South Carolina football: Jadeveon Clowney signs NFL deal

Former South Carolina football star Jadeveon Clowney signs with Titans.

It’s been a busy 24 hours for Jadeveon Clowney. The coveted free agent made headlines early Saturday morning after firing his agent Bus Cook and hiring Kennard McGuire. The firing came just a day after Clowney apparently met with Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints made their best pitch, but it was the Tennessee Titans that won the bidding war, as they’ll sign the former number one overall pick to a one-year, $15 million deal. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Dianna Russini. The deal is a bit lower than the original $21 million asking price that Clowney was in search of, but it was still reportedly $2 million more than what the Saints were offering.

The signing reunites Clowney with Mike Vrabel, who was once the defensive end’s coordinator with the Texans. The seven-year veteran will look to build off of a productive 2019 season in Seattle, where he 31 tackles, three sacks, two fumble recoveries, a pick, and two scores.

Clowney joins a defensive unit that includes Jeffrey Simmons, Vic Beasley, Adoree Jackson, and another former Gamecock Johnathan Joseph.

Over his professional career, the 27-year-old Clowney has tallied 236 tackles, 32 sacks, 51 tackles for loss, nine forced fumbles, seven recoveries, and four touchdowns. He’s been selected to the Pro Bowl on three separate occasion, all while a member of the Houston Texans.

Clowney played at South Carolina from 2011-2013. He recorded 129 takedowns, 47 tackles for loss, and 24 sacks in Columbia. As a sophomore in 2012, Clowney totaled a program record 13 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss as he finished sixth overall in the Heisman voting. He was a unanimous All-American selection. He would go on to be the top pick of the 2014 NFL Draft.