Former Falcons center Todd McClure was inducted into the Falcons’ Ring of Honor on Sunday after 14 seasons with the team. He became the 12th member of the Ring of Honor, donning the darker, cherry red jacket befitting Falcons’ Ring of Honor members.
McClure was drafted from LSU in the seventh round (237th overall) in 1999. He went on to start 195 of 198 games with the Falcons with 144 consecutive starts.
“It’s big. A lot of great memories,” McClure said. “My family, my kids were raised here, and they grew up watching their dad play football here. Now they get to see me come back and be honored here. It’s pretty neat.”
Getting to share this day with his kids was something McClure highlighted as a father, not just as a player.
“It’s pretty neat. My youngest is 14, my oldest is 21, and they were young when I was playing, and now for them to come back and see the breadth of it and see their old man might have been halfway decent at football is pretty neat.”
His grit and grinding style of play allowed McClure to stay in the league. He played for four different coaches – Dan Reeves, Jim Mora, Bobby Petrino and Mike Smith – and with countless players. Falcons fans affectionately called him the “Mud Duck.” One hundred seven former Falcons players showed up to honor McClure including Andre Rison, Warrick Dunn, Roddy White, D.J. Shockley and Michael Turner.
“I think the biggest thing is I had a bunch of good guys around me,” McClure said. “I was trying to think about it the other day. Fourteen years, a 53-man roster, that’s about 720-or-so guys. Sometimes it was the same guys from year to year, but that’s a lot of guys on this journey with me.
“My guards, the tackles that played with me, the running backs and the quarterbacks were just unbelievable. To think as a kid to play a professional sport and be honored among the elite in that organization is just great. I still can’t wrap my mind around it.”
McClure credited his successful career to his availability and toughness. That was the main advice he would give to future players when he reflected on his career.
“For me, what made me last so long was playing through some injuries. Being available, always being available. There are some times you’ll be injured, but you gotta go out and keep playing. Be accountable, be dependable and make sure you’re available to play when it’s game time.”
McClure thanked the city and beamed at his bust being unveiled in the 300 section of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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