Anyone who tuned into NBC last night heard all about Micah Parsons and his return to Dallas. It seemed to be the only topic discussed pregame, during the game, and postgame. It was exactly one month ago when one single headline broke the internet. “The Dallas Cowboys are trading three-time All-Pro LB Micah Packers to the Green Bay Packers.” The Packers were acquiring a player who could be headed to Canton when it’s all said and done. The Cowboys were getting two first-round picks and “a front-line player.” That player? Kenny Clark.

Kenny Clark was probably one of the last players most expected to be traded. The ten-year veteran defensive tackle was a pillar in the locker room, an anchor on the defensive line, and an esteemed member of the Green Bay community. Clark had just signed a three-year, $64 million contract extension in 2024. His age and his contract didn’t make him the most attractive trade chip on paper. The Cowboys thought differently. Jerry Jones and Brian Gutekunst got on the phone, hammered out some details, then ba da bing, ba da boom, Kenny Clark was a Dallas Cowboy.

The Packers traveled down to Dallas for a Week 4 matchup with the Cowboys, so Clark didn’t have to wait long to see his old team again. The night as a whole left a bitter taste in the mouths of most fans. The Packers' performance was unsatisfying, discouraging, and sometimes even infuriating. Packer fans also watched Kenny Clark look like his old self again. Over the 58 snaps that he played, he was stout against the run and able to generate pressure on Jordan Love. He finished the game with a tackle, a quarterback hit, five pressures, and four hurries. PFF gave him a 63.3 grade. It was also evident that the Packers' backup defensive linemen were struggling to hold up against the run - something Clark would've helped with.

This week’s edition of “Monday Musings” could’ve dove into analyzing last night's game or attempted to find some silver linings from a night that was incredibly frustrating all around. But instead, it felt important to take a few minutes to send some love and admiration to a former Packer who did everything the right way. Micah Parsons got plenty of love and recognition, and understandably so, but that doesn’t mean Clark should be forgotten. There are few Packers in recent memory as revered as Clark. The way he carried himself, his work ethic, his selfless nature - he embodied everything the Packers want to be about. Even though he’s not on the team anymore, he still shows the utmost respect for his old organization.

Kenny Clark “Carries the G” every step of the way - Packer or not.

Kenny Clark on a Zoom call with Packers reporters: “First-class organization and I’m always appreciative of what they’ve done for me and my family.” pic.twitter.com/LZx85g3c4V

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 25, 2025

What It Means to "Carry the G"

“Carry the G” was a phrase first coined by Aaron Rodgers. It has become a beloved tagline for Cheesehead TV and its loyal fans. It’s more than just a phrase. It means that someone carries the ideals and values of their team everywhere they go. No one did that better than Kenny Clark. "I don’t remember a day that I didn’t love coming into work. This is just what I love to do. I love to play football,” Clark shared. “I loved being around the guys. I built a lot of bonds with those guys. I want to be remembered for all that kind of stuff."

Let’s rewind to April of 2016. Kenny Clark was just getting to Green Bay. The Packers’ first-round pick was only 20 years old at the time. He couldn’t even legally drink a beer. “I got there when I was 20 years old,” Clark said. “Like, really, I was growing up there.” He joined a defensive line room in need of reinforcements. The only carryovers from the 2015 team were Mike Daniels, Letroy Guion, Christian Ringo, and Datone Jones. Expectations for Clark were high, and understandably so.

Usually, there is an adjustment period for most players. It’s not uncommon to see young players go through some growing pains, either on or off the field. Clark could’ve easily gone down a different path after enduring a childhood that had its share of trials and tribulations. As a young player with money and living in a new city, it would’ve been very easy for Clark to develop some bad habits, especially when some of his teammates were getting in trouble for their conduct off the field. But that just wasn’t Kenny Clark.

Kenny Clark was a consummate professional from the moment he arrived in Green Bay. He approached everything the right way. Neither his teammates nor coaches ever had to worry about him. ​​“Kenny’s a pro’s pro. I’ve got so much respect for him, as much as anybody that I’ve been around in this game in terms of his approach, his team-first mentality, his willingness to help others and bring guys along,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur shared last week. “He wasn’t always the most vocal, but when he talked, everybody listened, and they listened for a reason because everybody respected what he did.”

