GREEN BAY – Kenny Clark was tired, really tired.
So tired the Packers' fifth-year defensive tackle got home from Lambeau Field at 6 p.m. Friday and was in bed within two hours, in preparation for the team's first practice of training camp on Saturday morning.
That was until Clark's mother, Nicole, and his agent, Doug Hendrickson, started blowing up his phone before he could get deep into his REM cycle.
The interruption was valid. The contract extension Clark and his camp had been working toward all offseason was on the table and all that was needed was the Pro Bowler's blessing.
"I woke up at like 12 and called them back," Clark said. "They were like, 'Man, we've got to get this deal done.' … We talked about it. He went through the numbers, went through everything, and I was like, 'Man, let's do it. I'm willing to do it.'"
Hours later, Packers vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball handed Clark the contract he's worked all of his 24 years for.
Visibly shaking, and with his mom crying over the other end of the phone, Clark put pen to paper on an extension that secures his future and will keep the former first-round pick in Green Bay for the long haul.
It was an emotional 24 hours for the Clarks, who overcame a lot of difficult times to get to this point. Kenny was only 9 years old when his father and namesake was incarcerated, leading to Nicole having to raise the couple's children on her own, often pulling double shifts as a nurse to make ends meet.
Kenny remains close with his father, but hasn't been able to talk to him because of restrictions put in place due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. His mom, sisters and brothers were all through the roof about his extension, though.
"We've been through a lot," Clark said. "My mom, she called me and she was crying. My brother, he's so excited. I know my dad is probably feeling it right now. I'm just blessed. That's all I could say. I'm just blessed. I'm just happy about this opportunity. I done worked hard for this. I really believe I deserve it and just excited to move forward as a Packer."
Take a look at photos of Green Bay Packers DL Kenny Clark through the years
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Packers DL Kenny Clark
Still only 24, Clark has emerged as one of the game's top nose tackles. A first-round pick out of UCLA in 2016, he's played in all but four games for the Packers over the last four years, recording 193 tackles, 16½ sacks and four forced fumbles. Twelve of those sacks came in his last two seasons.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Clark's 49 pressures and 43 disruptions in 2019 were second only to perennial All-Pro Aaron Donald among defensive tackles.
The 6-foot-3, 313-pounder has been a key part of Green Bay's schematic evolution over the past five years, where nose tackles are a more integral part of the pass rush and not just gap-fillers against the run.
"I've just been focused on, pass rush and being able to be an all-around player," Clark said. "I think (this) really solidifies, really shows nose tackles can do both and get paid high and I'm just excited about it."
Known as a quiet, steady presence on the field and in the locker room, Clark was showered with cheers by his teammates and coaches after Head Coach Matt LaFleur had his defensive tackle break the huddle following Saturday's opening practice.
Later that day, several of Clark's teammates voiced their excitement over his extension on Twitter. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who trains with Clark at ProActive in California during the offseason, also couldn't have been more pleased by the news.
"I think Kenny sometimes has been an underrated player for us over the years," Rodgers said. "He's a quiet guy who goes about his business the right way. He's found his voice at times and his leadership role has increased over the years. It's been fun to watch him kind of step into that opportunity. He's one of those guys you just know you can count on every single week."
The Green Bay Packers held their first practice of training camp at Ray Nitschke Field on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020.
