Dallas Clark feels back at home in Iowa

CEDAR RAPIDS - Dallas Clark officially closed the book on his NFL career in June of 2014 and is calling Iowa home once again.

After going back and forth from Indianapolis to Iowa, Tampa to Iowa and Baltimore to Iowa, Clark and his wife, Karen, have officially cemented their home in Livermore, a town of 384 people in north central Iowa where Clark grew up.

'We are very excited to finally have one permanent home,” Clark said. 'Since I retired, we have been finishing the moving process here in Iowa.

'It is very nice to finally be able to have one place to call home. It was tough going back and forth to Indy for nine years.”

The former pro bowler spent nine years catching passes from one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, Payton Manning, while playing for the Colts in Indianapolis. He set franchise records for most touchdown receptions and receiving touchdowns by a tight end. Clark had two short stints at the end of his career, playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2012 season and the Baltimore Ravens in 2013.

He was in Cedar Rapids on Monday, making his third appearance at the Zach Johnson Foundation Classic.

'Zach is an outstanding example on how to give back to the community,” Clark said. 'This event shows a lot. He has not forgotten where he has come from. We can all learn a lot from him and his foundation.”

Clark had one goal for himself during the fundraiser.

'My goal is to not kill anyone in the gallery,” he said. 'I hope they are all watching out for me when I set up to the tee box.”

Clark is raising money for his own organization, which strives to give back to the community in Livermore through educational scholarships, teaching students how and why to recycle, helping fund local town improvements and teaching area youths about football and physical fitness.