Zero2Cool
15 years ago
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The adjustment that players have to make from college to the NFL is often an imposing one, so for rookie outside linebacker Clay Matthews, it doesn't hurt to see some familiar faces in Green Bay's organization thanks to his family.

Matthews' background has been well documented since he was selected by the Packers in the first round (26th overall) last Saturday, with his grandfather, Clay Sr., his dad, Clay Jr., and his uncle, Bruce, all having played in the NFL. With a combined 42 years of experience between the three in professional football, they are bound to still have some connections to the NFL, and a few happen to reside Green Bay.

General Manager Ted Thompson, who played linebacker for 12 years with the Houston Oilers, was a teammate of Bruce's there for two seasons (1983-84). Green Bay's equipment manager, Red Batty, also worked for the Oilers for 13 seasons (1981-93), overlapping with Bruce for 11 of them (1983-93).

Following Saturday afternoon's media availability, Matthews and the rest of the rookies were headed to the weight room for a workout led by the team's first-year strength and conditioning coordinator, Dave Redding. Redding, who has 22 years of NFL coaching experience, was Cleveland's strength coach from 1982-88 when Matthews' father played linebacker for the Browns.

"There are so many people here that are in some way affiliated with my dad and my uncle, and just people that I know through my agency," Matthews said. "So it's been a smooth transition and it seems like a great fit."

Attending his father's games as a child, Matthews joked that his focus wasn't always on what was happening on the field, but the significance wasn't lost on him.

"I myself was too young to truly appreciate it because I was more interested in the food I was going to eat rather than how many tackles my dad was going to have," Matthews said. "That's unfortunate, but at the same time, I understood the magnitude of what he was doing.

"We are truly blessed by the NFL to have my dad and uncle play for so long and it has given so much back to us. I'm looking to do the same."

Matthews will also be linked to Thompson as only the second player that the GM has traded up to get in the draft, and the first time he moved into the first round, during his tenure in Green Bay.

"I heard it's pretty rare, especially with Ted Thompson not really trading up too often," Matthews said. "It means a great deal to me for them to want me to be a part of their program, and what they believe in me.

"I appreciate that because obviously you want a team that is going to believe in you and you want someone that is going to throw you in there and give you opportunities to make plays and really showcase your ability."

The Packers' rookie orientation weekend will wrap up with one final workout Sunday morning, and Matthews and the rest of the rookies will have a few weeks off before returning to Green Bay for workouts in mid-May and OTAs that begin later in the month.

While he is only through two days of on-field work, Matthews said he can already see improvement, which he'll need to continue throughout the offseason if he hopes to make an impact in his rookie campaign.

"I'm light years ahead of where I was yesterday," Matthews said. "Yesterday I was making mistakes left and right and today I felt like I did a great job. Obviously there is so much room for improvement. You have to understand all new terminology and play sets and calls and what you're supposed to do (in) switching to a 3-4.

"I'm looking forward to it. That's what everyone has to go through, so the sooner you can get acclimated to it, the sooner you can get on the field."



I want to see him hurt someone. Not too bad, but just enough to make them fear #52.
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Yerko
15 years ago
My next Packers jersey.
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RaiderPride
15 years ago
My Favorite Draft Pick.

Thanks for posting this Sir.
""People Will Probably Never Remember What You Said, And May Never Remember What You Did. However, People Will Always Remember How You Made Them Feel."
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Zero2Cool (12h) : Bears. Vikings. OT
Mucky Tundra (12h) : Thems the breaks I guess
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Zero2Cool (16h) : When we trade Malik for a 1st rounder, we'll need a new QB2.
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beast (23-Nov) : That's what I told the Police officer about my speed when he pulled me over
packerfanoutwest (23-Nov) : NFL told Bears that Packers’ blocked field goal was legal
packerfanoutwest (22-Nov) : 49ers are underdogs at Packers, ending streak of 36 straight games as favorites
Zero2Cool (22-Nov) : 49ers might be down their QB, DL, TE and LT?
packerfanoutwest (22-Nov) : Jaire Alexander says he has a torn PCL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : Even with the context it's ... what?
Mucky Tundra (20-Nov) : Matt LaFleur without context: “I don’t wanna pat you on the butt and you poop in my hand.”
beast (20-Nov) : We brought in a former Packers OL coach to help evaluate OL as a scout
beast (20-Nov) : Jets have been pretty good at picking DL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He landed good players thanks to high draft slot. He isn't good.
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He can shove his knowledge up his ass. He knows nothing.
beast (20-Nov) : More knowledge, just like bring in the Jets head coach
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : What? Why? Huh?
beast (19-Nov) : I wonder if the Packers might to try to bring Douglas in through Milt Hendrickson/Ravens connections
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : The Jets fired Joe Douglas, per sources
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Jets are a mess......
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Pretty sure Jets fired their scouting staff and just pluck former Packers.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Jets sign Anders Carlson to their 53.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : When you cycle the weeks, the total over remains for season. But you get your W/L for that selected week. Confusing.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the totals are accurate..nrvrtmind
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : I don't follow what you are saying. The totals are not the same as last week.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : ok so then wht are the totals the same as last week?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : NFL Pick'em is auto updated when NFL Scores tab is clicked
Martha Careful (19-Nov) : The offense was OK. Let's not forget the Bear defense is very very good.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Who updates the leaderboard on NFLPickem?
beast (19-Nov) : Has the Packers offense been worse since the former Jets coach joined the Packers?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Offense gets his ass in gear, this could be good.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Backup QB helped with three wins. Special Teams contributed to three wins.
bboystyle (18-Nov) : Lions played outside thats why. They scored 16 and 17 in the only 2 outside games this year
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : The rest of the NFL is catching up to Packers ... kicking is an issue throughout league
packerfanoutwest (18-Nov) : Packers DL Kenny Clark: We knew 'we were going to block' Bears' game-winning field goal attempt
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Lions seem to be throttling everyone, but only (only) got 24 lol maybe the rain is why
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Packers vs Lions game doesn't seem so bad.
beast (18-Nov) : Dennis Green "They are what we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!"
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : comment of the day Z2Cool "Bears better than we want to admit. Packers worse than we think. It's facts."
Mucky Tundra (17-Nov) : my worst case scenario: Bears fix their oline and get a coach like Johnson from the Lions and his scheme
Zero2Cool (17-Nov) : Bears get OL fixed amd we might have a problem
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : Pretty sure they already have scouting reports on guys who aren't even starting for their college team. The future is now for me.
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : I tend to let Gute and Co. Worry about the future.
beast (17-Nov) : That's great news and Packers need to keep upgrading their OL, DL and DBs this off-season, so missing one guy doesn't kill them
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