Clemson QB Cade Klubnik Reveals Why He Decided to Play in Pinstripe Bowl

The Clemson Tigers will be without a handful of players for their Pinstripe Bowl matchup on Dec. 27, but there is one key returner that is set to ride off into the sunset after the game.

That player is three-year starting quarterback, Cade Klubnik.

When Klubnik took to the microphone on Wednesday night following practice, it was one of the last times that he would at the Smart Family Media Center. When asked why he is playing, he said a “few reasons” led to him deciding to play in New York City next Saturday.

The first one, with how he dropped in NFL Draft buzz over the course of Clemson’s 7-5 season, is how he can finish strong for his future. Klubnik is currently projected in the third round of next year’s NFL Draft, but a stout performance can put him into a starter caliber for professional teams.

“I think I can help myself, you know,” he said. “I think that it’s another game that I get to go play and go help myself for what’s next.”

Klubnik also can’t see himself missing a game for strictly opting out. With how he has fought through an ankle injury over the course of this season, adding in his deep love for the sport, if the Austin, Texas, native is healthy, one thing is for certain.

He is going to play.

“I just don’t think that’s something I would ever do, to be honest,” Klubnik said, “and, you know, I got a ton of respect for all the guys that aren’t player or are just choosing to kind of make the decision that they made, and they’re just kind of ready for the next thing.”

The Clemson quarterback still has a massive amount of respect for those who are not playing in the Pinstripe Bowl matchup against Penn State, saying that he is going to support them heavily while they hear their names called in the 2026 NFL Draft.

“I love those dudes and I’m going to be cheering them on forever and they’re my teammates and brothers forever,” Klubnik said, “and I’m going to be cheering louder than everybody when draft day comes on, and I know that they’re going to be cheering us on next Saturday.”

There were many times where Klubnik wouldn’t practice from Monday to Wednesday, saying he would be “limping through Thursday” to be available to play on Saturday games. With the deep love that he has for Clemson, the Tigers’ quarterback wanted one more game with the Paw on his helmet, something that he had a strong love for coming out of high school.

“It’s a really special place, but for me, I just want to play, and I’ve been through a lot this year, and as y’all know, just fighting a lot of injuries and jut straining to get to Saturday,” Klubnik said. “I mean, that’s just my mentality that I’ve had this year.”

With plenty of weeks to recover following the regular season, Klubnik, known for his Texas roots and the cowboy hats he wears, will ride off into the New York City sunset later this month, and he will be joined by some of his closest friends out on the field.

“Now, I’ve got almost a month to heal up, and I get to go play with some of my best friends one more time,” Klubnik said, “and I want to go play another game, and there wasn’t even a question for me of whether or not I was going to.”