Athletic greatness comes in all shapes and all sizes.

It doesn't come naturally, but is achieved from hard work, diligence, and adversity.

Along the journey, there's opportunity and there's always struggle.

There is triumph and there is defeat.

And there is always a story behind the glory.

Todd McClure has competitive sports in his DNA.

The son of a coach, he grew up in a fiercely competitive family well known throughout the Baton Rouge area.

He was a standout in football, baseball and basketball.

And like so many in Louisiana, it was his dream to be an LSU Tiger.

He was an athlete before he was a football player, which led to the rest of his career.

Never once.

That spotlight never wants to be that guy that's getting all the limelight.

Todd McClure played 14 years in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons.

Nobody stays with the team 14 years these days.

Let's go back, though, a couple of years prior to your freshman year at LSU because you were not a center, right?

You were a tight end.

You love catching touchdowns.

You were a defensive lineman.

You loved smashing ball carriers.

Yes, sir.

And you kind of went kicking and screaming into the center role, right?

Yeah.

Well, it wasn't something that I wanted to do.

You know, I don't know if you know, my dad or my family.

My mom and my dad's family were really tight with the Steve in Swinger, of course, coach of the LSU, coach of A and M, Auburn all over the league.

We were at one Christmas and I was either 1112 years old.

And I can remember Steve telling my dad, look, if he wants to play in college or behind high school, he needs to learn how to snap the football.

So that was something that was put in our head early on.

You know, he needs to play the center position.

I wasn't too happy about it.

You know, I wanted my name called out over the intercom that with offensive linemen you normally get a penalty to get your name called out.

And of course, those guys Stephen Swinger, my dad, Coach Blanchard, they saw something in me that that thought that I would be able to excel at that spot and excel he did.

Gaining interest from college programs across the country, including LSU, tons of high school senior.

And we're not sure if LSU was going to offer him.

Steve, a former LSU great, is at Texas A&M at the time when Kushner came into our house.

Texas A&M was not recruiting Todd.

I said, Steve, I need a favor.

When Costner asked, who's recruiting tide?

We've got to tell him.

Texas A&M today, coach DiNardo asked him to cancel all of his visits if he wanted to be a Tiger.

And of course, we did.

So Steve Winger was involved a little bit in Todd's recruitment.

LSU while at A&M.

Did you have a chance to to to play both sports, baseball and football.

Was that ever talked about?

Yes, sir.

It was.

And I'd actually talked Coach Bertman about it.

You know of course my older brother Trey played there, hasn't owned two national championship teams.

And I was really cool, you know, because I got to not only have my teammates in the football locker room, but but those guys that Trey was teammates with were like brothers to me, too.

I love nothing more than finishing up a spring practice, walking across the street to old Alex Box and go and watch my brother and his teammates play.

It just some exciting times back in the old box, back in those days with Guerilla Ball, and because you went to a game, they were going to hit 3 or 4 home runs, you know, and that was a fun type of baseball to watch.

The plan was for me to do both when I got to LSU.

That got side railed a little bit by me starting during my freshman year, and coach knew that I was going to go try to play baseball, too.

So once the season was over, he called me into his office and was like, look, you know, we think you're going to be our starting center next year.

But we would love for you to be in spring football.

To, to make sure that happens.

So, you know, if baseball really needs to be put on the back burner.

I wanted to do both, but it was easy when I had success my freshman year of football.

It was an easy decision and it worked out.

Coach Nardo saw something at LSU.

McClure started 37 games, served as captain of the offensive line, and earned all SEC honors twice.

He combined strength, agility and a high football IQ.

Quarterback we know is supposed to be the smartest person on the team.

But what some people fail to realize is the center might be the second or third smartest person on the team.

Tiger had a good amount of instinct that put him in good positions and understanding of what's going on with the front seven of the defensive line, the way Todd led the offensive line as the center, the guy that was the leader of that group was astounding.

When the game day.

Well, you know, when he was in LSU post-game, we'd always have people starting agents starting to talk to me about Todd.

And I was like, do y'all really think he's going to get drafted Tiger Stadium Saturday night?

He doesn't get any better.

And then to know that he's going to get a chance to play professionally.

I didn't think that way.

He kept his senior season with All America recognition.

The NFL was next, but his pro career almost ended as soon as it started.

He would suffer a serious knee injury on the third day of training camp in his rookie season with the Atlanta Falcons.

Because your first year a terrible ACL injury.

This is not what a rookie trying to make an NFL team needs to go through.

But you did.

Yeah I came in and I was able I believe to to make a good impression early on, you know because you have time after the draft to to go and press the strength coach with workouts and conditioning drills and OTAs and many camps.

