clark.jpg
Getty Images

FRISCO, Texas -- Three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark experienced the most shocking grocery store trip of his life Thursday evening.

Clark, the Green Bay Packers' longest-tenured player entering Thursday with nine seasons under his belt (2016-2024), left his home in Wisconsin to go down the street to get his young daughters some ice cream. When he returned, Clark was the newest member of the Dallas Cowboys after being sent along with two first-round picks down to Texas in exchange for All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons.  

"Man, I had just gone to go to the store, got my daughter some ice cream and got home and just randomly, got the call," Clark said Friday. "Definitely was shocked. I didn't really know much to say, but man after talking to Jerry [Jones] and Stephen [Jones] and Schotty [head coach Brian Schottenheimer], like, I felt welcomed and they made me feel at home. It was dope."

It's understandable that Clark didn't know how to feel. Green Bay re-signed him to a three-year, $64 million extension that was set to tie him to the only NFL home he had ever known through the 2027 season, when he will be 32 years old. He described processing his Packers' departure as "tough."

"Man, I mean, that was my full plan," Clark said when asked if he thought he would retire in Green Bay. "I thought I was going to be there for life. But I'm happy I'm here."

The reason Clark and his family became happy upon their arrival to Dallas on Friday was thanks to owner and general manager Jerry Jones' warm welcome. When Jones called Clark after the trade became official, he made sure to let the Pro Bowler know how much he valued his presence in the middle of the Cowboys' defensive line. 

"That this trade wasn't getting done unless I was in it,"| Clark said of Jones' message. "That made me feel wanted right there. I'm happy to be here. I'm blessed."

Meeting Dallas' owner heightened the instant connection over the phone because Clark's 4-year-old, who he claimed is shy, felt comfortable enough to immediately run over to Jones to give him a fist bump. 

"I told her we were going to Dallas. She was like, 'Oh, we're going on vacation?' 'Nah, we're still playing football. We're just going a little bit away,'" Clark said. "My daughter is super shy if you know my daughter. When she met Jerry -- she doesn't want to shake any hands, she doesn't want to fist bump anybody -- she ran right up to him and gave him a fist bump, handshake and has just been excited. That explains it in itself."

Clark's football fit in the Cowboys' "attack front"

Violent, an all-day battle matchup and battle-hardened. Those were the first adjectives that came out of Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer's mouth when CBS Sports asked him about Clark's fit in new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus' defensive scheme. Schottenheimer's memories of facing Clark the last time he was an offensive play caller with the Seattle Seahawks (2018-2020) were vivid. Clark has played in 45 consecutive games dating back to the 2021 season, and his 35.0 sacks since he became a full-time starter in 2017 are the 11th-most among defensive tackles across the NFL. That figure stands as the third-most sacks for Green Bay since 2017, behind only edge rusher Preston Smith (44.0) and edge rusher Rashan Gary (39.0). 

"I think it's a great fit. You look at this guy, the way he plays the game. The way he comes off the ball, how his hands are incredibly violent," Schottenheimer said. "This is a guy, I go back to my days in Seattle, playing against this guy. He's just an all-day battle matchup. He's battle-hardened. What an incredible young man. I think he is really excited about the opportunity to be  a Dallas Cowboy. I have not met his wife and his two young daughters, but can't wait to meet them.

"My power game, my hands and just playing relentlessly at the end of the day," Clark said of his style of play. "You can have all of the pretty moves and that kind of stuff, but at the end of the day you got to be relentless and have effort toward the quarterback. ...  I'm a dog. This is what I do."

Eberflus' scheme calls for his defensive tackles to play in an attack front, which means getting up the field to push back opposing offensive linemen instead of simply holding blocks to set up plays for linebackers. Clark, who stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 314 pounds, possesses the athleticism to thrive playing that brand of football. 

"We played a little bit of an attack scheme last year, so I'm pretty much caught up to it a little bit. A lot of the same principles and things like that," Clark said. "I can get off the ball with the best of them. I'm physical at the point of attack. I play with great hands and great leverage. ... You got to have a good first step, you got to know and anticipate what's coming. ... You have to play with great effort. You got to play physically, and I think I do all of those things."

Clark will line up next to another UCLA Bruin along Dallas' defensive line in defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, whose 60 quarterback pressures in 2024 were the second-most in the NFL among defensive tackles. Even though they missed each other by a few years in college, there's already a familiarity. Clark played with Odighizuwa's older brother, Owa in college, and Clark has been following the younger Odighizuwa's career from afar for years.

"I'm happy it all comes full circle and we can play together," Clark said. "Watching the [individual] drills [at practice Friday], I love how intentional everybody has been and how everybody works. Osa is leading the group, and just seeing him evolve to what he is, to see him lead, it was cool to see. I'm excited to be a part of it."

The biggest reason Clark was included in that trade was Jones' insistence at improving the Cowboys' run defense. Dallas' defense ranked third-worst in the NFL in yards per carry allowed (4.8) and fourth-worst in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (137.1) in 2024. 

"I'm just going to bring the physicality, I'm going to do my job and it takes all 11 at the end of the day. It just takes everybody understanding what they need to do, holding everybody accountable. One guy can't just stop the run," Clark said. "Everybody's got to be on top of it and that's going to be my job is to do my job and be physical, play ball how I know how to play ball and also get all the other 10 guys around me to understand the big gaps and where they fit in and how we can stop it together."

Clark's status for Week 1

Clark arrived in Dallas on Friday just six days before his new team opens the 2025 NFL season in Philadelphia at the reigning Super Bowl champion LIX champion Eagles. The big question is whether he will be ready to suit up with a new team under a week after his arrival. Clark feels like the answer to that is simple: yes. 

"I'm going to try to learn the playbook as fast as I can, so I can just play as fast as possible. I'm in shape. I've been practicing in Green Bay all camp. I didn't miss any time," Clark said. "Whether it's 30 plays, 50 plays, 20 plays, whatever it is, I'll be able to play."

The good news for Clark is the Eagles were the last team he faced with the Packers in Green Bay's 22-10 NFC wild card loss in Philadelphia. He knows exactly what needs to be done to slow down the Eagles, and it's now on him and the rest of the new-look Cowboys defense to get that done Thursday night. 

"You've got to tackle well against Saquon [Barkley]. You've got to keep Jalen Hurts in the pocket and not let him scramble and let those drives get extended," Clark said. "You've got to set edges. You've got to set edges in the run game, and you've got to close backside. Running to the ball's going to be key. Getting turnovers is going to be key. ... When we get a chance to get after the quarterback, we've got to be smart, but at the same time, we've got to get after him."