Chasing My Rookie Year

Called by ESPN Analyst Bill Curry and former collegiate head coach as "a great, great football player who can walk on the field and change the game. He's that good,” there was a time in Michael Clayton's life where the game of football was his main passion and purpose in life. Then came a moment when Michael realized he needed to chase something else besides perfection on the football field. Each of us has ideals and after eight years in the league, Clayton started to chase and strive for his: compassion, solemnity, uprightness, charity. Clayton never gave up the chase for perfection on the field...

Called by ESPN Analyst Bill Curry and former collegiate head coach as "a great, great football player who can walk on the field and change the game. He's that good,” there was a time in Michael Clayton's life where the game of football was his main passion and purpose in life. Then came a moment when Michael realized he needed to chase something else besides perfection on the football field. Each of us has ideals and after eight years in the league, Clayton started to chase and strive for his: compassion, solemnity, uprightness, charity. Clayton never gave up the chase for perfection on the field; he just started working harder toward perfection off of it. Chasing My Rookie Year is not a quest for glory. It is a quest for life’s purpose.

A veteran among veterans, Michael Rashard Clayton (born October 13, 1982) is considered as one of the best all-around wide receiver football players to ever play at LSU. After three successful years of playing college football with the NCAA champion team the LSU Tigers, Clayton was a first round draft pick, 15th overall, by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2004 NFL Draft. In his first year, Clayton was ranked 5th all-time in NFL history among rookies with 80 receptions for 1193 yards and 7 touchdowns, ranking him 1st on the Buccaneers in receiving touchdowns that season. This stellar season has led numerous publications to select him to the all rookie team. With eight years in the NFL, one of Clayton's biggest NFL accomplishments include averaging over 14 yards per reception in 2009, extending his streak of averaging over 10 yards per reception since joining the league. Michael signed with the NY Giants in 2010, becoming a Super Bowl XLVI Champion in 2012.