Clay Matthews

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Clay Matthews
Position(s):
Linebacker
Jersey #(s):
57
Born: March 15, 1956 (1956-03-15) (age 52)
Palo Alto, California
Career Information
Year(s): 19781996
NFL Draft: 1978 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12
College: USC
Professional Teams
Career Stats
Sacks     69.5
Interceptions     16
Touchdowns     1
Stats at NFL.com
Career Highlights and Awards

William Clay Matthews, Jr. (born March 15, 1956 in Palo Alto, California) is a former American football linebacker who played for the Cleveland Browns and the Atlanta Falcons. He played 19 seasons and 278 games in the NFL (third most in NFL history). Matthews was drafted by the Browns out of the University of Southern California with the 12th pick in the first round of the 1978 NFL Draft. Clay was a four time Pro Bowler for Cleveland.

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[edit] Personal

Clay Matthews' father Clay Matthews, Sr. and brother Bruce Matthews, who also played at USC, were also NFL players. Two of his sons joined the football team at USC, while another joined the football team at the University of Oregon: Kyle Matthews was a safety at USC (2000-03) and Clay Matthews III currently plays linebacker at USC (2004- ). Casey Matthews currently plays linebacker at UO (2007- ).

[edit] Life after pro football

Matthews resides in Agoura Hills, California. He serves as defensive coordinator at Oaks Christian High School, a coed private school in Westlake Village, California that his son Casey attended. He was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005, along with his brother Bruce. Clay Matthews opened a Pontiac Dealership in the Cleveland area after he retired.

[edit] Trivia

Clay and his brother Bruce competed with members of their family on the popular TV game show Family Feud, with Richard Dawson. The Matthews Family won the game, and Clay was one of the two family members to play the final round. One of five questions he was asked in the final round was "What is the ideal age for a U.S. President?". He answered "32". Of course, the constitutional requisite age to become President is 35. Clay ended up scoring 41 points total, and the Matthews family did not win the $10,000 grand prize.

Clay appeared to be very frugal because he drove an old Mercury Capri to practice and games. After retiring from football, he owned a Pontiac car dealership in Euclid, Ohio.

[edit] External links