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DETCLAY0

Willie Clay

Retired

New Orleans Saints · FS

Willie Clay recorded 105 indexed regular-season NFL appearances across 8 rostered seasons with New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions.

▶Best highlights

0.4

tackles/gm

9

playoff games

8

indexed seasons

105

career games

Five defining games

Start here

A provisional five-game introduction to Willie Clay's most significant indexed performances.

Super Bowl
XXXI
GREEN BAYPACKERS
NEW ENGLANDPATRIOTS
JAN 26, 1997

Green Bay Packers vs New England Patriots

Super Bowl XXXI · Jan 26, 1997

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Wild Card
1998
NEW ENGLANDPATRIOTS
JACKSONVILLEJAGUARS
JAN 3, 1999

New England Patriots vs Jacksonville Jaguars

Wild Card · Jan 3, 1999

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Divisional Round
1997
NEW ENGLANDPATRIOTS
PITTSBURGHSTEELERS
JAN 3, 1998

New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers

Divisional Round · Jan 3, 1998

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Wild Card
1997
MIAMIDOLPHINS
NEW ENGLANDPATRIOTS
DEC 28, 1997

Miami Dolphins vs New England Patriots

Wild Card · Dec 28, 1997

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Conference Championship
1996
JACKSONVILLEJAGUARS
NEW ENGLANDPATRIOTS
JAN 12, 1997

Jacksonville Jaguars vs New England Patriots

Conference Championship · Jan 12, 1997

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 1 INT

Single-game peaks

Career highs

Position-relevant single-game records from Willie Clay's indexed NFL box scores.

Career high: 8 total tackles

Regular Season
1999
TAMPA BAYBUCCANEERS
NEW ORLEANSSAINTS
NOV 7, 1999

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints

Regular Season · Nov 7, 1999

8 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Career high: 2 interceptions

Regular Season
1997
NEW ENGLANDPATRIOTS
DENVERBRONCOS
OCT 6, 1997

New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos

Regular Season · Oct 6, 1997

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 2 INT

Career high: 1 pass defended

Regular Season
1999
NEW ORLEANSSAINTS
ATLANTAFALCONS
DEC 5, 1999

New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons

Regular Season · Dec 5, 1999

3 tackles · 0 sacks · 1 INT

Career high: 53 interception return yards

Regular Season
1997
LOS ANGELESCHARGERS
NEW ENGLANDPATRIOTS
AUG 31, 1997

Los Angeles Chargers vs New England Patriots

Regular Season · Aug 31, 1997

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 1 INT

Career chapters

Franchise eras

Follow the team eras that shaped Willie Clay's career, in chronological order.

Earliest → latest

Franchise era

1989–1998

01
DETCLAY—Willie Clay
DETSANDERS20Barry Sanders
DETMOORE84Herman Moore

The league's most elusive runner

Detroit Lions · Barry Sanders

Sanders turned every carry into possibility and led the 1991 Lions to the NFC Championship Game, the franchise's lone playoff win of the era.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1985–1996

02
BUFCLAY—Willie Clay
BUFKELLY12Jim Kelly
BUFTHOMAS34Thurman Thomas

Four consecutive AFC championships

Buffalo Bills · The K-Gun years

Kelly's no-huddle offense and a defense led by Smith reached four straight Super Bowls, an achievement defined equally by dominance and heartbreak.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1993–2000

03
NECLAY—Willie Clay
NEBLEDSOE11Drew Bledsoe
NECOATES87Ben Coates

A No. 1 quarterback brings the Patriots back

New England Patriots · Parcells and Bledsoe reset expectations

Robert Kraft's ownership and Bill Parcells's coaching stabilized the organization, leading to Super Bowl XXXI and a roster ready for another regime.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1987–1999

04
NOCLAY—Willie Clay
NOJACKSON—Rickey Jackson
NOMILLS51Sam Mills

Linebacker defense delivers the first winners

New Orleans Saints · The Dome Patrol

Jim Mora's defense sent four linebackers to the Pro Bowl and ended the franchise's wait for winning seasons and playoff football.

Read the era story →

Career accomplishments

8 NFL seasons105 career games27 career solo tackles1 career sacksJersey: 429 playoff appearances1 Super Bowl appearanceFirst appearance: Nov 22, 1992Most recent: Jan 2, 2000

Official awards via ESPN · Pro Bowl and All-Pro counts via NFLverse with selection years cross-checked against Wikipedia · league leads verified from indexed regular-season stats

Team history