Suffolk native Chuck Clark will step back into a starting role for the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The former King’s Fork High School standout will once again be back in the starting lineup for the Baltimore Ravens. Clark, who plays the safety position for the Ravens, has been mostly a reserve in his three years in the league thus far. Last season, he got his chance at a couple of starts due to injury and was a big part of helping the Ravens finish as the No. 1 defense in the NFL.

Last Sunday, another injury occurred to starting strong safety Tony Jefferson, which ended up being season-ending. The Ravens have spoken highly of Clark since they drafted him in 2017 and knew they’d have confidence in him to step into the starting role. Clark, who has often been soft-spoken, spoke with the Baltimore media and mentioned how excited he was for this opportunity.

“I feel really prepared,” Clark told the media. “I’ve been waiting for this for three years now. It’s here. It’s time to take advantage. I feel comfortable stepping in and leading this defense.”

Clark will not only be the starting strong safety for the Ravens, but he will also be the play-caller on the field. Clark will be assigned the green dot on his helmet, which is given to only one defensive player on the field to receive the calls from the defensive coordinator to give to the defense. It is normally given to the middle linebacker, which speaks to the confidence the Ravens have in Clark. It’s a big step for the Suffolk native whose family is also excited for him.

“We are very proud of him and these opportunities that are coming his way,” Chuck Clark Sr. said. “This is big-time for him, and we know he’s not only going to continue to make us proud, but the city of Suffolk proud as well. He’s worked so hard, and we are thankful.”

As the Ravens prepare this week for their game on Sunday, Clark’s teammates have also been having glowing things to say about him as well. From Pop Warner, to high school, college and the pros, he has always been complimented on his knowledge of football and “X’s and O’s.”

NFL star defensive back and Ravens free safety Earl Thomas, who signed with the Ravens in March, had this to say about Clark when he was asked about him stepping in: “The first day I got here, he was on it. I was thinking to myself, ‘Why would they bring me in if they got this guy?’”

At King’s Fork, Clark starred as a defensive back before going on to Virginia Tech and starring there as well. He was defeated in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.