John Clayton, whose list of connections in the NFL was matched only by his attention to detail and fidelity to his craft, failed Friday in Washington after a brief illness, his family said.
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| John Clayton |
He was 67.
Clayton, nicknamed"The Professor," was one of the country's foremost NFL interposers in a five-decade career that included over 20 times with ESPN. Clayton's pursuit of news and information was done with similar vehemence that, as ESPN's Chris Mortensen said,"Anyone paying attention walked down a little more educated.''
"Long before he came an ESPN icon, John might have been the stylish news- breaking platoon beat journalist of his generation, the type who could sit on a story for months and also break it before others had any indication what was going on,'' said The Athletic's Mike Sando, a longtime friend of Clayton's."He was that good. On a particular position, John was incredibly generous to me when I succeeded him as the Seahawks beat journalist at the Tacoma News Tribune numerous times agone. I owe so important to John and will miss him terribly.''
Clayton, a native of Braddock, Pennsylvania, began his career in 1972 as a teenager covering the Pittsburgh Steelers in a season that included the" Immaculate Event.'' He also attended Duquesne University and was hired by the Pittsburgh Press when he was a elderly at Duquesne. He continued his work up until just 10 days agone, when he broke down the Seattle Seahawks' blockbuster trade of Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos for Seattle Sports 710 AM, where he was a regular contributor.
"We'll each miss your words and brilliance@JohnClaytonNFL#RIPJohnClayton,"Wilson wrote in a tweet, as he and former associates and musketeers of Clayton took to social media Friday night to offer remembrances.
"The Seahawks are agonized to learn of the end of John Clayton,"the platoon said in a statement. The Steelers called Clayton"a Pittsburgh media icon."
"The number of NFL directors and trainers that I have heard from have expressed an inviting theme of great respect and a sense of deep loss and shock,'' said Mortensen.
Clayton spent over a decade at the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune before a further than 20- time run at ESPN. Clayton also wrote for several outlets, including the Washington Post, in recent times after his long stint at ESPN, and had been the sideline journalist for the Seahawks radio network for five seasons. He also contributed stories for KKFN-FM (104.3 FM) in Denver since February of last time.
"John was a colonist as an NFL bigwig but also one of the kindest men you could ever work with,'' said Seth Markman, vice chairman and superintendent patron at ESPN."He literally noway said no to a show that asked him to come on-- from 6a.m. to night, if you asked for the Professor, he was there for you. I will also tête-à -tête remember how he loved and watched for his cherished woman Pat as she has battled multiple sclerosis. We'll each miss John greatly.''
Clayton entered the profession's loftiest honor, now known as the Bill Nunn Memorial Award, in 2007. The award is presented annually by the Pro Football Pens of America in recognition of" long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football.''
"It's the loftiest honor any pen covering this sport can admit,'' Clayton said at the time.
"The PFWA mourns the end of John Clayton,"the association said in a statement."John was the PFWA's 19th chairman (1999-2000) and the association's 2007 Bill Nunn Jr. Award philanthropist.'The Professor' was a friend to so numerous in our business. Our condolences to his woman Pat, family, associates and his numerous musketeers."
Clayton was also a longtime member of the Board of Pickers for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
ESPN hired Clayton in 1995 as a jack-of-all- trades for its NFL content. SportsCenter directors created a daily member called"Four Downs'' bending Clayton against NFL critic and former quarterback Sean Salisbury. It came must- see Television.
As did his appearance on"This is SportsCenter"commercials for ESPN, which to this day are among the stylish of the popular parts. Clayton's appearance included a spot where he appeared as he'd on SportsCenter, in a fleece and tie, before he tore both off to reveal a Triggerman T-shirt, let down his long hair, jumped on a bed and cried,"Hey ma, I am done with my member.''
His love for football noway wavered from those early days.
"Until they plant me, I guess,"he told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette in 2018, when asked how long he'd keep covering the NFL."I love this stuff. What I love about it's there is so much further stuff we did not have access to times agone and now we do-- the payment information, NFL Game Rewind where you can watch trainers vid. There is so important information and logical stuff, it's phenomenal.''
Clayton is survived by his woman, Pat, and family, Amy.