Super Bowl 2022: Inside Clark Harris' unusual Bengals journey

The Bengals' 37-year-old long snapper has played the past 13 years in Cincinnati, and Super Bowl 2022 between the Bengals and Rams on Sunday ... MoreFrom: MarkCannizzaro IfDeeboSamuelbecomesavailable,JetsGMJoeDouglasmustactfast ScottieScheffler'sdominancenowmeetstestoffleetinggolfsupremacy TigerWoods'Mastersoutingaprofoundwinforhimasheeyesfuturemajors YoungerplayersatMastersenjoyingTigerWoodsexperience Masters2022:TigerWoodsdefiesoddsagainduetomentaltoughness ClarkHarris,sinceleavingthewombofNewJerseythroughhishighschoolyearsdowntheShoreandcollegedaysatRutgers,hasplayed14NFLseasonsinoneoftheunlikeliestjourneysyou’lleversee.  TheBengals’37-year-oldlongsnapperhasplayedthepast13yearsinCincinnati,andSuperBowl2022betweentheBengalsandRamsonSundayatSoFiStadiumwillbehisfirsttriptothebiggestgameinthesportafteralltheseyears.  ItwouldbenaturaltothinkhisanticipationfortheSuperBowlwouldbeabouttherushofstandinginthetunnelastheteamisabouttobeintroducedorthepregamehypeorthefirsttimehehitssomeoneinthegame.  Notexactly.  ThiswastherevealingandcolorfulconversationThePosthadwithHarristhisweekinadvanceofthebiggestgameofhislife:  Me:“PlayinginyourfirstSuperBowlafteralltheseyearsintheleague,what’sthemomentyou’remostlookingforwardto?’’  Harris:“Halftime.’’  Me:“Huh?’’  Harris:“Everybodythat’sgoingtobeonthathalftimestagearepeoplethatIgrewuplisteningtomywholelife—Eminem,Dr.Dre,SnoopDogg—so,I’mgoingtojuststayonthefieldathalftimeandwatchthehalftimeshow.’’  Me:“Isthatallowed?’’  Harris:“I’mnotaskinganybody.Imean,whenIgointothelockerroomathalftime,Idon’ttalktoanycoaches,Idon’treallyhaveanyresponsibilities.Ijustdomyownlittlethingforacoupleminutesbeforegoingbackoutonthefield.’’  ClarkHarrisismostlookingforwardtothehalftimeshowattheSuperBowl.GettyImages Here’sthebestparttoHarris’clandestinehalftimeplan:Likeamischievouskid,heactuallyhasamade-upstoryinplaceincasesomeonequestionswhyhe’stheonlyuniformedplayerstillonthefieldasthestageandpropsarebeingwhiskedintoplacefortheshow.  Thisishowitgoes:“Ifanyonesayssomethingtome,I’mjustgoingtotellthem:‘I’vebeenintheleaguefor15yearsandI’vegotasuperstitionwhereIdon’tgoinathalftime.DoyouwantmetomessupthegameandlosetheSuperBowlordoyoujustwanttoshutupandletmesitouthere?’’’  Later,inaphoneconversationwithJimHutchinson,Harris’stepfather,whoalongwithHarris’motherBonnieraisedhimsincehisearlyteenyearsinManahawkin,N.J.,IaskedhimifhewasawareofClark’s“halftimeplan.’’  TherewasalongpausebeforeHutchinsonfinallystammered,“Um,no.’’  WhenIinformedhimoftheplan,Bonnie,listeninginontheconversation,said,“That’sClark.’’  ClarkHarriscelebratesatouchdownwhileatRutgers.AP ClarkHarrisislivinghislifeandhe’slivingitwithnoapologies.  LongsnappersmayrepresentthemostanonymouspositiononanNFLroster,butHarrishasbeeninthebellyofthebeastthispostseason.TheBengalswouldn’tbeinL.A.forthisgameifnotforhisclutchlongsnapping.  Harris’perfectsnapsledtoconsecutiveBengalswalk-offfieldgoalsenteringthisSuperBowl:rookiekickerEvanMcPherson’s52-yarderastimeexpiredtobeattheTitans19-16andsendCincinnatitotheAFCtitlegameandMcPherson’sovertime31-yardertobeattheChiefs27-24intheAFCChampionshipGame.  seealso BengalskickerEvanMcPhersonemergesasunlikelystarenteringSuperBowl OnebadsnapandtheBengalsprobablywouldbeathomewatchingtheTitansorChiefsplaytheRamsonSunday.  “Youcouldn’twriteabetterscriptforalongsnapper,’’Harrissaid.“It’sanawesomefeelingtobepartofit.’’  It’swell-deservedconsideringHarris’perseverancesincehewasdraftedbythePackersasatightendintheseventhroundin2007andwatchedhisdreamhaltedmoretimesthanhecancount.  ByHarris’estimation,hehasbeencutninetimes.Bytheestimationofhisstepfather,whorecounteddrivingHarristotheairportonMondaysforTuesdaytryouts,hisstepsontriedoutforatleastadozenteamsbeforehefinallygotajob.  HarrishookedontoHouston’spracticesquadin2008asatightendandwasthrustintolongsnappingwhentheTexans’longsnapperwassuspendedforaPEDtestwithfourgamesremainingintheseason.  “Thatkindofstartedmylong-snappingcareer,’’Harrissaid.“I’vealwaysdonelongsnappingsincefreshmanfootballinhighschool.’’  ClarkHarrisarrivesinLosAngelesaheadoftheSuperBowl.AP HarrisrecalledthatwhenChuckDonohue,hiscoachatSouthernRegionalHigh,askedhisplayerswhocouldlong-snap,hetoldthecoach,“Icanthrowaballbetweenmylegs.’’  “Hewasanoutstandinglongsnapper—eveninhighschool,’’Donohuesaid.  Toogood,asitturnedout.DonohuerecalledthatHarris“hadsomuchvelocityonhiscentersnapthatthepunterhadahardtimecatchingtheball.’’  So,Harrishadtobemovedtoanotherspotonthelineforpunts,becausehewastoogoodatwhathedid.  ClarkHarrisGettyImages IttookyearsintheNFLbeforeHarrisfinallysuccumbedtotherealitythathistightenddreamhaddied.  “Itwasaslow,slow,slowtransitionbeforeIrealizedthatIwaswasn’tatightendanymore,’’hesaid.“IfinallyacceptedthefactthatI’malongsnapper.’’  Notthatthere’sanythingwrongwiththat.  NowthatHutchinsonhadamomenttodigesthisstepson’sSuperBowlhalftimescheme,hesaid:“Clark’safunnyguy.Ithink‘quirky’isagoodwaytodescribehim.He’snotafraidtodancetoadifferentdrummer,butwhenthetaskisathand,he’sallbusiness.’’  DonohueunderstoodexactlywhatHutchinsonwassaying.  “Inmanyways,he’sstillakidatheart,’’Donohuesaid.“ButtheBengalshavegottherightguyinthatspotforthatsituation.He’sabletodealwiththingsinaverycalmway.He’sbuiltforthesepressuresituations.’’ Sharethisarticle: FacebookTwitter Flipboard WhatsAppEmailCopy Columnists IanO'Connor Nets'SteveNashneedstostepitupbeforeit'stoolate PhilMushnick Analyticsruiningbaseballfortheextremeworse SeeAllColumnists Tryitfree JalenBrunsonhasalotofwhattheKnicksaremissing—buttherisksarehigh ThelongdriveofKennyPickett,fromtheJerseyShoretopotentialNFLsavior 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