Former Clemson All-American kicker and punter Chris Gardocki played for a lot of different head coaches during his 16-year NFL career, such as Mike Ditka and Dave Wannstedt with the Chicago Bears from 1991-94, Jim Mora with the Indianapolis Colts in 1998, Butch Davis with the Cleveland Browns from 2001-03 and Bill Cowher with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2004-06.
But it was Gardocki’s first head coach at Clemson in 1988 and 1989, Danny Ford, that perhaps made the biggest impact on his life.
Gardocki, who was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame on Monday, reflected on how Ford helped shape him into the player he was and the person he is today.