C Jake Hanson, T Travis Bruffy, T John Leglue and G Lucas Patrick
A view of Lambeau Field from Ray Nitschke Field
LB Rashan Gary
RB Damarea Crockett
T Rick Wagner
G Elgton Jenkins
LB Za'Darius Smith
TE Robert Tonyan
LB Tim Williams
TE Marcedes Lewis
LB Delontae Scott
WR Malik Taylor
QB Tim Boyle
RB AJ Dillon
CB Jaire Alexander
DL Dean Lowry
DL Willington Previlon
DL Dean Lowry
DL Montravius Adams
LB Za'Darius Smith
LB Za'Darius Smith
QB Aaron Rodgers
QB Aaron Rodgers
Head Coach Matt LaFleur
WR Equanimeous St. Brown
Footballs
CB Kevin King and WR Allen Lazard
G/T Billy Turner
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
S Darnell Savage
G/T Billy Turner
LB Preston Smith
WR Equanimeous St. Brown
S Adrian Amos
C Corey Linsley and G/T Billy Turner
CB Kevin King
LB Christian Kirksey and LB Oren Burks
LB Christian Kirksey
RB Aaron Jones
S Will Redmond
LB Kamal Martin
CB Josh Jackson
FB John Lovett and TE Josiah Deguara
QB Jordan Love and LB Tipa Galeai
C Jake Hanson
QB Aaron Rodgers
T Rick Wagner
DL Willington Previlon
QB Jordan Love
QB Tim Boyle
CB Jaire Alexander
GM Brian Gutekunst
QB Aaron Rodgers
CB Stanford Samuels
S Darnell Savage
CB Josh Jackson
WR Travis Fulgham
WR Darrius Shepherd
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
QB Jordan Love
S Raven Greene
CB DaShaun Amos
CB Jaire Alexander
RB Aaron Jones
Head Coach Matt LaFleur
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
G Elgton Jenkins
QB Jordan Love
DL Tyler Lancaster
QB Jordan Love
QB Jordan Love
QB Aaron Rodgers
QB Tim Boyle
QB Jordan Love
QB Aaron Rodgers
QB Aaron Rodgers
DL Tyler Lancaster and DL Kingsley Keke
DL Kenny Clark
LB Za'Darius Smith and LB Preston Smith
LB Jonathan Garvin
LB Ty Summers
LB Tipa Galeai
LB Tipa Galeai
LB Christian Kirksey
LB Oren Burks
DL Kenny Clark
CB Jaire Alexander
CB Chandon Sullivan
S Vernon Scott
CB Will Sunderland
CB DaShaun Amos
CB Kabion Ento
LB Christian Kirksey
LB Christian Kirksey
LB Tipa Galeai
LB Oren Burks
LB Kamal Martin
LB Kamal Martin
LB Christian Kirksey
LB Kamal Martin
DL Montravius Adams
DL Kenny Clark
DL Kenny Clark
DL Montravius Adams
DL Dean Lowry
DL Kinglsey Keke
T David Bakhtiari
G Elgton Jenkins
G Elgton Jenkins
T John Leglue
Offensive line drills
C Corey Linsley
T Travis Bruffy
G/T Billy Turner
G/T Billy Turner
C Jake Hanson
C Jake Hanson
T Rick Wagner
T Rick Wagner
T John Leglue
C Corey Linsley
QB Aaron Rodgers
T John Leglue lined up at center during offensive line drills
WR Malik Taylor
WR Davante Adams
CB Chandon Sullivan
CB Jaire Alexander
S Adrian Amos
T John Leglue
TE Marcedes Lewis
Head Coach Matt LaFleur and General Manager Brian Gutekunst
General Manager Brian Gutekunst
TE Josiah Deguara
QB Aaron Rodgers
RB AJ Dillon
RB AJ Dillon
Line of scrimmage
TE Marcedes Lewis
WR Davante Adams
QB Aaron Rodgers
G Jon Runyan
QB Aaron Rodgers
G/T Billy Turner and T David Bakhtiari
T/G Alex Light
T Cody Conway and G Elgton Jenkins
C Jake Hanson and C Corey Linsley
T Travis Bruffy and T/G Alex Light
G Lane Taylor
T Cody Conway
G Lucas Patrick and C Jake Hanson
G Lane Taylor and G Jon Runyan
T Travis Bruffy
G Zack Johnson and G/T Billy Turner
T Travis Bruffy and T/G Alex Light
QB Tim Boyle
QB Aaron Rodgers
RB Aaron Jones
Running backs Jamaal Williams and Dexter Williams
RB Damarea Crockett
RB AJ Dillon
QB Aaron Rodgers
Ray Nitschke Field
G/T Billy Turner
LB Za'Darius Smith
TE Marcedes Lewis
TE Marcedes Lewis
TE Robert Tonyan
QB Aaron Rodgers
RB AJ Dillon
WR Davante Adams
Ray Nitschke Field
Ray Nitschke Field
DL Kenny Clark
DL Kenny Clark
DL Kenny Clark
Members of the Packers defense congratulate DL Kenny Clark on his contract extension
Members of the Packers defense congratulate DL Kenny Clark on his contract extension
LB Ty Summers
LB Kamal Martin
LB Krys Barnes
LB Tipa Galeai
DL Kenny Clark speaks to the team after practice
Outside linebackers coach Mike Smith with his position group
RB AJ Dillon
Clark feels like there's still a lot out there for him yet, as well. He made his Pro Bowl debut this past January and hopes to soon be recognized as a perennial All-Pro…and possibly even a “Top 100” NFL player.
With his future secure, Clark looks forward to focusing all his attention on taking his game, and the entire Packers' defense, to the next level in 2020. He expects he'll move around more this year and wants to make more "splash plays."
"Everybody was just happy, man. It's a family here," Clark said. "Love it here, love the guys here, love playing with everybody here. I'm excited about being on this team."
