Podcast Summary: The Bobby Bones Show – “Lots to Say: Super Bowl Champion Dallas Clark”

Date: October 8, 2025
Host(s): Bobby Bones, Matt Castle
Guest: Dallas Clark (Super Bowl Champion, former Indianapolis Colts Tight End)

Episode Overview

This episode features a deeply engaging interview with former NFL star Dallas Clark, known for his time as a tight end with the Indianapolis Colts and a Super Bowl champion. Clark candidly reflects on his unlikely football journey from walk-on linebacker to NFL standout, shares personal tales of adversity and triumph, and offers memorable insights into locker room culture, leadership, and following one’s passions beyond football. The conversation mixes humor, storytelling, and genuine moments, providing listeners with inspiration and plenty of laughs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Opening Banter: Baseball & College Football Updates

• Hosts discuss their favorite baseball teams and recent playoff action.
  • Bobby Bones is a die-hard Cubs fan, Matt Castle supports the Dodgers.
  • Quick talk about the high-stress nature of playoff baseball.
  • Bobby debates attending Arkansas at Tennessee football, referencing coach changes and the college football environment.
  • [03:27] “You like saying, I mean, because before the year started it was like, who's going to start at quarterback? Like, is he the guy now?” – Bobby Bones

Dallas Clark's Unlikely College Journey

Walk-On to Star at Iowa

• Clark details his path as a walk-on linebacker at Iowa, shifting to tight end after encouragement from coaches and friends.
  • [06:35] Dallas: “You think you're tough, you think you're a linebacker, and you just want to be better than your brother who played at Iowa State. And, and Coach Ference had enough of it. He was just like, you stink...but you're athletic as hell and we need to try to find a spot for you.”
• Overcomes family tragedy, finding support in the Iowa football family.
  • [09:14] “My mom passed four days before I graduated high school. So literally I went from losing my family to my football family.” – Dallas Clark

Transitioning to Tight End

• No prior college offensive experience, but backyard and high school football laid a foundation.
  • [10:16] Clark describes learning offense with his roommate/kindred teacher, eventually discovering tight end was his “perfect fit.”
  • “It's like putting on that pair of jeans that fits just right...that was me at tight end.” – Dallas Clark [11:08]

Earning a Scholarship: A Defining Moment

• Clark emotionally recounts receiving his first scholarship and what it meant.
  • [13:04] "I have. I don't even know where my Super Bowl ring is. But that thing [my scholarship] has more of a story than anything." – Dallas Clark
  • Spoke about sacrifices and ignoring critics back home.

Playing for Coach Kirk Ferentz

• Praises Ferentz for his no-nonsense attitude and leadership, highlighting his record-breaking career.
  • [14:28] “He's just an unbelievable leader of men...when he cries after a win, I mean, I will follow you into fire...he is the face of that university and that program.” – Dallas Clark

NFL Draft Experience

• Declares early for draft after a lengthy, unconventional college timeline.
  • [17:28] Clark: "I was running out of colors [referring to redshirt/gray shirt]. I mean, I was...already a doctor...athletically it was time to go."
• Describes watching the draft quietly with family.
  • [21:10] “I told no one. It was like, I was so nervous. We went and played golf…Bill Polian calls. 'Hey, we're going to take you with the 24th pick.' …There's nothing better than that phone call, and yeah, your life literally changes." – Dallas Clark

Life as a Colt: Team Culture & Locker Room

• Overwhelmed at first by the star-laden roster: Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney.
  • [27:39] “I was surrounded by dudes…needed them to believe that I belonged. Brought that walk-on mentality. In that locker room, you had to make your niche. It wasn't for the faint of heart." – Dallas Clark
• Loved learning from great players and demanding coaches, mentioning the high standards and accountability.
  • [29:02] On Peyton Manning: “You just always had it…that if you made a mistake, you just made sure it didn't happen twice.”
  • Locker room pranks and rituals helped forge brotherhood and on-field success.
    • [36:41] “We'd fill 55-gallon garbage cans with water, prank rookies...that stuff equals wins. When you have that connection with your dude...you find a way.”

Playing Without Gloves

• Not wearing gloves was both a practical and attitude-driven decision.
  • [22:04] “I can feel the ball…gloves to me, I don't know, it's kind of my meathead-ish. Like I'm a linebacker tough, you know.” – Dallas Clark
  • Only wore gloves once, for his 500th reception due to cold/rain.