And I think I did enough and I showed them enough during that time that even though I tore my ACL, they saw a little something in me that thought may work.

I prided myself, and knowing the playbook, being one of the smartest guys on the field when the ball was snapped and being able to anticipate, read body language and different things like that.

So I was able to overcome being one of the smaller guys up, up in the front with some intellect and some technique work.

22 penalties is all you incurred in 14 full time years in the NFL.

221.7 per season.

Yes, sir.

And a whole season where there were no penalties.

I mean, what, were you cloaked or something?

No, no, I think, you know, for me, being undersized as an offensive lineman, I had to be really good at my technique with my hands and that skill set, my quickness.

And I think that was one of the things that allowed me to play so long was my hands were really good and they were always in the right position.

And, you know, I coaches early on, coach Dan Reeves was one of my where he was my first coach in the league.

And he taught me to learn the officials names.

First name basis.

I go introduce myself.

So you got on a personal basis with those guys and they would come back and the next time they called their game, they would come over to me.

I wouldn't have to go to them.

So so maybe it was a little bit of favoritism in there too, you know, raising the skids a little bit.

That's right.

That's smart though.

Yes.

That's using the whole playbook.

Right.

That's right.

Known to his teammates as the mud duck, he was regarded around the league as the guy you could not keep off the field.

He played in 144 consecutive games and 198 total, all with the same franchise, a rare feat in professional sports.

I think he dedicated himself to not only the team, but also his family, you know, to keep them in one city and and once he was a Falcon I'm sorry, Saints fan.

He was always a falcon.

Mud duck.

Who gave you that nickname?

And what does it mean?

Coach Al Miller?

He's actually Louisiana guy north of the.

I guess the way I walk a little bit, you know, got a little waddle in his stuck and I, some of my best friends and teammates now I guarantee you they have my duck saved in their phone, not Todd McClure.

You know, that's what they call me.

Tell me something that most people don't know about you.

Yeah, I believe you know, everybody knows about sports and the things I've accomplished, the teams I've been on.

When I retired, I actually while I was still playing Atlanta, I started raising bucking bulls, rodeo bulls, my uncle road bulls and fought bulls.

And my grandfather had a ranch and always said one day, if I had the opportunity, I'd love to raise them.

And it's about genetics, you know, making that right cross.

Everything's bloodline.

And so I do that.

And I raised some pretty good ones, some bulls that have made it to the PBR, the highest stage there.

And then another hobby of mine is antique wood woodworking.

You know, I started out as a hobby doing floors, making, taking antique wood, repurposing it, making it, flooring, accent wall materials.

We built tables and, you know, beams.

Anything you can do with that old wood that comes from all over the country that has a little story.

That's how it started for me.

And while Todd's football playing career includes many chapters in retirement, his story is still being written.

So, you know, a lot of blood, sweat and tears poured into this organization.

And for them to to honor me.

It's huge.

He was added to the Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor in 2022, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2026.

And that same year, he would be called back to football, this time joining his beloved Falcons in the front office as coordinator of player development.

Through it all, Todd McClure remained exactly what he always has been a humble man who seized every opportunity with joy, integrity and passion.

When you think about, what represents the best of the National Football League, which represents the best of you, and being as a family man, as a leader in the locker room, amongst his peers, amongst everybody in the league.

You think of Todd before Todd was the Rocket Gibraltar.

And when I think of Todd, that's where I think of the rockets to be the most positive ways and exceptionally human being, an exceptional football player, an exceptional friend of the franchise and exceptional leader in the National Football League, Todd Arthur Blank said some incredibly personal things and it goes beyond the win.

It all costs make as much money as you can.

Thoughts about pro football today.

What does that mean to you to hear him speak personally to you as a man?

It means a lot to Mr.

Blank has a personal relationship with his guys, and, he'd come in a locker room and, you know, just pass around and shake a hand.

And that means so much when a guy that that's paying you your salary.

Wants to to know a little bit about the player, you know, and it's not just in it for the business of the money.

He's personal.

I love everything that Mr.

Blank has done for that city, for that franchise.

And I'm forever indebted to to Arthur Blank.

That must make your inclusion in the Falcons Ring of Honor even more special to you personally.

It definitely does.

You know, when I had my retirement, when I decided I was going to retire, Mr.

Blank, it came out and made a statement that that one day that I would be in the ring of honor.

And to me, this game, you know, it's yes, you make money, you're playing a child's game, you get some accolades.

But the respect.

Is what means the most to me.

Respect from an owner.

Respect from my teammates.

From opponents.

That's what made me tick.

You know, that's what it was all about.

I wanted to further people, to have respect about the way I play and the way I approach the game.