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Joey Clinkscales

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Joey Clinkscales
Personal information
Born: (1964-05-21) May 21, 1964 (age 60)
Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:199 lb (90 kg)
Career information
High school:Knoxville (TN) Austin-East
College:Tennessee
Position:Wide receiver
NFL draft:1987 / round: 9 / pick: 233
Career history
As a player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As an executive:
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:13
Receiving yards:240
Touchdowns:1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

William Joseph Clinkscales (born May 21, 1964) is an American football executive and former player who recently served as the director of player personnel for the Vegas Vipers of the XFL. Clinkscales was previously the director of player personnel for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He has worked for the New York Jets from 1994 to 2012, rising to Vice President of College Scouting during his final four years with the team. A former wide receiver, he was drafted in 1987 by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played in the NFL for two seasons, initially with the Steelers, and then with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Clinkscales played college football at the University of Tennessee, where he was a member of the 1985 "Sugar Vols" squad, and was a captain of the 1986 team.[1][2]

Early life

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Clinkscales was born in Asheville, North Carolina.[3] He attended Austin-East High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he was a teammate of future NFL players Reggie McKenzie and Raleigh McKenzie.[4] A dual-threat quarterback, he passed for 1,059 yards and ran for 900 to win All-South and All-State honors during his senior season. He also played basketball, averaging 14 points and 6 assists per game. He was ranked the number two recruit in the state of Tennessee by the Knoxville News Sentinel.[5]

Playing career

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College

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Clinkscales played college football at the University of Tennessee from 1982 to 1986. He converted to wide receiver during his first year, deferring the quarterback position to highly talented fellow signee Tony Robinson.[6] Clinkscales played during an era when Tennessee garnered a reputation as "Wide Receiver U." Five of Clinkscales's teammates in the Vol receiving corps— Anthony Hancock, Willie Gault, Clyde Duncan, Tim McGee, and Anthony Miller— would become first-round NFL draft picks.[7] In spite of the stiff competition for playing time, Clinkscales caught 68 passes for 1,105 yards and 10 touchdowns during his college career.[8]

While learning to play wide receiver, Clinkscales redshirted in 1982 and played sparingly in 1983.[9] During the 1984 season, however, he worked his way into the starting lineup. Although he was twice injured and missed several games, he managed 9 catches for 160 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading the team in yards-per-catch with 17.8. In the Vols' 43–30 loss to Florida, Clinkscales made an athletic 48-yard touchdown catch in the 4th quarter to pull the team to within a score. He also had a 14-yard touchdown catch in the Vols' 29–10 loss to Auburn, and an 8-yard touchdown reception in the team's 28–27 win over Alabama.[10][11]

During Tennessee's memorable 1985 season, Clinkscales caught 22 passes for 434 yards and 4 touchdowns.[12] In the season opener against UCLA, he caught 4 passes for 106 yards,[13] including a 68-yard touchdown that would be the 1985 team's longest play from scrimmage.[14] He had a 10-yard touchdown catch in the 4th quarter of the Vols' 38–20 victory over Auburn, and his 9-yard touchdown catch in the 4th quarter against Wake Forest helped the Vols escape with a 31–29 win.[15] In Tennessee's 17–10 loss to Florida, Clinkscales caught 7 passes for 101 yards,[12] much of which came on a 65-yard reception that set up the Vols' only touchdown.[16] He caught two short passes in Tennessee's 1986 Sugar Bowl victory,[12] including a key third-down conversion on the Vols' first scoring drive.

Clinkscales was Tennessee's leading returning receiver for the 1986 season, and was named a team captain.[17] Starting alongside rising star Anthony Miller, he registered a team-leading 37 catches for 511 yards and 3 touchdowns.[18] He had seven catches in the opener against New Mexico,[19] and caught 5 passes for 63 yards in the Vols' 14–13 loss to Georgia Tech.[20] In a key game against Ole Miss late in the season, Clinkscales caught 6 passes for 92 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown reception in the 4th quarter that gave the Vols the lead.[21] In Tennessee's 21–14 win over Minnesota in the 1986 Liberty Bowl, Clinkscales caught 7 passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.[22]