Notable On-Field Moments & What-Ifs

• Reflected on his 100-catch season and a wrist injury that cut short a record pace.
  • [25:04] “I was on pace for something stupid...like video game, like cheat code...that was too bad.”
• Shared memories of Super Bowl XLI at the same stadium as his college Orange Bowl loss–full circle moments.
  • [19:15] "Four years later, I'm playing in the Super Bowl in the exact same stadium, on the exact same sideline...the team that has the opening kickoff for a touchdown does not fare well...was just happy I was on the one with the Lombardi trophy."

Coaching, Accountability, and Changing Times

• Contrasts high-intensity coaching of his era with the “softer” modern game.
  • [32:40] “You hear about old players saying we were soft...I think that's just a thing about getting old.”

Locker Room Characters & Camaraderie

• Shares stories about funny/underrated teammates, especially Pat McAfee.
  • [35:21] “Later on we had Pat McAfee, you know, which he was destined from day one to be who he is.”
• Recalls legendary camp pranks, emphasizing the importance of team chemistry.

Life After Football & Personal Fulfillment

• Finds joy in farming, raising cattle, and listening to the Bobby Bones Show.
  • [39:23] “I farm back here and we're about ready to harvest beans tomorrow...I listen to the Bobby Bones Show in the morning in my skid steer."
  • Clark is a music fanatic, enjoys live shows, and laments his lack of musical talent but celebrates the passion nonetheless.

Favorite Concerts & Musical Moments

• Top 3 live shows:
  1. Kings of Leon at Red Rocks – “That place, if you have not been, go. It's unbelievable.” [42:22]
  2. Simon & Garfunkel reunion tour – Went alone; cherished the experience and still has the tour T-shirt. [43:11]
  3. Garth Brooks in Des Moines – Joined Garth on stage to sing "Friends in Low Places." “He gives me Trisha's bedazzled mic...and we sing Friends in Low Places. I could have gotten hit by a bus leaving that arena, and I would have been like, yep, let's go.” – Dallas Clark [44:20]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On family and perseverance:

  • “My mom passed four days before I graduated high school...I lost my family and gained my football family.” – Dallas Clark [09:14]

• On earning his scholarship:

  • “I have [the scholarship letter] right here...I don't even know where my Super Bowl ring is...but that thing has more of a story than anything.” – Dallas Clark [13:04]

• On team culture:

  • “When you have that connection with your dude...you find a way.” – Dallas Clark [37:36]

• On his approach to football:

  • “I brought that walk-on mentality, because I was surrounded by dudes." [27:39]

• On Peyton Manning and accountability:

  • “You just always had it, that if you made a mistake, you just made sure it didn't happen twice.” – Dallas Clark [31:00]

• On music, passion, and life after football:

  • “God gave me a terrible gift of the passion for music, but zero ability. I can't sing the damn thing, I can't play...but I will air guitar any live show.” – Dallas Clark [39:48]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [06:19] – Dallas Clark joins the show, discusses college start and family losses
• [13:04] – Clark’s emotional account of earning a scholarship
• [14:28] – Praise and stories about Coach Ferentz
• [17:28-21:39] – Declaring for the draft, draft day story, being selected by the Colts
• [22:04-23:24] – The “No Gloves” philosophy
• [25:04] – Reflections on record-setting seasons and injury
• [27:01-31:00] – Colts team culture, practices, and leadership insights
• [36:40] – Locker room pranks and their impact on team chemistry
• [39:13] – Life after football, farming, and Bobby Bones Show fandom
• [42:22-45:36] – Dallas Clark’s Top 3 Concerts, including going on stage with Garth Brooks

Tone & Style Highlights

The episode flows with camaraderie, humor, and honesty. It mixes light-hearted anecdotes with raw, motivational moments, reminiscent of locker room banter and genuine friendships. The hosts and Clark keep the conversation fast-paced, heartfelt, and relatable for any listener, football fan or not.

For New Listeners

If you haven’t heard the episode, you’ll come away with a sense of Dallas Clark’s humility, resilience, and love for the game. You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at what makes championship teams tick, and a reminder that passion—whether on the field, on a farm, or at a concert—is what turns life’s challenges into joy.