GREEN BAY, WI - NOVEMBER 04: Fans of the Green Bay Packers cheer during a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lambeau Field on November 4, 2012 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Cardinals 31-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Clay Matthews to be inducted into Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
For those who don’t remember or weren’t there for it, Clay Matthews was a beast for the Green Bay Packers.
He seems to be remembered most in 2023 for his luscious locks of blonde hair, but it was that hair, plus his pass-rushing ability, that made Matthews a star in Green Bay.
As such, the Packers announced on Monday that he’s going to be inducted into their Hall of Fame as a member of the organization’s 53rd class alongside fellow pass rusher Aaron Kampman.
Matthews was a first-round pick of the Packers back in 2009. He had a tremendous four-season stint with the USC Trojans that saw him start as a walk-on and finish as a starter at linebacker. He was also a fantastic special teams player, winning Special Teams Player of the Year awards at USC three seasons in a row.
he notched 51 tackles, 10 sacks, and three fumble recoveries in his rookie season, finishing third for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. His second season, 2010-11, saw him make his second-straight Pro Bowl and his first All-Pro team after notching 13.5 sacks. He was the runner-up NFL Defensive Player of the Year and — perhaps most notably for the Packers — set a Green Bay postseason record with 3.5 sacks.
Matthews was a gamechanger in Super Bowl XLV, notching three tackles, a pass deflection, and this legendary forced fumble:
