| Clyde Duncan | |
| Number: | 86 |
| Position: | Wide receiver |
| Birth Date: | 5 February 1961 |
| Birth Place: | Oxon Hill, Maryland, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Fort Washington, Maryland, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 1 |
| Weight Lb: | 202 |
| High School: | Oxon Hill (MD) Potomac[1] |
| College: | Tennessee |
| Draftyear: | 1984 |
| Draftround: | 1 |
| Draftpick: | 17 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Statlabel1: | Receptions |
| Statvalue1: | 4 |
| Statlabel2: | Receiving yards |
| Statvalue2: | 39 |
| Statlabel3: | Touchdowns |
| Statvalue3: | 1 |
| Pfr: | DuncCl20 |
Clyde Louis Duncan, Jr. (February 5, 1961 – February 16, 2015)[2] was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. Duncan was a first-round pick for the Cardinals in the 1984 NFL draft, but he only played in 1984 and 1985, finishing his career with just four receptions.[3]
Duncan attended Potomac High School, in Oxon Hill, Maryland.[4] Playing at both receiver and tailback for Potomac's football team, he accumulated 2,209 yards his senior year, including 958 yards receiving and 808 yards rushing, and was named a high school All-American by Football News and the Maryland Player of the Year by the Washington Pigskin Club.
Duncan played college football at Tennessee from 1979 to 1983.[5] Along with teammates Willie Gault, Anthony Hancock, Lenny Taylor and Tim McGee, he helped create the school's reputation as "Wide Receiver U."[6] He played sparingly in 1979, redshirted in 1980, played as a defensive back in 1981, and played primarily as a reserve receiver in 1982.[7] In 1983, however, he led the team in receiving with 33 catches for 640 yards and six touchdowns.[8] He caught touchdown passes of 80 yards and 57 yards in Tennessee's 41–34 win over Alabama,[9] and his 85-yard touchdown catch against Vanderbilt remains the third-longest in school history.[10] He attracted close attention from scouts for his workout performance at the 1983 Blue–Gray Football Classic.[11]
Duncan was selected in the first round of the 1984 NFL draft by the Cardinals.[12] Duncan's rookie year was disrupted by a contract dispute,[13] and he did not sign with the Cardinals until September 10.[14] He soon separated his shoulder, sending him to the injured reserve list.[15] In 1985, Duncan did work his way into the lineup, but caught only four passes on the season[16] and lost his role as third receiver.[17] The Cardinals released Duncan on August 18, 1986.[18] Duncan was subsequently acquired by the Cleveland Browns in the spring of 1987,[19] but he was released at the start of preseason[20] and did not appear in another NFL game.
He died at the age of 54 in 2015.[21] [22]