National Football League

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Pittsburgh Steelers

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Clinkscales was drafted in the ninth round of the 1987 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 233rd overall pick.[23] One reason he was not selected earlier in the draft was his lack of speed, as his time of 4.55–4.65 seconds in the 40-yard dash was considered slow for an NFL receiver.[24] Kippy Brown, Tennessee's wide receivers coach, stated, "Pittsburgh's got a steal." He dismissed concerns over Clinkscales' speed, arguing, "In a clutch situation, I'd take Clinkscales over anybody I've coached."[24] Steelers offensive coordinator Tom Moore noted that Clinkscales had "a tremendous amount of quickness and concentration and ball judgment."[24]

Although Clinkscales performed well in the Steelers' 1987 training camp, he fell behind after suffering a leg injury, and was cut after the first preseason game.[25] He re-signed with the team during the players' strike that year, however. He delivered his best performance in the Steelers' game against Atlanta, which was played primarily with replacement players, catching six passes for 150 yards and a touchdown, and drawing praise from legendary Steelers coach Chuck Noll.[26] One week later against the Rams, however, he had just one catch for 17 yards.[27] After the strike had ended, he remained in the lineup as a reserve. Following an injury to veteran John Stallworth, Clinkscales received considerable playing time in the game against Cincinnati, catching 4 passes for 51 yards.[25] He was waived by the Steelers in October 1988.[28]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Clinkscales signed briefly with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after leaving the Steelers,[29] but was waived after just a few weeks. He signed as a free agent with Indianapolis and later with Cleveland, but was unable to make either roster.[30][31]

Executive career

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Clinkscales initially worked for the Steelers as a part-time scout in the early 1990s, and joined the New York Jets in 1994 as a full-time scout.[32][33] He was elevated to national scout for the Jets in 2002.[34] In 2006, he was promoted to Director of College Scouting. Two years later, he was named Vice President of College Scouting.[35] In late 2007, he was interviewed by Bill Parcells for the vacant Miami Dolphins general manager position. In 2012, he was among the candidates interviewed for the St. Louis Rams general manager position.[36][37]

In May 2012, the Oakland Raiders hired Clinkscales as Director of Player Personnel. This move reunited Clinkscales with his old high school and college teammate, Raiders General Manager Reggie McKenzie.[38] He was fired in January 2019, shortly after McKenzie was fired.[39]

In May 2019, Clinkscales was named director of player personnel for the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL.[40]

In June 2022, Clinkscales was named director of player personnel for the planned Las Vegas XFL team,[41] which was named the Vegas Vipers in September. On January 1, 2024, it was announced the Vipers would not be a part of the UFL Merger.[42]

