Duane Clemons

Duane Anthony Clemons^[1] (born May 23, 1974^[2]) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) between 1996 and 2005.^[3] He played college football for the California Golden Bears and was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1996 NFL draft .^[4]

He finished his NFL career with 49.5 sacks. Despite struggling to see the field as a starter (16 starts in 4 years with Minnesota), Clemons proved a very capable sack artist. In 1997, he finished with 7.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 24 tackles. In 1999, he finished with a career-best 9.0 sacks and 36 tackles.

On November 10, 1999, Clemons was fined $7,500 for intentionally punching Flozell Adams in the testes^[5] following an interception two days earlier during a Monday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys.^[6] While Adams maintained that he didn't know why Clemons punched him, Clemons stated that he threw the punch because Adams illegally took him down from behind on an interception return.^[7]

In 2000, he went to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he finished with 7.5 sacks and a career-best 56 tackles. The next year, 2001, he finished with 7.0 sacks and 48 tackles. In 2003, he found himself with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he recorded 6.0 sacks, a career-best 4 pass deflections, and 42 tackles. In 2004, he finished with 6.5 sacks and 49 tackles.

On September 8, 2008, Clemons signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League^[8] and was assigned to their practice roster, but was released by the team on September 15, 2008.^[9] He is currently the defensive line coach for the MidAmerica Nazarene University Pioneers.