Lions hope ‘alpha communicator’ Chuck Clark can erase explosive plays
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Defense in the NFL is tougher than ever. With the proliferation of pre-snap motion, audibles, and endless ways to disguise intentions, defenses must be able to diagnose impossibly fast and communicate clearly.
For the Detroit Lions, much of that responsibility falls on the safety group. They have the entire play in front of them, and it’s often on them to get the team into the right looks and coverages. Unfortunately for Detroit, their two starting safeties face uncertain futures. Brian Branch will likely miss significant time to start the season as he rehabs from a torn Achilles, and Kerby Joseph’s availability is unknown as he continues to battle a chronic knee injury.
AdvertisementAdvertisementBut the Lions believe they may have a solution. This offseason, Detroit signed veteran Chuck Clark, who brings 123 games of experience and 80 starts. He’s seen just about every offense thrown at him, and been a part of countless defensive schemes. And just as importantly, he’s got that Detroit grit.
“I love the fact that he’s got a chip on his shoulder,” Lions safeties coach Jim O’Neil said. “This time last year, he was sitting on his couch, right? And now he’s here, running with the first group. So that’s one, right? And every rep to him is meaningful. He appreciates being here. I think he is stone-cold serious about football.”
He’s so serious about football that Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said he’s never seen him smile.
But what has kept Clark in this league despite injuries and often being replaced by younger players is his ability to diagnose and communicate. O’Neil says that Clark is in rarified air when it comes to his ability to lead a defense.
AdvertisementAdvertisement“How he can anticipate out on the grass and how quickly he can process and make guys around him better is a quality that’s hard to evaluate unless you have them actually in the building,” O’Neil said. “[…] And there’s not a lot of what I call alpha communicators in the back seven. He’s one of them. He can run the whole show. He can run it all back there, so I’ve been really, really impressed with him, to answer your question. And I think he’ll really, really help us as the season goes on.”
Being an alpha communicator doesn’t just allow the defense to be on the same page at all time. It allows the defense to be multiple. If offense shows one look, Clark can check into another call. If a player goes in motion, Clark will ensure the right switch-offs in coverage are being made. In essence, it can make your defensive play-calling perfect, no matter what the offense throws at you before and after the snap.
“Having smart guys allows Shep to be more creative with his play calling, and it allows Shep to be right more than he’s wrong,” O’Neil said. “Because he can give those guys the flexibility, along with Jack Campbell, to be the alphas in the back end and get us where we need to be in the best position to make plays. But that is huge in today’s football game. You can’t just single play call, line up and play, or, hey, my eyes are here. There’s multiple levels to every call, and there’s multiple things happening before the ball is even snapped.”
Detroit’s defense also had one other major problem Clark could help with: explosive plays. Last year, the Lions gave up 57 passing plays of 20 or more yards, tied for sixth-most in the league. Sheppard has said all offseason that eliminating those was a big offseason focus. Clark’s reliability, communication, and leadership should help with that.
AdvertisementAdvertisement“You talk about explosive plays, well that is the number one component to limiting those, making sure we are all on the same page,” Sheppard said. “And that is something—take ability aside—Chuck Clark on the field is rarely to never a mistake or an enemy with the backend. And that is because everybody knows who is in charge because he makes it known.”
Clark is not going to be handed a starting job, though. He’s been working alongside Christian Izien with the first-team defense all spring, but O’Neill noted that was to ensure he gets caught up with the defense. When training camp comes, he’ll have to compete with the likes of Avonte Maddox, Thomas Harper, and perhaps even Kerby Joseph, who all showed they could ball in 2025.
“We got a lot of guys that have banked a lot of reps in this league, and we got a lot of guys that have a chip on the shoulder because they’re all on one-year deals,” O’Neil said. “So it’s going to be a highly competitive training camp.”
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
