Clark, who made two Pro Bowls as a Ram, dead at 76

Published: Oct 08, 2009 at 12:29 PM

Leon Clarke, a two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, died of pancreatitis Monday in Los Alamitos, Calif. He was 76.

Clarke was a second-round pick in the 1956 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams and played with them for four seasons, twice being selected to the Pro Bowl. He also played for the Cleveland Browns from 1960 to 1962 and the Minnesota Vikings in 1963. He caught 141 passes for 2,215 yards and 18 touchdowns in his eight-year NFL career.

Clarke was a three-year letterman at USC. He led the Trojans in receiving in 1954 and 1955, earning All-Pacific Coast Conference honors that year, when USC lost to Ohio State 20-7 in the Rose Bowl.

Funeral plans were pending.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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