Clay Matthews III facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Clay Matthews III

Matthews with the Green Bay Packers in 2012
No. 52
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1986-05-14) May 14, 1986 (age 39) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	255 lb (116 kg)
Career information
High school:	Agoura (Agoura Hills, California)
College:	USC (2004–2008)
NFL Draft:	2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 26
Career history
Green Bay Packers (2009–2018) Los Angeles Rams (2019)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XLV) First-team All-Pro (2010) Second-team All-Pro (2012) 6× Pro Bowl (2009–2012, 2014–2015) Butkus Award (pro) (2010) Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Second-team All-Pac-10 (2008) 3× Rose Bowl champion (2007–2009)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 519 Sacks: 91.5 Pass deflections: 44 Interceptions: 6 Forced fumbles: 17 Defensive touchdowns: 3
Player stats at PFR

Clay Matthews III (born May 14, 1986) is a former American football player. He was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Green Bay Packers for 10 seasons and the Los Angeles Rams for one season. Clay was chosen for the Pro Bowl six times and was named an All-Pro twice. He holds the record for the most sacks in Packers history, with 83.5. In 2024, he was honored by being inducted into the team's Hall of Fame.

Clay comes from a famous football family. His father, Clay Matthews Jr., and uncle, Bruce Matthews, also played in the NFL. His brother, Casey Matthews, was also an NFL linebacker.

Early Life and High School Football

Clay Matthews was born in Northridge, California. His father, Clay Matthews Jr., was a professional football player. Clay's family has a long history of playing professional football. His grandfather, Clay Matthews Sr., also played.

Clay went to Agoura High School in Agoura Hills, California. He played for the Chargers football team. Clay was not very big when he was younger. His father was the team's defensive coach but did not start Clay because he was too small. Clay started to grow more in his senior year. However, only smaller colleges and local community colleges showed interest in him. Clay decided to attend the University of Southern California (USC). He hoped to join the USC Trojans football team as a walk-on player. This means he would try out without a scholarship.

College Career at USC

Matthews during his 2007 season at USC

Clay played for the USC Trojans from 2004 to 2008. He joined the team as a walk-on, even though his father was a famous NFL player. In his first year (2004), he only practiced with the team. He saved his eligibility to play in future seasons.

In 2005, he was still a reserve linebacker and played mostly on special teams. Special teams are units that play during kickoffs, punts, and field goals. In 2006, he earned a full athletic scholarship. He continued to play as a reserve linebacker in 2006 and 2007. He started two games in 2007 when a teammate was injured. Clay was named USC's Co-Special Teams Player of the Year in both 2006 and 2007. He also blocked two field goals in 2007.

Before the 2008 season, Clay worked hard to get bigger and stronger. His coaches decided to try him in a new "elephant" position. This role allowed him to play like a defensive end but use the speed of a linebacker. This worked well, and Clay recorded 4.5 sacks. He also continued to be an amazing special teams player. He won the Co-Special Teams Player of the Year award again in 2008. This made him the only player in USC history to win it three times in a row.

Clay was considered a top player for the 2009 NFL Draft. He was even on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine with two other USC linebackers.

Professional NFL Career

Clay Matthews was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. The Packers traded up to get him, which surprised some experts. However, his coach, Kevin Greene, believed in him. Greene, a former All-Pro linebacker, said Clay had skills he had never seen before.

Green Bay Packers Highlights

Rookie Season (2009)

In his first year, Clay quickly made an impact. He scored his first touchdown by taking the ball from an opponent and running it back. He was named the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week twice. In Week 13, he won the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award. He set a Packers rookie record with 10 sacks. He was also chosen for the 2010 Pro Bowl, becoming the first Packers rookie since 1978 to do so.

Super Bowl Champion (2010)

In 2010, Clay had an even better season. He recorded 13.5 sacks, which was fourth-best in the league. He was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Month in September. He won the Butkus Award, given to the best linebacker. Clay helped lead the Packers to win Super Bowl XLV. In the Super Bowl, he made a game-changing play by forcing a fumble. This play helped the Packers keep their lead and win the championship. He was ranked 19th among the top 100 NFL players by his fellow players.

Continued Success (2011-2013)

In 2011, Clay had 6 sacks and three interceptions. He scored his third career defensive touchdown by intercepting a pass and running it back. He was chosen for his third straight Pro Bowl.

In 2012, the Packers wanted to improve their defense. Clay was moved back to his original position. He started the season strong, with 2.5 sacks in the first game and 3.5 sacks in the second. He became one of only six NFL players to have six or more sacks in the first two games of a season. He finished the season with 13 sacks and was named to the All-Pro team for the second time. After this season, Clay signed a big contract, becoming the highest-paid linebacker in NFL history at the time.

In 2013, Clay played in 11 games. He had 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. He broke his thumb during a game and missed some time. He returned to play with a special cast on his hand.

Versatile Player (2014-2018)

In 2014, Clay started playing both outside and middle linebacker. This change helped the Packers' defense improve a lot. He had 8.5 sacks in the second half of the season, finishing with 11 sacks overall. He started every game that season, a first in his career.

In 2015, Clay continued to be a key player for the Packers. He helped them reach the playoffs.

In 2016, Clay played in 12 games. He recorded 5 sacks and 24 tackles.

In 2017, Clay became the Packers' all-time sacks leader. He broke the record by sacking the Chicago Bears' quarterback. He finished the season with 7.5 sacks.

In 2018, Clay had a minor injury to his nose during a charity softball game. He wore a special visor on his helmet for protection. He was involved in some controversial penalties during games. After the 2018 season, he became a free agent.

Los Angeles Rams (2019)

In 2019, Clay signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Rams. He quickly made an impact, recording sacks in his first three games. He played in 13 games that season. In March 2020, he was released by the Rams. He did not play in the 2020 NFL season.

Retirement and Hall of Fame

Clay Matthews announced his retirement from football on September 27, 2022. He said he wished he could have finished his career with the Green Bay Packers. On August 29, 2024, Clay was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. His former teammate, Aaron Rodgers, sent a video tribute.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular season

Postseason

Personal Life and Appearances

Clay Matthews is married to Casey Noble-Matthews. They have three children: William Clay IV, Madeline Joy, and Colton. The Matthews family now lives near Nashville, Tennessee.

Clay has appeared in some movies and TV shows. He had a small role in Pitch Perfect 2 with some of his Packers teammates. He also appeared in an episode of The Mindy Project and the movie Entourage. In 2018, he and his wife were featured on the show Tanked, where a large fish tank was installed in their home.

During his NFL career, Clay had many commercial sponsorships. These included popular brands like Nike, Gillette, Old Spice, and State Farm.

Images for kids

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  Matthews playing against the New York Giants in 2012

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  Mathews playing against the Washington Redskins in 2018

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  Clay Matthews' Packers Hall of Fame Induction

See also

In Spanish: Clay Matthews III para niños