Dutch Clark
Inducted:
1963
Player Stats
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Born:
October 11, 1906
Fowler, Colorado, U.S.
Died:
August 5, 1978
Cañon City, Colorado, U.S.
Position:
Running back
College:
Colorado College (1927–1929)
Earl “Dutch” Clark was one of the NFL’s first true stars—a triple-threat back whose intelligence and versatility transformed the game. After dominating at Colorado College as an All‑American quarterback in 1928, he joined the Portsmouth Spartans in 1931 and continued his stardom with the newly relocated Detroit Lions. Clark led the league in scoring three times, was named All‑Pro six times, and guided the Lions to the 1935 NFL Championship. A cunning strategist, he passed, ran, and kicked, holding the NFL’s career scoring record (369 points) at retirement.
In his final two seasons, he served as player-coach. Post-NFL, Clark coached and later became an athletic director at the University of Detroit. Inducted into both the inaugural College Football Hall of Fame class (1951) and the first class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963, his #7 jersey was the first retired by the Lions. Clark’s legacy is defined by skill, leadership, and pioneering spirit that shaped early professional football.
Clark's Awards and Honors
- Pride of the Lions
- Detroit Lions 75th Anniversary Team
- Detroit Lions All-Time Team
- Detroit Lions No. 7 retired
- First-team All-American (1928)
NFL Records
- NFL champion (1935)
- 6× First-team All-Pro (1931, 1932, 1934–1937)
- 3× NFL rushing touchdowns leader (1934, 1936, 1937)
- 3× NFL scoring leader (1932, 1935, 1936)
- NFL 1930s All-Decade Team
- NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
NFL Teams
Portsmouth Spartans / Detroit Lions (1931–1932; 1934–1938)
Number Worn:
19, 12, 7
NFL Stats
TD–INT:
11–26
Passing yards:
1,507
Rushing yards:
2,772
Rushing touchdowns:
36
Receptions:
28
Receiving yards:
341
Receiving touchdowns:
6
Points scored:
369
Coaching Career:
NFL: 30–34–2 (.470)
College: 14–22 (.389)