In his rookie season, Clary spent the year on the Chargers' practice squad.
Clary became a starter late in the 2007 season. A reserve for most of the year, the coaches inserted him into the starting lineup at right tackle in early December to give the team’s struggling running game a spark. Over the final five games, the Chargers rushed for 880 yards, scored eight touchdowns and went 5-0. Clary’s ascension into the starting lineup helped the Chargers capture the AFC West title en route to a berth in the AFC Championship Game.
Clary earned the starting right tackle spot in mini camp.[2] Following the 2008 season, he was awarded $405,859 in additional pay from the NFL's performance-based pay system, which gives financial compensation based on a comparison of playing time to salary; this made him the biggest beneficiary in 2008.[3]
Clary re-signed a one-year contract with the Chargers during the 2009 off-season.[4] Clary was the Chargers’ winner of the Ed Block Courage Award in 2010 after recovering from a serious ankle injury in 2009 that required surgery. He came back from the injury and played every snap during the 2010 and ’11 seasons.
Clary again re-signed with the Chargers, this time on a four-year, $20 million contract almost immediately following the lockout during the 2011 offseason. The contract was front loaded, so Clary earned $8.5 million in the first year. Clary went on to start and play in all 16 games for the Chargers in 2011.[5]
In 2012, Clary started and played in 14 games for the Chargers at right tackle, missing two games due to a knee injury.
Clary was moved to right guard during the 2013 season after the Chargers selected D.J. Fluker in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft.[6]
After starting in 93 of his 103 career games, recurring problems with Clary's hip sidelined him for the entire 2014 season. On January 8, 2015, he announced his retirement from the NFL.[7][8]
Personal life
editClary and his wife, Breanna, have two sons, Cannon and Jackson.
Clary enjoys country music. His favorite artist is Zac Brown Band. His hobbies include golf and spending time with his family at San Diego’s beaches and amusement parks.[9]
References
edit- ^ "2006 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
- ^ "Chargers.com - Team » Roster » #66 Jeromey Clary | OT". Archived from the original on September 20, 2007. Retrieved September 3, 2007.
- ^ Bonus Pay SI.com, 2009
- ^ Clary Signs Exclusive Rights Tender With Chargers Yahoo Sports, March 17, 2009
- ^ "Jeromey Clary - Los Angeles Chargers - news and analysis, statistics, game logs, depth charts, contracts, injuries".
- ^ "Jeromey Clary Stats, News and Video - G". NFL.com.
- ^ Henne, Ricky. ""The Ultimate Pro" Jeromey Clary Retires". Chargers.com. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ^ Gehlken, Michael (January 8, 2015). "Jeromey Clary announces retirement". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015.
- ^ "San Diego Chargers: Jeromey Clary". Archived from the original on August 22, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2013.