Clayton Beathard: Slain Athlete Was Member of Football and Country Music Royalty

Early on Saturday morning, three men were stabbed during an altercation in Midtown Nashville, [...]

By John Newby

Early on Saturday morning, three men were stabbed during an altercation in Midtown Nashville, Tennessee. They were taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center to be treated. One man was released but the other two passed away due to their injuries. One of the victims, Clayton Beathard, was a man known to many in middle Tennessee, including those in Williamson County. He attended Battleground Academy in Franklin, which is located just south of Nashville. He was also part of a family that has gained fame for multiple pursuits.

Following this incident taking place on early Saturday, multiple users on social media set out to discover the backstory of Beathard. This surname was familiar to those that have watched football for ages, as well as those that go to Music City for the music scene.

Upon investigation, these users discovered that Beathard's family could be considered royalty for a variety of reasons. Both the NFL and country music have been affected by the Beathard family, in the past and in the modern era.

Photo Credit: Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty

One Brother is in the NFL

Entering the 2018 season, the San Francisco 49ers expected former New England Patriots backup Jimmy Garoppolo to be the top man leading the offense. However, he landed on Injured Reserve. This meant that CJ Beathard would be stepping into the starting lineup for the second year in a row. The older brother of the late Clayton had been a part-time starter in 2017 and was called upon to repeat in 2018.

As a five-game starter, Beathard was unable to lead his team to a victory during a losing season. However, he did keep the 49ers competitive. Beathard even almost led his team to an upset of the Green Bay Packers during Monday Night Football.

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His Grandfather is a Hall of Famer

CJ Beathard may have drawn the most attention in recent seasons due to his play on the field, but he was not the first member of the family to make an impact on the NFL. Bobby Beathard, who was Clayton's grandfather, carved out a Hall of Fame career while serving as a team executive.

A former player-turned-scout, Bobby ultimately worked his way into the front office of the Miami Dolphins, where he served as the director of player personnel. He later served as a GM for both the Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers. Bobby finished his career with four Super Bowl rings, two with the Dolphins and two with the Redskins.

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Uncle is a College Coordinator

As CJ and Bobby Beathard show, this family has been known for its exploits in the NFL. However, the college game has also been affected. Clayton's great uncle was a quarterback at USC, and his uncle is a current offensive coordinator for the Illinois State Redbirds.

Entering the 2019 season, the ISU Redbirds were expected to compete in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Kurt Beathard's offense had ranked third in the conference in scoring offense (31.8 points-per-game) and fourth in total offense (418.1 yards-per-game) during the 2018 season. They ultimately finished the year with a 10-5 record.

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Brother is a country music singer

Tucker Beathard, the son of Casey and the brother of the late Clayton, has also made a name for himself around Nashville. He has been active since 2015 and has turned heads with his singles on YouTube. However, Tucker's debut album was delayed due to creative differences with Dot Records and a legal battle over his songs.

While Tucker's album has not been released just yet, he did receive an opportunity to open for some of country music's biggest stars. He was the opening act during a tour with Brantley Gilbert and Luke Combs in 2017.

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Father is a country music songwriter

The late Clayton Beathard hailed from a family that made waves in football, but his father is known around Nashville for his musical talents. Casey Beathard has made a name for his songwriting abilities while partnering with some of country music's biggest names.

The Kenny Chesney song, No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems, was one that Beathard co-wrote. He also worked with Chesney on 1998's I Will Stand. Beathard has worked with several other stars in his career, ranging from Trace Adkins to Tracy Byrd.

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Father Performs Around Nashville

While Casey Beathard won many awards for his songwriting over the past few decades, he has also been known as a performer. The man who has partnered with Eric Church and Darius Rucker has written a considerable number of songs and has played them live to the delight of many fans.

As multiple videos have shown, Beathard has been seen at popular restaurants and bars around downtown Nashville. He has also performed for radio stations at various venues.

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Tucker has been touring

Tucker Beathard hasn't been able to get his debut album released due to issues with his former record label, but he has still been producing videos and releasing songs on social music. This has helped him gain a following, which has led to other opportunities and tours.

As Tucker revealed, he was recently part of a 16-stop tour. The Monster Energy Outbreak Tour has long been used to promote up-and-coming artists, and Tucker fit this description.

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