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Clayton making up for lost time
The Bucs receiver, plagued by injuries in 2005, plans to return to his rookie form.
Chris Harry | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted June 20, 2006
TAMPA -- Raymond James Stadium never was more electric than last Jan. 7. More than 65,000 faithful fans screamed and waved pirate flags to celebrate the Tampa Bay Bucs' return to the playoffs.
Wide receiver Michael Clayton recalls soaking in the moment -- then wiping away the tears. He was in jeans and sneakers on the sideline, not out on the field.
"I've always been at the top of the totem pole. I've always had success, even through pain," Clayton said. "That's what made last year so hard for me. I've never had to deal with that kind of frustration."
Bum knee, banged-up shoulder, bad toe, bruised ego -- that was Clayton's 2005 season.
A year after setting franchise rookie records with 80 catches for 1,093 yards and seven touchdowns, Clayton had 32 receptions for 372 yards and no touchdowns in '05.
To his credit, Clayton fought through pain and did whatever he could until a toe injury in a Christmas Eve overtime victory against Atlanta finished him off.
Clayton was a spectator for the Bucs' season-ending win against New Orleans to clinch the NFC South, then again the following week as the offense sputtered in a playoff loss to Washington.
"Never again," he vowed.
Clayton, 23, has been the leader of his own rescue-and-recover mission. As the Bucs begin a mandatory three-day minicamp today, Clayton is so convinced he'll return to his rookie form that he put it in writing for Coach Jon Gruden.
"We have a contract," Gruden said.
That's in addition to the six-year, $13 million deal Clayton signed as the club's first-round pick in '04. When Clayton vowed to bounce back, Gruden typed out a few paragraphs and put paper and pen in front of his player. Clayton gladly signed.
"He wants you committed to being great," Clayton said. "I wouldn't want it any other way."
It says something about the Bucs that they were able to win a division -- with untested quarterback Chris Simms, no less -- minus one of their marquee offensive players.
Assuming speedy receiver Joey Galloway can have another injury-free season, the Bucs should be even more dangerous and diverse with a return to form by Clayton.
"This passing game is set up to a large degree around the flanker," Gruden said of his West Coast offensive scheme that works on rhythm and timing. "You've got to be in peak-performance shape. You've got to be on the details. So we need to get Mike Clayton back to what we think will be a Pro Bowl player."
Tampa Bay was 25th in the league in passing last season despite a career year from Galloway (83 catches, 1,287 yards, 10 TDs). Clayton started 10 games and played in 14, but injuries cost him repetitions in practice. In Gruden's offense, if a player isn't getting reps, he's not going to be a big part of the game plan.
"He was hurting -- we all knew that -- but he never once complained about it. That just made me respect him even more," Simms said.
"He had plenty of excuses for not being himself, but he didn't use them," receivers coach Richard Mann said.
Clayton will say he's 100 percent back, but neither Mann nor Gruden will go that far. In fact, during a workout last month, Clayton felt his hamstrings tighten up before practice. Gruden, who has been known to strongly discourage players from becoming too fond of the training room, was briefed on Clayton's situation and made an executive decision.
"Pull him out," Gruden said.
That told Clayton something.
"Last year, it would have been like, 'What the [expletive] is Clayton doing? Is he ever going to [expletive] practice?'" Clayton said, laughing. "So we're working together. He knows I'm doing my part. He knows I'm doing what I need to do to be great."
Organized workouts and minicamp are critical times, but the greatness that truly matters begins in earnest July 27 when the Bucs report for three weeks of training camp at Disney's Wide World of Sports.
There will be contracts to live up to.
"I'm going to be able to look back and say, 'Mike, you busted your butt since the season ended and now is the time to regain what you started,'" Clayton said. "This is going to be my year. I'm healthy. I'm going to produce. And I'm going to make this team better. I really believe that."
Clayton making up for lost time
Clayton making up for lost time
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