While taking a broadcast journalism precollege course at Temple University in the summer of 2025, I had the privilege of interviewing Temple tight end Peter Clarke before his breakout season this past fall. We discussed his path to becoming a successful Division 1 football player coming from Europe, as well as his goals in his career and how he wants to give back to the community.
Clarke was a 12-year-old in London, England playing a version of flag football called “Jag Tag” when he found his passion in American football. Growing up playing any sport he could, Clarke immediately fell in love with “the thrill and love of the game.” The physicality and the ability to use his strength to hit people captivated him.
Clarke was recruited to play college football at many schools includingKansas University and The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), but he eventually chose Temple in 2022. Today, Clarke has three goals:
- To play professionally in the NFL
- To make an impact on the North Philadelphia community
- To make it more accessible for Europeans to go play college sports in the USA
To give back to the same community that welcomed him in, Clarke volunteers at a food pantry in North Philadelphia when he is off the field. When I asked why he didn’t feel homesick after moving so far away, he said, “Philly is London,” remarking “the community aspect of both cities and the setup are so similar.”
Clarke plans to work tirelessly to fulfill his dream of playing professionally in the NFL. He explains, “Someone doesn’t move halfway around the world to not play in the NFL, and I am going to work hard and do anything to get there.”
Beyond his work in Philly, Clarke also launched the Peter Clarke Football Camp in Streatham, London. In running this camp, Clarke looks to introduce English kids to the game of American football, develop their skills, and mentor them about how they can get recruited to play collegiate football in the USA just like him.
I would like to thank Peter and Temple University for giving me this opportunity to sit down with Peter to discuss his current and future goals. Having a chance to get hands-on experience in the field I would like to pursue was very valuable.
