Beginning in 1972, he covered the Pittsburgh Steelers in twice-weekly dispatches for the Daily Press in St. Marys, Pennsylvania.

While there, he discovered and reported a rule violation involving Steelers players wearing shoulder pads during minicamp, which would cost the team a third-round draft pick.

[1][10] He moved across the country and began covering the Seattle Seahawks for The News Tribune in Tacoma, Washington.

[4] When Donnellan's show was picked up by ESPN for national syndication, Clayton came along as an NFL correspondent.

[12] Clayton notably appeared in a This is SportsCenter commercial, in which he was featured out of character in a sleeveless Slayer t-shirt and a concealed ponytail.

[1][13] He was initially reluctant to participate in the ad, fearing that its humorous nature would sully his standing for "serious reporting" that he had developed over the years.

[14] Clayton remained a frequent contributor to KJR, which he first joined in 1990 as a radio talk show host.

After Seattle's KIRO changed to an all-sports format, Clayton moved his show to the new ESPN affiliate.