Clemens with the Rams during the 2013 preseason.
Born in 1983, this sixth generation cattle rancher from Burns, Oregon achieved his dream of playing in the NFL (National Football League) in 2006.[1] Before he was drafted by the New York Jets in 2006, he began his illustrious career in a small ranching community. Burns may be known to some as a quiet little community, one steeped in history from the Scottish highlands in Europe to the Paiute Tribes in North America, but remarkable athletes, artists, politicians and everyone in between have emerged from this town and left some kind of mark on a national scale.
While playing high school football for the Burns Hilanders, Clemens not only led his team to the Oregon 3A championship game in 1999 but broke a few state-records along the way.[2] During his high school career, he also managed to snag the Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year and the USA Today All-American honors. With this rich and developed background, it came as no surprise to his fellow students, teachers, and coaches when the University of Oregon offered him a full-ride athletic scholarship.
Although Clemens no longer lives in Burns, having moved in order to play for the NFL, he maintains many of the skills and knowledge he gained from growing up in Burns. As a cattle rancher, his family instilled in him a sense of hard work that helped him rise above a broken ankle that occurred during his college years.[3] Despite being out for three games, Clemens worked hard every day to make sure that when he finally did come back, he would outperform his previous games. A goal he met.
Notes
[1] University of Oregon, “Kellen Clemens,” Last modified 2001, http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=22878.
[2] University of Oregon, “Kellen Clemens.”
[3] Karen Crouse, “Covering New Ground, Jets’ Clemens Relies on Deep Roots,” New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/sports/football/16jets.html?_r=0.