That’s the epitome of “Carrying the G.”

Kenny Clark getting a lot of love pregame from his former #Packers teammates and coaches ahead of his first game against his former team as a member of the #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/3hN1CUyYVM

— Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) September 28, 2025

Leading On and Off The Field

Packer fans should always remember Kenny Clark for his contributions both on and off the field. Clark was the opposite of flashy. The three-time Pro Bowler took a mature, workmanlike approach. He was as hardworking, consistent, and dependable as they come. He played in 140 games over his nine years in Green Bay, which is the fourth-most games played by a Packers’ defensive lineman. He also played in 11 playoff games. Clark only missed eight games in total. Despite battling a foot injury the entire 2024 season, he didn’t miss a game. No one even knew about it until after the season ended. "I worked my ass off for nine years there, really gave the organization everything I had, tried to help the young guys out as much as possible."

Clark wasn’t just available; he performed. Year after year, he was one of the more effective defensive linemen in the league. He has more sacks than any other Packer by an interior defensive lineman. He ranks sixth in tackles for loss. He played over 70% of the defensive snaps for seven years in a row. His PFF grades were consistently above average, and sometimes even excellent. By no means is PFF the end-all, be-all for player performance, but it helps illustrate how effective Kenny Clark consistently was.

As good as Kenny was on the field, he was even better off the field. Clark was a model teammate. The way he practiced, the way he watched film, the way he treated people - none of that was ever taken for granted. He took young players under his wing, serving as a pseudo-big brother. Clark’s house was the hangout for the defensive line. He was frequently hosting film sessions at his house twice a week during the offseason. Nazir Stackhouse said he was going to adopt a new approach when making decisions - “What Would Kenny Do?”

Kenny was just as present in the community as he was with his teammates. Only two Packers have been nominated for the Walter Peyton Man of the Year award. Aaron Jones was one, Kenny Clark the other. Free football camps, food packages, coat and toy drives, community visits, mentorship programs, and working with children whose parents are incarcerated - Kenny Clark has done it all. "A respected leader in the locker room, Kenny makes his presence known off the field, too. His commitment to the community, both in Green Bay and southern California, has only grown as he has excelled in his career,” said former Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy at the time of his second nomination. “His dedication to giving back to young people is particularly impressive, and we're fortunate to have him on our team."

Kenny Clark is a beast. And he’s such a great teammate. He is still somehow underrated.

— Teej. (@TJLang70) December 6, 2024

Leaving Behind a Legacy

Kenny Clark was a captain and a leader. He will undoubtedly be selected for the Packers Hall of Fame soon after his playing career ends. Every teammate and coach speaks highly of him, and he continues to reciprocate that love. It would’ve been easy for there to be some animosity between Clark and the Packers after he was shockingly traded, but instead, it’s all love.

“I’m forever grateful for Kenny. Coming from being a college head coach to back to the NFL to being a coordinator again, you never quite know what you’re going to get, and he was the vet. And just having him around, being able to lean on him, being such an unbelievable pro, an unbelievable person, and the buy-in, I just — I’ll forever be grateful for that,” said defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. “He made it a very easy situation, and there are just not many guys out there like him. I appreciate everything that he did for me. I know the Packers appreciate everything that he’s done for the Packers, and I’m a huge Kenny Clark fan. Always will be.”

A person doesn’t have to look very hard to find quotes raving about Kenny Clark. It was all love between Clark and his former team before the game, and he had teammates lining up for pictures after the game. Unfortunately, Clark only had one jersey for the infamous jersey swap. Rashan Gary was the lucky winner, but Clark said before the game, “If I could get a jersey to all of them, I would.”

Watching Kenny Clark play against the Packers was bittersweet. It’s always a pleasure to watch Clark play football; it’s just hard watching him play for a different team. Seeing Kenny Clark wearing anything but green and gold will always feel wrong. He might not wear the uniform anymore, but he’ll always be a Packer, through and through. “I have nothing but love and respect for the organization,” Clark said last week. “They drafted me and believed in me. I can’t have enough words to say about that.”

Very few have “Carried the G” like Kenny Clark.