References

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  1. ^ Brown, Patrick (October 14, 2018). "Georgia WR, former teammate of Vols QB set to visit Tennessee". 247Sports. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  2. ^ Lentz, Andrew (June 15, 2017). "Clinkscales & McKenzie Added To Oakland Raiders Staff". University of Tennessee Athletics. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  3. ^ "Raiders Restructure Player Personnel Dept". Las Vegas Raiders. May 15, 2012. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  4. ^ Gehlken, Michael (September 16, 2017). "Raiders executive Joey Clinkscales sees path to rebuilding franchise". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  5. ^ "1982 Tennessee Signees Archived November 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine," 1982 Tennessee Volunteers Football Program (University of Tennessee, 1982), p. 61.
  6. ^ David Keirn, "Color Doesn't Count; UT's Black Quarterbacks Have Left Giant Tracks Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine," Knoxnews.com, 2002. Retrieved: July 10, 2013.
  7. ^ Strange, Mike (September 30, 2012). "Vols were Sugar sweet". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  8. ^ Tennessee Career Football Statistics Archived September 28, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, UTSports.com. Retrieved: July 9, 2013.
  9. ^ 1984 Tennessee Volunteers Football Program Archived August 20, 2014, at the Wayback Machine (University of Tennessee, 1984), p. 45.
  10. ^ Woodard, Jeff (September 29, 1984). "Auburn 29, Tennessee 10". UPI. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  11. ^ Maltby, Jack (October 20, 1984). "Johnnie Jones scored on a 1-yard run and quarterback Tony Robinson dived into the end zone for a two-point conversion with 2:09 left Saturday to lift Tennessee to a 28-27 victory over Alabama". UPI. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c 1986 Tennessee Volunteers Football Program Archived February 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine (University of Tennessee, 1986), pp. 59–60.
  13. ^ UCLA Bruins at Tennessee Volunteers (September 14, 1985) Archived February 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, College Football Belt. Retrieved: July 10, 2013.
  14. ^ 1985 Tennessee Volunteers Football Program Archived October 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, p. 105.
  15. ^ 1986 Tennessee Volunteers Football Program Archived February 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine (University of Tennessee, 1986), p. 100.
  16. ^ McClung, Chuck (October 13, 1985). "GATORS KEEP TABS ON TONY DEFENSE NEUTRALIZES VOLS' DANGEROUS QB". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  17. ^ Woodbery, Evan (April 28, 2013). "Tyler Bray shut out at NFL draft, but Mychal Rivera lands with home-state team". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  18. ^ 1987 Tennessee Volunteers Football Program Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (University of Tennessee, 1987), p. 105.
  19. ^ "Vols Down Lobos in Season Opener Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine," UT vs. Mississippi State Football Program (University of Tennessee, September 13, 1986), p. 80. Retrieved: July 10, 2013.
  20. ^ "Tech Slips Past Vols Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine," UT vs. Memphis Football Program (University of Tennessee, November 8, 1986), p. 80. Retrieved: July 10, 2013.
  21. ^ "Vols Overpower Mississippi". University of Tennessee. November 22, 1986. p. 80. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  22. ^ "LIBERTY BOWL DRAMA CAPS TENNESSEE YEAR". Chicago Tribune. December 31, 1986. Retrieved March 5, 2024 – via Scripps Howard News Service.
  23. ^ "1987 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  24. ^ a b c "Tennessee Receiver Could Be a Big Catch for the Steelers". Los Angeles Times. August 16, 1987. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  25. ^ a b Rose, Tom (November 27, 1987). "Steelers' Clinkscales Can Hang On". Washington (PA) Observer-Reporter. p. B-6. Retrieved March 4, 2024 – via Google News.
  26. ^ Kozora, Alex (August 8, 2020). "Next Man Up: WR Joey Clinkscales (1987)". Steelers Depot. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  27. ^ Tuma, Gary (October 12, 1987). "Yesterday's Heroes Become Goats Against Rams". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 22. Retrieved March 4, 2024 – via Google News.
  28. ^ Rose, Gary (October 8, 1988). "Blackledge to Start Against Cardinals". Washington (PA) Observer-Reporter. p. B-2. Retrieved March 4, 2024 – via Google News.
  29. ^ "FOR THE RECORD". Washington Post. October 18, 1988. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  30. ^ "Browns". Gainesville Sun. August 23, 1990. p. 3C. Retrieved March 4, 2024 – via Google News.
  31. ^ "DEALS". USA Today. August 25, 1989. p. 9-C. Archived from the original on November 18, 2015 – via ProQuest Archiver.
  32. ^ Mitchell, Mike (February 18, 2023). "34 former NY Jets who are part of the XFL in 2023". The Jet Press. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  33. ^ Jones, Dave (June 5, 2002). "Jets shake up scouting staff". 247sports.com. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  34. ^ Eskenazi, Gerald (June 5, 2002). "Kaye Takes Over Jets' College Scouting". New York Times. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  35. ^ "Raiders Reportedly Add Jets VP Of College Scouting Joey Clinkscales". CBS - New York. May 9, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2024 – via WFAN.
  36. ^ Vrentas, Jenny (February 11, 2012). "Jets VP of college scouting Joey Clinkscales out of running for St. Louis Rams GM job". NJ.com. Retrieved March 4, 2024 – via The Star-Ledger.
  37. ^ Mehta, Manish (January 10, 2012). "Source: Jets VP of College Scouting Joey Clinkscales to interview for Rams GM job". New York Daily News. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  38. ^ "Raiders add Joey Clinkscales as director of player personnel". NFL.com. May 11, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  39. ^ Bair, Scott (January 3, 2019). "Source: Raiders fire director of player personnel Joey Clinkscales". NBC Sports - Bay Area & California. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  40. ^ "XFL L.A. Adds Director of Football Ops And Player Personnel". XFL News Hub. May 29, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  41. ^ Rachuk, Stephan (June 9, 2022). "XFL Hires Directors of Player Personnel for 2023 Return". Pro Football Newsroom. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  42. ^ Alexander, Mookie (December 31, 2023). "Report: RIP, Seattle Sea Dragons?!". Field Gulls. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
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