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In Memoriam: Monte Clark, 72

September 17, 2009 12:38 PM

  • In Memoriam: Monte Clark, 72
  • Monte Clark played right tackle for the Trojans.

Monte Clark, the co-captain of the 1958 USC football team who later played and coached in the National Football League, including serving as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions, died on Sept. 16 in Detroit, Mich., after an extended illness with a bone marrow malignancy associated with lung and liver disease. He was 72.

Clark lettered at USC for three seasons (1956-58) as a right tackle out of Kingsburg (Calif.) High. The 1956 squad went 8-2, defeating UCLA and Notre Dame.

He was a fourth-round pick in the 1959 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He spent 11 seasons as an NFL defensive and offensive tackle: three with San Francisco (1959-61), one with the Dallas Cowboys (1962); and seven with the Cleveland Browns (1963-69). He was a member of the Browns’ 1964 NFL championship squad. He blocked for Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown during his last three seasons with the Browns.

Clark began his coaching career as an assistant handling the offensive line with Miami (1970-75), where he coached Hall of Fame linemen Larry Little and Jim Langer. The Dolphins played in three Super Bowls during that span, winning in 1972 and 1973 (the 1972 team went 17-0).

Clark was San Francisco’s head coach in 1976 (posting an 8-6 record) before becoming the Lions head coach for seven seasons (1978-84). He had a 63-61-1 regular-season mark with the Lions and led the team to playoff appearances in 1982 and 1983 (the 1983 squad won the NFL Central Division title for the first time in 26 years).

In 1990, he was the Dolphins’ director of player personnel, then was the offensive line coach at Stanford for two seasons (1993-94). He served as a consultant for the Lions from 1999 to 2008.

He also had a stint as the head coach of the Minsk Belarus Zubers, an American pro football team in the Soviet Union. Off the field, he was a broadcaster in Detroit, a color analyst for Michigan and a sideline reporter for Michigan State.

Clark is survived by his wife of 52 years, Charlotte; sons Randy, Bryan and Eric; and eight grandchildren, as well as his brother, Don, and sisters Dolene and Kathy.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kirk in the Hills Church Outreach and Benevolence Funds (1340 Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302).

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