Quarterback Jordan Love wasn’t the only member of the Green Bay Packers to suffer a season-changing injury in Brazil during Week 1 of the 2024 season. Veteran defensive lineman Kenny Clark revealed Tuesday that he needed surgery this offseason to correct a toe/foot injury first suffered in the season-opener against the Philadelphia Eagles last September.
“I had surgery on my foot in January,” Clark said, via Ryan Wood of PackersNews.com.
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Clark, who signed a three-year, $64 million extension with the Packers last July, said the surgery helped correct a bunion and bone spurs.
Clark was consistently listed on the injury report following Week 1 but never missed a game. In fact, he never even received a playing status designation ahead of a game and ended up being on the field for almost 700 total snaps.
However, Clark’s impact suffered. He finished the 2024 season with 1.0 sack, four tackles for loss, five quarterback hits and only 34 total pressures — all numbers setting or coming close to setting new lows since his rookie season in 2016. Clark’s 60.0 overall grade at PFF was a new career low.
“It was tough. It was a tough year for me,” Clark said.
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The foot injury helps explain the drastic drop off for a Pro Bowl player. Clark said the injury negatively impacted him for much of the season. For bigger players like Clark, who is listed at 314 pounds, injuries to the feet can be crippling.
“A lot,” Clark said when asked how much the injury affected his play in 2024.
Clark said he is over the injury now and excited for the 2025 season.
The Packers signed Clark to a third contract knowing the risk of injury for a player who has played a lot of football is approaching 30 years old. Can Clark bounce back from a foot injury that plagued him throughout the 2024 season and give the Packers an elite season in 2025?
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers Kenny Clark toe foot injury surgery offseason January 2024 season