Michael Clayton, the legendary LSU wide receiver and eight-year NFL veteran, has finally reached the Super Bowl.
There’s just one issue. He won’t be playing.
Clayton tore his meniscus during practice in November and was placed on injured reserve by the New York Giants following the season-ending surgery. Since then, he’s been reduced to the sideline and the training room, rehabilitating his knee – which he says has returned to 100 percent – while his teammates make a championship run.
The former First Team All-SEC wideout will be there when the Giants take the field Sunday in Indianapolis, but he won’t be wearing a uniform.
“The man I used to be, I would have probably been a little upset or a little bothered,” Clayton said. “But I’ve found peace and have let God take care of what’s to happen.”
Flash back to 2004, and you’d see a much different version of the man who spent most of 2011 on the Giants’ practice squad.
Fresh off a record-setting career at LSU, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Clayton with the 15th pick of the ’04 NFL Draft. He caught 80 passes for nearly 1,200 yards during his rookie season and was named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.
But Clayton hasn’t come close to that production since. He hasn’t totaled more than 500 receiving yards in a season, and he combined to catch just three touchdowns in five seasons with Tampa Bay following his stellar rookie campaign.
“The naysayers would call it a bust,” Clayton said. “I got a lot of blame, a lot of scrutiny. I’ve had to revive my career by doing the little things that people don’t talk about. I’ve learned how to be a complete player. No, I haven’t been very productive, but that isn’t the definition of success for me.”
Instead, Clayton defines success as maximizing one’s full potential — something he’s learned to do in a career that has taken him to multiple levels of professional football.
After Tampa Bay released him before the 2010 season, Clayton struggled to land on an NFL roster and eventually signed with the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL. He signed with the injury-ridden Giants a month later and mostly saw time on special teams, catching just two passes in six games.
But despite his struggles, Clayton continued to improve himself, both as a player and as a person.
“Wherever I was, I always acted in that way,” Clayton said. “It’s been beneficial, it’s been helpful, and I’m thankful to have that mentality.”
That positive outlook is something Clayton has carried his entire life, from his days at LSU to his current situation in New York. It’s something he embraces, and he says it’s the biggest contribution he will make on Sunday.
“I’m the biggest fan out there,” Clayton said. “I’m the biggest motivator out there. That’s my job is to be my very best self in all aspects of the game.”
After Sunday, Clayton will be looking for a new job. He becomes a free agent following this season and will find himself in a position he’s been in before – waiting for a team to offer him a chance.
He said he’d like to stay in New York but admits it’s not up to him. He doesn’t expect his injuries will affect his chances of signing and hopes a team will recognize the work he’s put in to improve.
“It’s out of my hands,” Clayton said. “I can only control what I control and try and do my best to get ready for next season.”
While Clayton’s future may be unclear, he still has one thing he can look forward to – a Super Bowl.
 
____
Contact Hunter Paniagua at [email protected]