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13 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


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beast (5m) : What does the weather look like?
Martha Careful (4h) : You can wear long-johns mittens and a hat. We want Hill and their other skill guys FROZEN
Zero2Cool (8h) : I'm not sure I hope for that. I'll be at the game.
Martha Careful (22h) : I hope it is colder than a well-diggers ass on Thanksgiving night.
Zero2Cool (25-Nov) : doubt he wants to face the speedsters
beast (25-Nov) : Dolphins offense can be explosive... I wonder if we'll have Alexander back
Zero2Cool (25-Nov) : No Doubs could be issue Thursday
Mucky Tundra (25-Nov) : Bears. Santos. Blocked FG
Zero2Cool (24-Nov) : Bears. Vikings. OT
Mucky Tundra (24-Nov) : Thems the breaks I guess
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Zero2Cool (24-Nov) : Packers inactives vs 49ers: • CB Jaire Alexander • S Kitan Oladapo • LB Edgerrin Cooper • OL Jacob Monk
TheKanataThrilla (24-Nov) : Aaron Jones with a costly red zone fumble
Zero2Cool (24-Nov) : When we trade Malik for a 1st rounder, we'll need a new QB2.
packerfanoutwest (23-Nov) : Report: Aaron Rodgers wants to play in 2025, but not for the Jets
beast (23-Nov) : That's what I told the Police officer about my speed when he pulled me over
packerfanoutwest (23-Nov) : NFL told Bears that Packers’ blocked field goal was legal
packerfanoutwest (22-Nov) : 49ers are underdogs at Packers, ending streak of 36 straight games as favorites
Zero2Cool (22-Nov) : 49ers might be down their QB, DL, TE and LT?
packerfanoutwest (22-Nov) : Jaire Alexander says he has a torn PCL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : Even with the context it's ... what?
Mucky Tundra (20-Nov) : Matt LaFleur without context: “I don’t wanna pat you on the butt and you poop in my hand.”
beast (20-Nov) : We brought in a former Packers OL coach to help evaluate OL as a scout
beast (20-Nov) : Jets have been pretty good at picking DL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He landed good players thanks to high draft slot. He isn't good.
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He can shove his knowledge up his ass. He knows nothing.
beast (20-Nov) : More knowledge, just like bring in the Jets head coach
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : What? Why? Huh?
beast (19-Nov) : I wonder if the Packers might to try to bring Douglas in through Milt Hendrickson/Ravens connections
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : The Jets fired Joe Douglas, per sources
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Jets are a mess......
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Pretty sure Jets fired their scouting staff and just pluck former Packers.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Jets sign Anders Carlson to their 53.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : When you cycle the weeks, the total over remains for season. But you get your W/L for that selected week. Confusing.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the totals are accurate..nrvrtmind
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : I don't follow what you are saying. The totals are not the same as last week.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : ok so then wht are the totals the same as last week?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : NFL Pick'em is auto updated when NFL Scores tab is clicked
Martha Careful (19-Nov) : The offense was OK. Let's not forget the Bear defense is very very good.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Who updates the leaderboard on NFLPickem?
beast (19-Nov) : Has the Packers offense been worse since the former Jets coach joined the Packers?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Offense gets his ass in gear, this could be good.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Backup QB helped with three wins. Special Teams contributed to three wins.
bboystyle (18-Nov) : Lions played outside thats why. They scored 16 and 17 in the only 2 outside games this year
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : The rest of the NFL is catching up to Packers ... kicking is an issue throughout league
packerfanoutwest (18-Nov) : Packers DL Kenny Clark: We knew 'we were going to block' Bears' game-winning field goal attempt
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Lions seem to be throttling everyone, but only (only) got 24 lol maybe the rain is why
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Packers vs Lions game doesn't seem so bad.
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