Clayton Fejedelem

Clayton Fejedelem's Biography

Clayton Daniel Fejedelem, known for his exceptional skills as an American football safety and special teams player, was born on June 2nd, 1993. As of now, he is a free agent who initially became known when he was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL draft. However, before he ventured into professional football, he showcased his skills in college football where he attended Saint Xavier and the University of Illinois for his studies.

A native of Illinois, Clayton completed his early education at Lemont High School in Lemont. Apart from his academic excellence, his prowess in football, wrestling, and lacrosse earned him recognition across the state. Notably, as a senior in 2010, he was a two-time All-Conference selection and also garnered All-State honors for his impressive performance in football with the Lemont Indians. In addition, his relentless and competitive spirit earned him the South Suburban Blue Player of the Year award that same year.

After high school, Clayton took his talents to the NAIA Saint Xavier University for two seasons from 2011 to 2012. His first year at St. Xavier ended up being a remarkable one. He recorded 68 tackles, 5.0 tackles-for-loss, five interceptions, the highest numbers of pass breakups in his team at nine, as well as three forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and a pick-six touchdown. Consequently, his debut year performance saw him receive the St. Xavier Newcomer of the Year award in 2011.

In 2013, Clayton switched colleges and joined the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Upon his arrival, he had to redshirt his junior season due to NCAA transfer rules. However, this didn’t diminish his determination; when he finally got to play in 2014, he left an indelible impression. In fact, he tremendously helped his team by totaling 51 tackles, a tackle for loss, two pass breakups, and managing a fumble recovery. The year 2015 saw Clayton rise to greater heights in the world of college football. He became the Illini team captain and Defensive Player of the Year, earning him an All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention selection by coaches. Further, media representatives recognized and gave him the All-Big Ten second-team selection.

An event that significantly marked Clayton’s career was his selection by the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2016 NFL draft. In his maiden season at Cincinnati, Clayton revealed his football prowess by participating in all 16 games and recording three total tackles. Later, in the 2018 season, he played in the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts, where he made an impressive game-clinching 83-yard fumble return for a touchdown. In 2019, he was again named the team captain, a role he fulfilled effectively throughout all 16 games.

In March 2020, Clayton signed a new contract with the Miami Dolphins. This new venture did not go smoothly for Clayton as he encountered an injury that made him miss the first three games. Despite this setback, he showed resilience and made a commendable comeback. He featured in 13 games and was even named the special teams captain for the 2020 season.

Born to parents Steven and Colleen Fejedelem, Clayton was raised alongside his two brothers, Ryan and Jeremy, in Lemont, Illinois, a southwestern suburb of Chicago. Clayton has always valued education, evident by his decision to attend Saint Xavier University as a Business Major in 2011. However, he later transferred to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in communications in 2015. Beyond his career, Clayton also leads a fulfilling personal life. He married Gabriele Fejedelem in March 2020 in Chicago, and they currently have two children, a son born in December 2020, and a daughter born in July 2022.