Clemons attended Griffin High School in Griffin, Georgia, where he was a four-year letterman and three-year starter for the football team. He was named AAA-All Region first-team and nominated for Region MVP by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association. He recorded 49 tackles, six sacks, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble his senior year, as well as rushed for 80 yards on ten carries and 12 receptions for 159 yards and three touchdowns. He was also a member of the track team.
College career
Clemons was recruited by the University of Georgia in 1999. He started the 2000 season opener recording seven tackles, but then suffered a shoulder injury early in the season that sidelined him for several games. He played in 11 games in 2001, starting three of them. He played in 12 games with ten starts during his junior season, recording 53 tackles, and one sack. He was then named Most Improved Linebacker of 2002.
After being undrafted in the 2003 NFL draft,
Clemons signed with the Washington Redskins. However, he spent that entire season on injured reserve after suffering a torn ACL. He spent the 2004 training camp with the Redskins, but was released prior to the start of the regular season.
He was re-signed to the Redskins' active roster on November 24, 2004, where he began to establish himself in the Redskins' defense, recording three sacks as a speed rusher late in the season. Clemons signed with the Washington Redskins again for the 2005 season where he played in 14 games and had eight tackles, two sacks, a blocked punt, and a forced fumble.
On March 1, 2008, Clemons signed a five-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is well known for stiff-arming of Tashard Choice on a fumble return touchdown in a playoff-clinching game versus the Dallas Cowboys on December 28, 2008, and body-slamming Tarvaris Jackson in the subsequent first-round playoff game.[2]
Seattle Seahawks (first stint)
Clemons with the Seahawks in 2013
On March 16, 2010, Clemons was traded with a fourth round pick by the Eagles to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Darryl Tapp.[3]
He was originally brought in to play the Leo position in Pete Carroll's defensive 4–3 over scheme, but with the injury of Red Bryant after Week 7, Raheem Brock was moved into his place and Clemons moved to starting left defensive end.
Clemons led the team with a career-high 11 sacks in both 2010 and 2011.
On September 24, 2012, Clemons recorded four sacks, all in the first half, in a victory over the Green Bay Packers.
On January 6, 2013, Clemons suffered a torn ACL in a 24-14 playoff victory over the Redskins. Clemons was later placed on injured reserve.[4] On September 20, 2013, the Seahawks announced Clemons will play for his season debut in Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Clemons and the Seahawks went on to win Super Bowl XLVIII that season.[5]
On March 12, 2014, Clemons was released by the Seahawks.[6]
Jacksonville Jaguars
On March 13, 2014, Clemons signed a four-year, $17.5 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.[7]
On April 1, 2016, Clemons agreed to terms in a deal to return to the Seahawks.[9] On July 28, 2016, he informed the team that he planned to retire.[10]
