Clyde Christensen
Quarterbacks Coach, Indianapolis Colts
Clyde Christensen enters his second season as offensive coordinator of the Colts. This marks Christensen’s 10th season with the club and his 16th in the NFL. He served as assistant head coach/wide receivers in 2008, and he spent 2002-07 as wide receivers coach. Christensen joined Indianapolis from Tampa Bay, where he served as offensive coordinator during the 2001 season.
In 2010, Christensen oversaw an offense that posted its 13th consecutive season with 5,000+ net yards, while the club posted 400+ points for the 10th time in the past 12 seasons. QB-Peyton Manning was 450-679-4,700, 33 TDs/17 ints. Manning set club seasonal-bests in completions, attempts and yards, while his completion total also set the NFL seasonal record. Manning extended his own NFL records with his 13th consecutive 25+-TD season and an 11th 4,000+-yardage season. WR-Reggie Wayne (111-1,355, 6 TDs) produced his seventh consecutive 1,000+-yardage season and a third 100+-reception season. Missing Anthony Gonzalez (injury), WRs-Austin Collie (58-649, 8 TDs), Pierre Garcon (67-784, 6 TDs) and rookie free agent Blair White (36-355, 5 TDs) played key roles. Wayne (787-10,748, 69 TDs) moved past Raymond Berry into 2nd-place in Colts career touchdown receptions, and he became the 34th NFL player with 10,000+ yards, the 11th to post consecutive 100+ seasons (the 7th to top 100 at least three times). Wayne’s 779 snares and 10,602 yards from Manning rank 2nd-most in NFL history for a tandem (Manning-Harrison), and 67 scoring receptions from Manning rank the duo 4th in NFL history. Collie amassed his totals in nine outings, while Garcon missed two games and White opened four of 13 outings. TE-Jacob Tamme (67-631, 4 TDs) started the final eight games for Dallas Clark (injury). This marked the third straight year and fourth time since 2004 the club had four players with 50+ receptions. The offensive line tied for the NFL-low with 16 sacks in 695 pass attempts. The one sack allowed for 43.4 attempts ranked as the 2nd-best mark in club history, just behind one for 47.2 in 2009. The line had four different starting configurations as the club produced the league’s 4th-ranked offense and top-ranked passing attack. The club tied the NFL record with a ninth straight playoff berth. Manning, C-Jeff Saturday and Wayne earned Pro Bowl bids.
In 2009, Wayne (100-1,264, 10 TDs) moved past Berry into 2nd-place in Colts career receptions and yards. Missing Marvin Harrison (retirement) and Gonzalez (injury), Collie (60-676, 7 TDs) and Garcon (47-765, 4 TDs) had solid seasons. Wayne teamed with TE-Dallas Clark (100) as the Colts became just the fourth team with two 100+ seasonal receivers. Collie produced some of the best rookie seasonal totals in club history, and Garcon became a feared target. The receivers helped Manning produce a team seasonal-best 68.8 completion percentage and helped the club to a 14-0 start. Garcon (21-251, 2 TDs), Collie (17-241, 2 TDs) and Wayne (16-164, 1 TD) had good playoff showings. In 2008, Wayne (82-1,145, 6 TDs), Harrison (60-636, 5 TDs) and Gonzalez (57-664, 4 TDs) ranked among the top Colts receivers. Harrison (1,102-14,580, 128 TDs) returned from injury and ended his illustrious tenure with the club by ranking 2nd in NFL career receptions, 4th in yards and 5th in touchdown receptions. He and Manning remained among the finest NFL QB-WR tandems (953 completions, 12,766 yards, 112 TDs). Harrison ended the season ranking T2nd in NFL history with 59 100+ games and 9th in NFL career touchdowns. He had receptions in 190 consecutive games, the 2nd-longest NFL streak and the most ever to open a career. Gonzalez followed a rookie season by increasing his totals in 2008. In 2007, Harrison had an injury-interrupted season, while Wayne (104-1,510, 10 TDs) and Gonzalez (37-576, 3 TDs) performed well. Wayne became then only the 16th NFL receiver with a 1,500+ season. Wayne became only the third NFL receiver to increase seasonal reception totals over the first seven career seasons (Berry, 1955-61; Shawn Jefferson, 1991-97), and Gonzalez’s performance ranked among the best in club history by a rookie. With the performances of Manning (4,040), Wayne and RB-Joseph Addai (1,072), Indianapolis earned its NFL-record seventh offense with a 4,000+ passer and 1,000+ rusher and receiver. In the NFL’s 91 seasons, the Colts own seven of the league’s 37 such offenses. In 2006, Harrison (95-1,366, 12 TDs) and Wayne (86-1,310, 9 TDs) earned Pro Bowl honors. Harrison became the only NFL receiver with eight straight 1,000+-yard and 10+-TD seasons. In 2005, Harrison (82-1,146, 12 TDs) and Wayne (83-1,055, 5 TDs) played key roles in the club’s 13-0 start. In 2004, Christensen’s unit had one of the best seasonal performances in NFL history. Harrison (86-1,113, 15 TDs), Wayne (77-1,210, 12 TDs) and WR-Brandon Stokley (68-1,077, 10 TDs) became the first NFL receiving trio to post 1,000+-yardage and 10+-touchdown seasons. The performances stood along with San Diego (1980), Washington (1989), Atlanta (1995) and Arizona (2008) as then the only teams with a trio of 1,000+ receivers. Harrison (4), Wayne (4) and Stokley (5) had 13 of the club’s 14 regular-season 100+ yardage games, and Wayne (10-221 vs. Denver) broke the club’s playoff yardage record of Berry (178, 1958 NFL Championship Game). In 2002, Christensen helped Harrison become then the only NFL player with 100+ receptions in four consecutive seasons (115, 1999; 102, 2000; 109, 2001; 143, 2002), while he set the NFL seasonal reception mark. Harrison was 94-1,262, 10 TDs in 2003, and he set then the five best seasons in club history during his 1999-03 performances.
Christensen spent six seasons at Tampa Bay, tutoring tight ends from 1996-98 and quarterbacks from 1999-00 before being promoted to offensive coordinator. The club made four playoff appearances during that span. In 2001, WR-Keyshawn Johnson (106 receptions) and QB-Brad Johnson (340 completions) posted franchise seasonal marks. Christensen helped the late-season development of rookie QB-Shaun King in 1999. King led Tampa Bay to four wins late wins for the NFC Central title, becoming then the second rookie quarterback since the 1970 Merger to win a playoff game.
Before joining Tampa Bay, Christensen spent 1994-95 as co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Clemson. From 1992-93, he served as quarterbacks coach at Maryland, tutoring QBs-John Kaleo and Scott Milanovich. Kaleo ranked 2nd nationally in total offense in 1992 while Milanovich finished fourth in 1993. In 1991, Christensen served as running backs coach at South Carolina. He was receivers/tight ends coach at Holy Cross in 1989, then was promoted to offensive coordinator in 1990.
From 1986-88, Christensen was offensive coordinator, running backs and quarterbacks coach and in charge of recruiting at East Carolina. Christensen oversaw quarterbacks and wide receivers at Temple from 1983-85, after serving as quarterbacks and receivers coach at East Tennessee State from 1980-82. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Mississippi in 1979.
Christensen was an All-America quarterback at Fresno City Junior College in 1975. He continued his collegiate career as a QB at North Carolina, where he lettered from 1977-78, as the school earned Peach and Liberty Bowl bids. Christensen holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial relations from North Carolina.
Christensen was born on January 28, 1956 in Covina, California. Christensen and his wife, Debbie, have three daughters, Rachel, Rebecca and Ruth. They reside in Indianapolis.