Former 49ers TE Greg Clark dies at 49, family says he was suffering from CTE
Former San Francisco 49ers tight end Greg Clark died unexpectedly due to undisclosed reasons on Wednesday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. He was 49 years old.
A third-round pick out of Stanford in the 1997 NFL draft, Clark played four seasons for the Niners before retiring due to injury issues. Mostly known as a blocking tight end, Clark accrued 909 receiving yards and four touchdowns in his career.
The peak of those four years may have come in the 1998 wild-card round, when he caught two touchdown passes from Steve Young in a 30-27 win over the Green Bay Packers.
After his career, he became a successful real estate agent, but unfortunately started suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy symptoms, according to his family.
His family's statement, calling for further research into CTE:
It is with great sadness we announce the unexpected passing of Greg Clark,49, cherished husband, father, son, brother and friend to so many. Greg was a dedicated family man who was successful at everything he did, from his academic and athletic achievements as a Stanford scholar athlete to his role as tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, to the creation of a successful real estate platform throughout the bay area. Most importantly, he was a cherished and dedicated father of three sons, and a loving husband to his wife of 23 years.
His recent suffering from CTE symptoms cannot extinguish the breadth and depth of his impact on us and others and we are forever grateful for the time we have had with him. It is our hope that through further research we can gain more knowledge surrounding CTE.
Clark is reportedly survived by Carle, his wife of 23 years, and his three sons.
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