Kenny Clark, Green Bay Packers Defensive Lineman

Humanity has been shaped by moments in which one person approached a crowd with something important to say. I'm Jon Meacham, and this is It Was Said, Season 2, a creation and production of C-13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio in association with the History Channel. It Was Said, Season 2. Listen and subscribe for free on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast. Kenny, appreciate the time as always. How you been? Good, man. How you been? Well, I've been fantastic. So, clearly things the last two weeks and to start the season haven't gone your guys' way. Just you being a veteran, a leader on this team.

What's been the message? What's been the vibe to the guys this week? Man, it's been great energy around the locker rooms. It's been a lot of great energy. Practice has been going very well. So, we're excited about getting back out there on Sunday against Washington. Do you sense an urgency from your teammates?

Oh, yeah, definitely. Anytime you lose two games in a row, you got to come back and you can't let two losses derail your season. So, we're excited about the opportunity about going back out there and playing. Playing is a really good football team. Where's the confidence level of this group?

You said it, Kenny Clark. It's like you guys lose two games and then everyone naturally starts to think that the season is coming to an end, but you still got to stay level-headed. Where's the confidence out of this team?

It just comes from our work. From our work that we've been doing all season, all season. And then the guys that we got in the locker room, man, we got a lot of talented players and we know that. And I think really what it all comes down to is just execution. As execution on all of our parts, coaches, players, everybody, I think we got a team that works very hard, that cares about the game, that plays very hard every single Sunday, prepares the right way, do everything the right way. It just all comes down at the end of the day when you step out on that field on Sunday, just make sure you're doing your job and executing the play calls.

And as long as you're doing that, you're going to be good. That's what our confidence comes down to. So, you guys feel like you're close to turning this thing around and getting the ship moving back in the right direction?

Yeah, 100 percent, yep. Kenny Clark here with us. How do you explain last week, there's not a lot of times where you see a Packers team lose a game like that, that lopsided. How did you kind of explain the performance last week?

Man, it just made more players than us. I just don't think, I think the second half, we really did the next two as a team and, you know, keep a team around, keep a team around, keep them hanging around for a long time. They're going to find ways to make plays. So, we got to do a better job as a defense at getting turnovers and stopping the run and closing that door and making plays. Talking to Kenny Clark right now, what is the number one point of emphasis for this defense going into this matchup against the commanders? First off, it's stopping the run and then, honestly, another thing is really just with Taylor Honeke, man, he's the ultimate competitor, really good football player, and we got to just make sure we have our rush lanes. He does a great job at whether zone reads and all that kind of stuff and, or scrambling out of the backfield. He does a great job at running the ball. So, we got to make sure our rush lanes are contained.

Kenny Clark here with us. When it gets to your quarterback Aaron Rodgers, how would you describe his leadership skills? How do I describe it? I don't know, he means in a different way. I mean, he's like, he's pretty chill about it. I feel like every time when he gets a chance to speak, he always has a great feel of where we're at or what point that we're at in the season or what kind of game it's going to be or something like that. He always got that good insight. You love hearing that from your quarterback. I think he's a great leader and he does everything that he can to help us win. So, his message, you still think it resonates with that locker room?

Oh yeah, 100 percent, yes. When you get to Devante Adams, clearly Kenny Clark, whenever you lose a player like that, it's almost impossible to replace him, but it is the next man up mentality. Do you think some of these struggles right now, is this group just really missing Devante Adams?

Man, honestly, I don't know. I mean, Devante, he's a great player. Like I said earlier, I got confidence in all the guys that we got in our locker room. I got confidence in our coaches to draw some stuff and help those guys make plays.

I got confidence in the guys to go make plays. We got to just find a way to be consistent. As long as we're doing that, we're going to keep on improving. And yes, we just keep on improving. If you guys find that consistency, what do you think this Packers team can look like when you get later into the year? How good do you think this group could be?

I mean, I feel like we can be a dominant group. I think we got the talent, certainly got the quarterback, and we got a talented group. So, we got to just stick to it, keep working the way that we're working and execute on game day.

And we'll see after any day what happens. Kenny Clark here with us. You're a two-time Pro Bowler. You've had a lot of great success in this league individually now since you've been in this league since 2016. Where do you think your game is at? I think I'm growing each and every game, each and every day. I just keep doing what I'm doing. I definitely want to keep on improving in my passwords, and I think I'm off to a hot start right now. So, I just keep doing what I'm doing, man.

Just keep working, taking it day by day, and get better. Did you feel like with Z'Darius Smith now with the Vikings that that means you got to step your game up just a little bit extra more because of how big he was for your guys' defense the last few years? Honestly, no, not really. I feel like my game, I feel like I've been playing at a high level for multiple years now.

I don't know. Z'Darius is a great player. He really did some great things for us. I love our group.

I bring a lot to the table. Vashon Gary is having an amazing year. He has six sacks in a year. I know he's one of the leading edge rushers and pressures this year. He's doing a hell of a job out there on the edge. Jaron Reed, he's been doing a tremendous job. Our group of rushers are doing our thing right now.

I'm excited about what we've got up front. Kenny Clark, last year when you joined us, you said you still felt like you're underrated. We all know you're a heck of a player in this league. Do you feel like the underrated tag is gone and everyone's giving you the respect that you deserve now? I don't know, man.

I don't know. Everybody's got their own opinion about who they think is dishing that. The only thing I can do is control how I come out and play every day on Sunday. That's my main focus, is just focusing on playing my best game, each and every game.

At the end of the day, everybody else's opinion is going to be whatever their opinion is going to be. You've got to be pretty fired up about your alma mater, UCLA. Big game coming up this weekend against Oregon.

Oh yeah, man. We've got a chance to get into the top five, so we'll see what happens. Are you a believer in Chip Kelly? Oh yeah, the offense is looking real good. The quarterback is looking good. We've got a lot of speed on the perimeter, and our running back is a really good player. We've got a talented bunch of guys up there at UCLA.

Before we let you run, wrap it up with Kenny Clark from the Packers. What's your message to Packers fans who may be panicking a little bit? You guys usually get off the better starts and may be questioning this team right now. We're going to find a way to be consistent, and it's early. We're going to find a way, and we're going to make things happen.

We're going to make things happen, and we'll see what happens at the end of the day. You being in that locker room, Aaron Rodgers said they have to simplify the offense. Matt Lafleur says he doesn't really know what that means. How do you describe the relationship between your coach and the quarterback? How do I describe their relationship? They have a great relationship. I don't really know. I've never really been around them.

They have a great relationship with players and coaches. I don't know how to answer that. I'm sorry. That's all right. Kenny Clark, we appreciate the time as always. Good luck in the preparation for the commanders, and always appreciate you joining us. All right.

Thank you. Humanity has been shaped by moments in which one person approached a crowd with something important to say. I'm Jon Meacham, and this is It Was Said, Season 2, a creation and production of C-13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio in association with the History Channel. It Was Said, Season 2. Listen and subscribe for free on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Humanity has been shaped by moments in which one person approached a crowd with something important to say. I'm Jon Meacham, and this is It Was Said, Season 2, a creation and production of C-13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio in association with the History Channel. It Was Said, Season 2. Listen and subscribe for free on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Listen and subscribe for free on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.