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The Clifford Effect: From Walk-On to Viral Phenomenon
In a world full of creators, Clifford Taylor IV stands alone. His story is one of resilience, authenticity, and a spark that fans can’t get enough of.
- By: Julianne Elise Beffa / Photography By: N. Alex Robinson
When Clifford Taylor IV was just five years old, his parents asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. His answer wasn’t a football player, astronaut, or doctor, it was simple, audacious, and prophetic:
“A legend.”
That kind of dreaming would become Clifford’s north star, even if the road to legend status didn’t look anything like he once imagined.
Clifford didn’t grow up the loudest kid in the room. “I was shy, very shy,” he admits in an exclusive interview with LOOP. “I was always one of the bigger kids, struggled fitting in, never really had confidence in my appearance… even now, to be honest. But I always dreamed big.”
Basketball was his first love, the game that gave him community and confidence. He played on competitive AAU teams in Charlotte, NC, and envisioned himself under the bright lights of college arenas. But as he got older, reality set in. “Nobody’s recruiting a tall, lanky 200-pounder to play center at the next level,” he laughs.
Still, Clifford had a fallback: his brain. His academic intelligence earned him admission to the University of Florida (UF), the school his family had worshipped for generations. But after leaving competitive basketball behind, something was missing.
That void changed his life forever.
The unlikely moment when everything started to change, came on a flag football field during his sophomore year at UF. Clifford, playing in turf shoes, lit up the game with multiple touchdowns. A Gators player, Robert Clay, happened to be watching and asked if Clifford had ever thought about playing football. His response?
A flat “No.”
But that conversation lingered. A few days later, after watching Florida upset LSU in The Swamp, Clifford picked up the phone and made a call his parents never saw coming: “I think I’m going to give football a shot.”
He had never played a down in his life. But he tried out, made the team as a walk-on, and became part of the Gators family he’d idolized since childhood. “If I don’t make it, at least I can say I tried,” he told himself. “But if I do, it’ll be one hell of a story.”
College football taught Clifford lessons that would stick long after he left the field. “Never be content. There’s always more work to do,” he says. He watched future NFL stars like Kyle Pitts, Kyle Trask, and Anthony Richardson grind harder than anyone. “Seeing them on Sundays is the best; I saw the work they put in long before the world did.”
But it wasn’t just about athletics. Clifford’s biggest takeaway came from losing sight of himself during a brief brush with campus fame. “I let my ego, the clout, the title of ‘athlete’ blind me,” he shared. “It’s one hell of a drug. I’ve sworn since then, I’m never letting that ego virus touch me again.”
After graduation, Clifford joined the Los Angeles Rams’ content team. It was the dream, working inside the NFL, rubbing shoulders with pros as the team marched to a Super Bowl. But he struggled privately living in Los Angeles. “I was lonely, experiencing culture shock, and trying to find my place,” he remembers. “I’ll admit, I was rebellious. I spoke about things without realizing all the good around me.”
The fallout was swift. A cease-and-desist letter, exclusion from the Super Bowl ring ceremony, and a painful exit left him gutted. “My last day there, driving home, it felt like a funeral- like my career died.”
What Clifford didn’t realize at the time was that those dark days would become a foundation for his future. He faced depression head-on, confronting the mental health struggles that had haunted him since childhood. “I was questioning my worth, my purpose, whether I’d blown my one shot,” he says. “But sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to understand the climb back up.”
And the climb came fast. The NBA came calling with a social media job, and for Clifford, it wasn’t just a paycheck, it was redemption. “They didn’t realize it at the time, but they gave me a second chance, not just at a career, but at life,” he reveals. Determined not to waste it, he became one of the hardest workers in the building, pulling all-nighters, honing his creative voice, and slowly rebuilding his confidence. That second chance became the launchpad for what would eventually become The Clifford Show, his now-thriving full-time content brand.
They (NBA) didn’t realize it at the time, but they gave me a second chance, not just at a career, but at life
The pivot to content creation wasn’t an accident; it was his destiny. Clifford’s first viral TikTok in 2019, a goofy skit about being a walk-on, blew up overnight. “I thought my phone got hacked,” he laughs. “I opened the app and saw 400,000 views. I figured it was just my one viral moment. Then I posted another. And another. And they all blew up.”
Soon, ESPN and House of Highlights were reposting his videos. His teammates nicknamed him “TikTok,” but instead of mocking him, they embraced it. Clifford was no longer just a walk-on, he was building something bigger than he could have ever imagined.
By March 2023, Clifford hit one million followers live on TikTok. He broke down on camera, overcome by the full weight of his journey. “From everything that happened in LA, to leaving the NBA to bet on myself, that moment was everything.”
If you’ve stepped foot in a nightclub with Clifford in the past two years, you know it’s an experience. The sparklers come out, the signs go up, and the DJ usually drops one of Clifford’s favorite tracks, which are Love’s Holiday by Earth, Wind & Fire, The Way You Move by Outkast, and The Way You Make Me Feel by Michael Jackson. In Los Angeles, his first red carpet with Affinity Nightlife made him feel like he’d truly arrived. But it was Encore Nightclub, in his hometown, Charlotte, that hit him hardest.
“They came out with a sign that read, ‘Welcome Back Clifford!’ pictured above, I had my sunglasses on, but shed gangster tears in there,” he recalls. “That night, people were saying how proud I made them and the city, and they had no idea how much I missed them. Charlotte will always be home.”
Across the country, fans approach him like a celebrity. They want selfies, autographs, or just a laugh. And Clifford gives it all back. “I never cut anyone short. If someone takes the time to support me, the least I can do is show up for them. Those moments mean everything.”
Even celebrities are in on it. His catchphrase “A win is a win” became a viral sound, picked up by athletes, actors, and musicians including Keke Palmer, who dropped it, in his signature deep voice, on a Jimmy Fallon appearance.
A win is a win.
In a crowded creator economy, Clifford stands apart. He’s not just making content, he’s building culture. But the shine didn’t come without shadows. Clifford has been open about his battles with mental health, from the crushing lows of self-doubt to the nights when loneliness felt louder than any cheering crowd. He’s spoken about the weight of expectations, the pressure of starting over after setbacks, and the fight to find his footing when it seemed like the world had already moved on.
Instead of hiding those struggles, he’s turned them into a lifeline, for himself, and for others. Clifford makes a point to talk about the tough days as much as the wins, creating space for his fans to feel seen in their own struggles. For every laugh-out-loud skit, there’s also a heartfelt check-in reminding people that it’s okay to not be okay, and that brighter days are always ahead.
That openness has made him magnetic in a way few creators achieve. Brands rave about his creativity and vision. Fans celebrate his authenticity. His closest friends talk about his humility, loyalty, and heart. Clifford is that rare combination of charisma and relatability, the kind of presence you simply can’t manufacture.
People don’t just follow Clifford; they root for him. Because he’s proof that you can stumble, fall, battle your demons, and rise again stronger. Clifford is not just a creator, he is a once-in-a-lifetime talent who’s only just scratching the surface of what’s possible.
Through the twists and turns, athletics, heartbreak, viral moments, and second chances, Clifford has found one word to guide him: gratitude. “Every lesson was a blessing in disguise. I’ll never feel the way I felt leaving the Rams again, because I’m too thankful for every opportunity I get now.”
And if he could leave LOOP readers with one “Clifford-ism,” it’s this:
“Dream. Dream big. If your dreams don’t scare you, you need bigger ones. And when life gives you a second chance, you take it, and knock it out of the park.”
Photo credit: AJ Salas & N. Alex Robinson
