NFL star who has made $80m in career so far wakes up out of work – now he wants to return to the team that started it all

First place overall doesn’t guarantee success like it did for a former professional bowler.

Jadeveon Clowney, 30, has been a free agent since being fired by the Cleveland Browns in March.

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A South Carolina native, Clowney later starred as an off-the-edge star for the Gamecocks.

A two-time First-Team All-American and two-time First-Team All-SEC member, Clowney was also a 2012 SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a 2012 Ted Hendricks Award winner.

In three seasons in the SEC, he amassed an impressive 24 sacks and 47 tackles for a loss.

Looking to team up with three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year JJ Watt for a powerful one-two, the Houston Texans picked Clowney first overall in 2014.

Unfortunately, injuries hampered Clowney early on, making only four appearances as a rookie.

However, he played 58 games over the next four seasons, recording 29 sacks and 146 tackles, including 61 losses.

Clowney reached three consecutive Pro Bowls between 2016 and 2018 and was named a second-team All-Pro once.

After being placed under the franchise tag ahead of the 2019 season, the Texans traded Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks for linebackers Jacob Martin, Barkevious Mingo and a third-round pick.

Clowney spent just one year in Seattle, playing thirteen games and recording just three sacks, before transferring to the Tennessee Titans on a one-year contract, where he reunited with former Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel.

However, that didn’t quite work out for Clowney either, who went eight games without a sack before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

Clowney’s next move was to join the Browns, where he spent two years and had 11 sacks in 26 games.

But his time in Ohio ended abruptly after he made a series of critical comments in an interview with the Browns Cleveland.com.

Clowney accused Cleveland of prioritizing defensive player Myles Garrett’s accomplishments over his own, saying, “They’re all trying to put someone in the Hall of Fame when all that matters is the win.”

“Everyone came here for a reason and we can all play. I know that.”

He later added that he “didn’t even think[Garrett]noticed their position changes,” which would supposedly allow for easier encounters for the former.

“I’m not trying to say it’s him. I try to get along with everyone I play with.”

“Me and he have no problem. It is not his fault. It’s just nonsense and I don’t have time for it.”

Clowney also added that he’s “95 percent sure I’m not coming back (next season)” — and he was right.

He was benched for the final game of the season before being sacked.

As for his next move, Clowney hinted in May that he was interested in returning to where it all began.

He said Fox 26 Houston that a return to Houston would be “nice” and that he was “a big fan of their new head coach (DeMeco Ryans)”.

However, two months later, Clowney remains a free agent as training camps around the league draw closer.

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