Clay Matthews III

Clay Matthews III

Matthews with the Packers in 2012
No. 52
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1986-05-14) May 14, 1986 (age 38) 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 Stats at Pro Football Reference

William Clay Matthews III (born May 14, 1986), primarily known as Clay Matthews, is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). The six-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time All-Pro played 10 seasons for the Green Bay Packers and 1 season for the Los Angeles Rams. He is the all-time official sack leader for the Packers, with 83.5.^[1] He was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2024.^[2]

After attending Agoura High School in Agoura Hills, California, Matthews was a walk-on student athlete at the University of Southern California for the USC Trojans football team under head coach Pete Carroll. At USC, Matthews was a standout special-teams player, winning three consecutive Special Teams Player of the Year awards from 2006 to 2008. He also played reserve outside linebacker during those years before moving into a starting role his senior season. During his college career, he was a part of three Pac-10 Championship teams.

Matthews was considered a top prospect for the 2009 NFL Draft. He was ultimately selected by the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the draft (26th overall) after the team traded up to make the selection. In his rookie year, Matthews recorded 10 sacks while playing outside linebacker. He topped that total in 2010 with 13.5 sacks, helping the Packers to their Super Bowl XLV victory. Matthews continued his role as a leading pass rusher, recording at least six sacks in the first nine seasons he played. He also has showed his athleticism and abilities by playing both inside and outside linebacker during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

A member of the Matthews family of football players, he is the brother of former NFL linebacker Casey Matthews, the son of former NFL linebacker Clay Matthews Jr., and the nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bruce Matthews.