Clark Haggans
Encyclopedia
Clark Cromwell Haggans is an American football
linebacker
for the Arizona Cardinals
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Colorado State
.
Haggans earned a Super Bowl ring
with the Steelers in Super Bowl XL
.
at Colorado State University
. He was a productive pass rusher at Colorado State, where he walked on as a freshman
, eventually earning a scholarship
. He was a teammate of former Steelers teammate Joey Porter
and former Cincinnati Bengals Linebacker Adrian Ross
. Haggans holds the Colorado State all-time sack record to this day, with 33 sacks recorded.
. He became a regular starter
at left outside linebacker in 2004
when the team released long-time starter Jason Gildon
.
Haggans recorded six quarterback sack
s in 2004, and had nine sacks during the 2005
regular season. Haggans was second on the Steelers defense in tackles for Super Bowl XL
, and also recorded a sack, helping the Steelers defeat the Seattle Seahawks
. In 2008, Haggans became an unrestricted free agent.
. He was placed on injured reserve
with a foot injury on December 19, ending his season.
An unrestricted free agent in the 2009 offseason, Haggans was re-signed to a three-year contract by the Cardinals on March 17.
, basketball
and track at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School
in Southern California, earning three letters in each sport. During his freshman and sophomore years, Haggans was on football teams that went undefeated. In 1993 and 1994, he was named all-league as a tight end
and defensive tackle, while also earning all-division honors. In 1994, Haggans helped lead PVPHS' varsity team to a league title. he has a son named Damon and a daughter named Alianna. He majored in art at Colorado State.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Colorado State
Colorado State Rams football
The Colorado State Rams football program, established in 1893, represents Colorado State University and is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference under head coach Steve Fairchild...
.
Haggans earned a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the Steelers in Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
.
College career
Haggans played defensive endDefensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
at Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
. He was a productive pass rusher at Colorado State, where he walked on as a freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
, eventually earning a scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
. He was a teammate of former Steelers teammate Joey Porter
Joey Porter
Joseph "Joey" Eugene Porter is an American football linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Colorado State.A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Porter earned a...
and former Cincinnati Bengals Linebacker Adrian Ross
Adrian Ross (American football)
Adrian Ross is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 1998. He played college football at Colorado State....
. Haggans holds the Colorado State all-time sack record to this day, with 33 sacks recorded.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers drafted Haggans out of the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. He became a regular starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
at left outside linebacker in 2004
2004 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers looked to rebound after a disappointing 6–10 season the year before, which saw the team go through the entire season without winning consecutive games....
when the team released long-time starter Jason Gildon
Jason Gildon
Jason Larue Gildon is a former linebacker for the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars . He was selected to three Pro Bowl teams from 2000, 2001, and 2002, and is currently the Steelers all-time career sacks leader with 77.0 quarterback take-downs...
.
Haggans recorded six quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s in 2004, and had nine sacks during the 2005
2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season began with the team trying to improve on their 15–1 record from 2004 in which they lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game at Heinz Field. The Steelers, with the sixth and final seed to the playoffs, became just the second team ever to win...
regular season. Haggans was second on the Steelers defense in tackles for Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
, and also recorded a sack, helping the Steelers defeat the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. In 2008, Haggans became an unrestricted free agent.
Arizona Cardinals
On March 26, 2008, Haggans agreed to a one-year contract with the Arizona CardinalsArizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
with a foot injury on December 19, ending his season.
An unrestricted free agent in the 2009 offseason, Haggans was re-signed to a three-year contract by the Cardinals on March 17.
Personal
He participated in footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and track at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School
Palos Verdes Peninsula High School
Palos Verdes Peninsula High School is one of three public high schools on the Palos Verdes Peninsula...
in Southern California, earning three letters in each sport. During his freshman and sophomore years, Haggans was on football teams that went undefeated. In 1993 and 1994, he was named all-league as a tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
and defensive tackle, while also earning all-division honors. In 1994, Haggans helped lead PVPHS' varsity team to a league title. he has a son named Damon and a daughter named Alianna. He majored in art at Colorado State.