Detroit Lions: The Most Underrated Players In Team History
Dutch Clark
Because this list is limited to non-Hall of Famers, Clark is technically disqualified from being listed. However, he gets an honorable mention because while he was one of the NFL’s earliest stars, many fans have never heard of him or his accomplishments.
Earl “Dutch” Clark was the first “quarterback” of the Detroit Lions after they moved from Portsmouth, Ohio in 1934. At the time, the position was known as a “tailback.” Tailbacks, including Clark, did a lot more rushing than passing as the forward pass was still a relatively ineffective way to move the ball down the field at the time. This was also the era of the two-way player, so Clark also played defensive back and served as the Lions’ kicker.
Clark spent his first two NFL seasons in Portsmouth with the then-Spartans, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1931 and leading the league in scoring in 1932. He then took a year off to become the athletic director and head football coach at the Colorado School of Mines, where he could make more money during the Great Depression.
He returned to the NFL in 1934 after the Spartans had moved and become the Lions, and he led the league in rushing touchdowns the Lions’ inaugural season. In 1935, Clark led the Lions to their first NFL Championship and earned the league scoring title again. In 1936, he led the Lions to a record 2,885 team rushing yards, a record that would stand until the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins broke it, while also leading the league in rushing touchdowns again.
He took over as player-coach of the Lions in 1937 and held a 14-8 record in two seasons while leading the league in rushing touchdowns in 1936 for the third time. He retired as a player after the 1938 season, having been named All-Pro every season from 1934-1937. After 1938, he left Detroit to coach the Cleveland Rams, where he stayed until 1942. He also coached at the University of Detroit from 1951-1953.
Clark was a part of the 17-member inaugural class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963, and his number seven was retired by the Lions. He is also a member of the NFL 1930s All-Decade Team and the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Two-Way Team.
Next: 10. Harley Sewell