Tyler Clutts (born November 9, 1984) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
fullback in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
for the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
,
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
,
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
,
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
and
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at
Fresno State University
California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California. It is one of 23 campuses in the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers bache ...
.
Early years
Clutts attended
Clovis High School, where he was a two-way player at
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
and
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
. As a senior, he registered 2,383 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns and 16 rushing touchdowns. He led the team to an 11–2 record and the Yosemite Division Large School championship. He compiled a total of 2,383 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns and 16 rushing touchdowns. He received ''
The Fresno Bee
''The Fresno Bee'' is a daily newspaper serving Fresno, California, and surrounding counties in that U.S. state's central San Joaquin Valley. It is owned by The McClatchy Company and ranks fourth in circulation among the company's newspapers. I ...
'' football player of the year and all-conference defensive end honors.
As a senior, he was the top-ranked wrestler in the state of California at 215 pounds.
College career
Clutts accepted a football scholarship from
Fresno State University
California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California. It is one of 23 campuses in the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers bache ...
, with the intention of playing the linebacker position. As a
redshirt
Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Red Shirts'' (film), a 1952 film about Anita Garibaldi by Franco Rossi
* Redshirt (stock character), originally derived from ''Star Trek'', a stock character who dies soon after b ...
freshman, he was a backup
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
and
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
, appearing in all 12 games. He played mainly on
special teams
In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their "position". Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
, collecting 19 defensive tackles (4 for loss) and 2 sacks.
As a sophomore, he started all 13 games at
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
, posting 52 tackles (sixth on the team), 12 tackles for loss (second on the team), 7 sacks (tied for the team lead), 3 passes defensed and blocked an extra point attempt. He had 7 tackles and 2 sacks against the
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada, the University of Nevada, or UNR) is a public land-grant research university in Reno, Nevada. It is the state's flagship public university and primary land grant institution. It was founded on October 12, ...
.
As a junior, he tallied 37 tackles (eighth on the team), 9 tackles for loss, 7 quarterback sacks (led the team), one forced one fumble and one interception. As a senior, he appeared in all 13 games, recording 64 tackles (fourth on the team), 9.5 tackles for loss (led the team), 7.5 sacks (led the team), 2 fumble recoveries and 3 passes defensed.
He finished his college career with 172 tackles (34.5 for loss), 23.5 sacks (tied for third in school history).
Professional career
Edmonton Eskimos
After going undrafted in the
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft was the 73rd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 26 and April 27, ...
, Clutts signed with the
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at the Brick Field at Commo ...
of the
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
on May 8.
He had 2 starts early in the season ahead of
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Brandon Guillory. He played in 18 games (2 starts), posting 22 tackles (2 for loss), 2 passes defensed, 16
special teams
In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their "position". Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
tackles, one fumble recovery and 6 kickoff returns for 37 yards. On May 8, 2009, he was released after the team changed coaching staffs.
Utah Blaze
In 2010, Clutts signed with the
Utah Blaze
The Utah Blaze was a professional arena football team based in Salt Lake City, Utah and competed in the West Division (AFL), West Division of the Arena Football League. Home games were played at the EnergySolutions Arena. In 2013, the team did ...
of the
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 season, making it the third longest-running professional football league in ...
.
He was a two-way player at fullback and
middle linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, ...
. He also was the team
long snapper
In American football, the long snapper (or deep snapper) is a center on special teams whose duty is to snap the football over a longer distance, typically around 15 yards during punts, and 7–8 yards during field goals and extra point attempt ...
.
Sacramento Mountain Lions
In 2010, he signed with the
Sacramento Mountain Lions
The Sacramento Mountain Lions was a professional American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rect ...
of the
UFL for a year, where he officially made the switch to fullback from defensive end.
He became the starter after
Jon Abbate
Jon Abbate (born June 18, 1985) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Wake Forest University in 2004–2006 and was signed as a free agent by the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL) in 2007.
C ...
announced his retirement.
Cleveland Browns
On December 21, 2010, he was signed to the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
practice squad
In sports, the practice squad, also called the taxi squad or practice roster, is a group of players signed by a team but not part of their main roster. Frequently used in gridiron football, they serve as extra players during the team's practices, ...
