Gameday superstitions & rituals with Mark Clayton
Mark Clayton exploded last week, picking up 87 receiving yards and his first touchdown catch in almost two seasons in the Ravens' 37-27 win over the Browns.
The fourth-year wide receiver out of Oklahoma has big play potential any time he steps on the field, and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has done a good job trying to get Clayton involved in the offense any way possible.
In Week 1, Clayton took a reverse 42 yards for a TD for Baltimore's first points of the season. Last week, his touchdown came on a 47 yard bomb from QB Joe Flacco.
I had a chance to talk with Clayton before the team left for Houston, and I asked him about his routine on gamedays and how he gets himself prepared for a game.
What's your usual morning like on a gameday? What's that routine like for you?
"I get up, brush my teeth, probably try and go down and catch chapel. Then I eat breakfast and get on the bus. I try and get on the first bus to get over [to the stadium] pretty early so I can just sit and chill. Then I just go through my usual warmups.
A bunch of guys have told me that music is a big part of their process for getting ready for a game, whether it's pumping them up or getting them calmed down. Is music important for you?
"Yeah. I've got a whole variety. Usually, since I don't get to go to church or anything, I just listen to gospel and then when it gets closer to the game I'll listen to some rap or something. Something to kind of get me going."
When you get to the stadium, what's the warmup process like for you?
"Me, Joe [Flacco] and [Derrick] Mason always go out and run routes. We get up to full speed, basically go through the entire route tree full speed and that way we're just kind of working that timing, getting that timing down. When we get into the game, hopefully it goes like clockwork.
Do you have any superstitions before a game? Something you always have to do week in and week out?
"I'm probably about as plain as it comes there, no superstitions, really. Nothing special."
What emotions are going through you right as a game is about to start?
"Calm. I'm just chill. Real calm. It's nothing."
What about later, when it's a key spot in the game? Are you able to stay calm then too, or can you feel the moment get to you a little bit then?
"It doesn't even faze me. I can't even feel it. To me it's just an even keel. It's just get your route, run your route, make the play."
Simple as that?
"[Laughing] Simple as that."
Check out the gameday superstitions and rituals of:
Ray Rice
Jim Leonhard
Adam Terry
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