As the Virginia football team steps onto the practice field, countless players and coaches joke at Antonio Clary, calling him “Uncle Tone” and making comments about how long he’s been with the program. For Clary, he’s just happy to be putting his pads on again after a long gap from playing football.

UVA dealt with a lot of injuries in 2023. As a result, many of those players retained a year of eligibility. A sixth-year safety, Clary is one of those individuals. He brings a lot of veteran leadership to the defense and is looking to make the most of his final year of college football.

“It’s definitely been fun getting back on the field and just playing ball,” said Clary. “I feel like a little kid again, just running around having fun. I definitely missed it last year. So it’s been fun and I’m happy that I’m healthy.”

Clary, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, played primarily cornerback in high school. He ranked as a 3-star recruit and the No. 47 overall athlete according to 247Sports. Clary ultimately chose Virginia over a number of other schools that included ACC opponents Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, and Wake Forest.

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