, where he spent the last 2 weeks of the season. On January 5, 2011, he was signed to a future contract.
On September 3, he was released after not being able to pass rookie
Owen Marecic on the depth chart. On September 4, he was signed to the practice squad.
Chicago Bears
In 2011, during the preseason finale against the Chicago Bears, Clutts attracted interest from Bears special teams coordinator
Dave Toub
David Toub (born June 1, 1962) is an American football coach who is the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL).
Playing career
College
Toub played offensive line at S ...
, who felt that Clutts would be a decent addition to the team. On September 7, he was signed by the Bears from the Cleveland Brown's practice squad to a three-year deal. He appeared in 16 games with 8 starts.
When long snapper
Patrick Mannelly
Patrick Mannelly (born April 18, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a long snapper for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Duke University and was selected by Chicag ...
went down with an injury against the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
, Clutts filled in his role until the arrival of
Chris Massey
Christopher Todd Massey (born November 21, 1979) is a former American football long snapper. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Marshall University. He has also played ...
. Clutts was also in the running for the fullback spot on the NFC team for the
2012 Pro Bowl
The 2012 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2011 season. It took place at 2:00 pm local time on Sunday, January 29, 2012, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The AFC defeated the NFC, 59–41.
The 59 point ...
, but did not make it. He contributed to
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
Matt Forte
Matthew Garrett Forte (born December 10, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tulane Green Wave and was drafted ...
's
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
season.
Houston Texans
On August 31, 2012, Clutts was traded to the
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
in exchange for CB
Sherrick McManis
Sherrick Terravis McManis (born December 19, 1987) is an American football cornerback and special teamer who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Northweste ...
. He was a reserve fullback behind
James Casey and played on
special teams
In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their "position". Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
. He was released on August 31, 2013.
Miami Dolphins
On September 1, 2013, Clutts was claimed off waivers by the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
. He played in 4 games but did not record any statistics. On October 1, he was released after the team experienced a series of injuries on the defensive unit.
Dallas Cowboys
In
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
, the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
went through most of the season without a true
fullback. On December 3, after
Lance Dunbar
Lance Dunbar, Jr. (born January 25, 1990) is a former American football running back. He played college football at University of North Texas and was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2012.
Early years
Dunbar was born in ...
was placed on the
injured reserve list
The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
, Clutts was signed as a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
, reuniting with his former
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
running back coach
Gary Brown.
In
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, he helped block for
DeMarco Murray
DeMarco Murray (born February 12, 1988) is an American football coach and former running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. A three-time Pro Bowl selection and one-time first-team All-Pro, he was the NFL Off ...
, who would become the
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
's leading rusher for the season. In the divisional round 21-26 playoff loss against the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
, he scored his first career
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...
on a catch for one yard touchdown in Dallas' loss to the Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs Sunday.
In
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, after Clutts contract expired, the team signed
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
fullbacks
Jed Collins and
Ray Agnew
Ray Mitchell Agnew Jr. (born December 9, 1967) is an American football executive and former player who is the assistant general manager for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He served as the director of pro personnel with ...
for salary cap reasons. On May 18, Collins was released after just two months and Clutts was re-signed. With the departure in
free agency
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
of Murray, Clutts was used during the preseason for depth purposes as a
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
. He made the team and helped block for
Darren McFadden
Darren McFadden (born August 27, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the first round with the fourth overall pick of the 2008 NFL Dra ...
who rushed for 1,000 yards. He was not re-signed at the end of the season and was replaced with
Keith Smith.
Personal life
Clutts is a
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
. Clutts is married to Tiffany Clutts. They have four children.
References
External links
Fresno State Bulldogs bioSacramento Mountain Lions bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clutts, Tyler
1984 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Clovis, California
Players of American football from California
American football fullbacks
Fresno State Bulldogs football players
Edmonton Elks players
Utah Blaze players
Sacramento Mountain Lions players
Cleveland Browns players
Chicago Bears players
Houston Texans players
Miami Dolphins players
Dallas Cowboys players