wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member Topic Starter
14 years ago
Just one more solid season out of Clifton.....


Chad Clifton finds longevity in cautious training regimen 



Chances are Chad Clifton is taking fewer snaps than any healthy starter in any training camp around the NFL.

The Green Bay Packers left tackle has arthritic knees and at age 35 is the NFL’s oldest starter at that demanding position and the third-oldest starting offensive lineman overall, behind only Kansas City’s Casey Wiegmann (37) and Indianapolis’ Jeff Saturday (35), both of whom play center.

The Packers have spent years learning to manage Clifton’s chronically sore knees and since the early 2000s have given him regular days off in training camp and during the regular season to make sure he’s feeling OK on Sundays.

But in this year’s camp they’ve cut back on his playing time even further, often playing him only a snap or two per team period. There also are practices, even with only one practice a day, when he doesn’t do any 11-on-11 work and takes part only in individual drills.

So far, at least, it seems to be working. Clifton says his knees are holding up and he’s feeling only the typical soreness that all players do in camp. And his performance in two series in the preseason opener didn’t suffer from rust.

“He looked good the other night,” said Joe Philbin, the Packers’ offensive coordinator. “He’s getting some good work in individual (drills). I’m hopeful. A player at that stage in his career, you have to have a little faith that he knows how much he needs and what he doesn’t need. I think he looks good.”

Clifton was one of the surprises of the Packers’ Super Bowl run last year, at least considering how he looked in Week 2. In that home game against Buffalo, the Packers pulled him in the first half because of performance – his right knee was so inflamed and irritated that he couldn’t play at a starter’s level.

There was reason to wonder whether it was the beginning of the end of a distinguished NFL career. Clifton’s knees had been chronically sore since his return from the devastating separated pelvis he sustained on a Warren Sapp blind-side block in 2002, and maybe he was hitting an age when the swelling and irritation were too much to overcome.


“That was definitely the low point of last year,” Clifton said. “I was like, ‘Oh man, something has to be done to calm this knee down or it’s done.’ Fortunately we were able to do that.”

The Packers took two steps to help him: They scaled back his already abridged practice schedule and had him undergo an injected treatment called Euflexxa to lubricate his arthritic right knee. Starting after the Bills game, Clifton had one injection in his knee per week for three weeks with a form of hyaluronic acid that’s similar to the natural substances that lubricate a healthy knee.

“I haven’t had an issue since,” Clifton said.

Clifton also puts in long hours taking care of his knee, and with his daily pre- and post-practice treatment and rehabilitation regimen probably spends more time than any other player in the Packers’ training room, which is an honor no player wants. But it helps him to play at age 35 despite multiple arthroscopic surgeries to both knees, and the demands of a position where he’s blocking the NFL’s premier outside pass rushers, usually one-on-one.

EDITED


UserPostedImage
Fan Shout
Mucky Tundra (16m) : yooper!
Zero2Cool (1h) : Never. But gonna be looking different in few days :D
yooperfan (2h) : Whew, I got it back. I was afraid that I lost this site for good.
Zero2Cool (2h) : Harrisburg Packers
Mucky Tundra (3h) : Yes
Zero2Cool (3h) : No.
dfosterf (3h) : The man carried us a lot of the time
dfosterf (4h) : I think a Kenny Clark tribute is in order
Zero2Cool (12h) : new site, text editor gooder even on phone
beast (12h) : Oh yes, sometimes they make using a cellphone tough. I just wanted to make sure it was the correct article, & thank you for pointing it out.
jdlax (14h) : I can't believe one of my teams went out and wablammo just up and acquired one of the best players in the world overnight
dfosterf (18h) : I do very much appreciate when Beast and others pick up my slack 😊
dfosterf (18h) : I accept Beast's admonishment regarding my failure to link stuff I reference. I simply never learned to link from my cell phone.
beast (18h) : That's not what your she said 😌, she said keep going 😏
Mucky Tundra (22h) : Anything over 4 hours means he needs to get to the hospital
Mucky Tundra (22h) : Someone might want to check on Hafley and make sure his erection has gone down
Zero2Cool (23h) : LaFleur texts "bleep me I cannot sit down"
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : YouTube has had me last hour or two lol
Mucky Tundra (28-Aug) : Ugh this trade happened right as my shift started and it's killing me
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : Parsons wore 23 in high school.
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : Packers just cost Lions more money with Hutchinson too huh
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : That is fair by me.
buckeyepackfan (28-Aug) : Kenny Clark is the player, 2 1st rnd picks
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : umm... what?
wpr (28-Aug) : I am stunned
Mucky Tundra (28-Aug) : RICKEY SCOOPS WAS RIGHT AGAIN!!!
Mucky Tundra (28-Aug) : ITS HAPPENING
buckeyepackfan (28-Aug) : DEAL IS DONE
buckeyepackfan (28-Aug) : MICAH IS COMING TO GREEN BAY!!!!!!!!!
wpr (28-Aug) : Me do-ed it gooderly,
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : Bahah, I was like WTF why isn't anyone posting on PP.com ... oops no one has permissions
dfosterf (27-Aug) : tell her I reckon
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Micah Robinson cut. Probable PS player tomorrow. Has to call mom back and t
Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : New site so much better. Might make switch and deal with it.
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Mecole Hardman to our practice squad
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Nick Nieman from Texans our 5th linebacker. Special teams signing
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Looks like we signed Clayton Tune as QB3
wpr (27-Aug) : TKT people lose their minds over QB3. Point is almost none of them are ready that's why they are on the PS and other teams don't take them.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Unfortunately he doesn't seem ready to be an emergency QB.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : As a Canadian and a follower of Canadian University football. I am rooting for him
dfosterf (27-Aug) : I bet a lot of us will follow the Taylor Elgersma journey with interest. Personally, got a Kurt Warner vibe goin' on. I like him
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Not sure if either will be claimed though.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Tune or Hooker would make sense
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Clayton Tune cut by the Cards? Don't know if that's the guy, we shall see
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Per Bill Huber, the Packers will not be bringing back Taylor Elgersma or Sean Clifford on the practice squad, so a new third quarterback
Mucky Tundra (27-Aug) : Schefter must have deleted his tweet
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Hopefully Jerry reaches under the seat cushions and ashtrays of his jet and scrapes up the 45 million apr and spares us further nonsense
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Have to admit the PO'd Cowboy fan videos would be fun to watch. Problem with draft picks is half their fanbase barely knows what that is
beast (27-Aug) : I think Cowboys fans are ready to get their pitch forks and burning sticks if Jerry were to trade Micah
dfosterf (27-Aug) : If Jerry traded Micah to GB, here in northern Va. they would have to quick build yet another data center to handle the internet hate traffic
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2025 Packers Schedule
Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
COMMANDERS
Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
Browns
Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
Cowboys
Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
BENGALS
Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
Cardinals
Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
Steelers
Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
PANTHERS
Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
EAGLES
Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
Giants
Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
Broncos
Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
Bears
Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
RAVENS
Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
Vikings
Recent Topics
19m / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

45m / Random Babble / dfosterf

3h / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

6h / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

9h / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

21h / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

21h / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

28-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

28-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

28-Aug / Feedback, Suggestions and Issues / Zero2Cool

27-Aug / Fantasy Sports Talk / Zero2Cool

27-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

27-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Cheesey

26-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

26-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.