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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wpr (11-Nov) : Kevin, donate it to a local food pantry or whatever she wants to do with it. Thanks
wpr (11-Nov) : Kevin,
Zero2Cool (11-Nov) : Wayne, got your girl scout order.
dfosterf (11-Nov) : I believe Zero was being sarcastic
dfosterf (11-Nov) : Due to that rookie kicker Jake Bates that Zero said "he didn't want anyway". 58 yarder to tie the game, 52 yarder to win it. In fairness,
Mucky Tundra (11-Nov) : Lions escape with a win
Mucky Tundra (11-Nov) : and now Goff looking better
Mucky Tundra (11-Nov) : Goff with ANOTHER INT
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Mucky Tundra (11-Nov) : Goff having an ATROCIOUS game
wpr (11-Nov) : Happy birthday Corps. Ever faithful. Thanks dfosterf.
Mucky Tundra (10-Nov) : stiff armed by Baker Mayfield for about 5-7 yards and still managed to get a pass off
Mucky Tundra (10-Nov) : Nick Bosa
wpr (8-Nov) : Jets are Packers (L)East
Zero2Cool (8-Nov) : Jets released K Riley Patterson and signed K Anders Carlson to the practice squad.
wpr (8-Nov) : Thanks guys
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Zero2Cool (7-Nov) : Anders Carlson ... released by 49ers
dfosterf (7-Nov) : Happy Birthday!😊😊😊
wpr (7-Nov) : Thanks Kevin.
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beast (7-Nov) : Edge Rushers is the same... it's not the 4-3 vs 3-4 change, it's the Hafley's version of the 4-3... as all 32 teams are actually 4-2
Zero2Cool (6-Nov) : OLB to DE and player requests trade. Yet folks say they are same.
beast (5-Nov) : In other news, the Green Bay Packers have signed Zero2Cool to update their website 😋 jk
beast (5-Nov) : Might just re-sign the kicker we got
beast (5-Nov) : Are there any kickers worth drafting next year?
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Preston Smith for Malik Willis
Mucky Tundra (5-Nov) : Getting a 7th rounder from the Stillers
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : At least we get 7th round pick now!! HELLO NEW KICKER
Mucky Tundra (5-Nov) : Steelers getting a premier lockdown corner!
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Packers are trading edge rusher Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers, per sources.
Mucky Tundra (5-Nov) : Preston Smith traded to the Steelers!!!!
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : CB Marshon Lattimore to Commanders
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Bears are sending RB Khalil Herbert to the Bengals, per sources.
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Martha Careful (5-Nov) : any interest in Marshon Lattimore?
Zero2Cool (4-Nov) : What does NFL do if they're over cap?
Mucky Tundra (4-Nov) : They've been able to constantly push it out through extensions, void years etc but they're in the hole by 72 million next year I believe
hardrocker950 (4-Nov) : Seems the Saints are always in cap hell
Mucky Tundra (4-Nov) : Saints HC job is not an envious one; gonna be in cap hell for 3 years
Mucky Tundra (4-Nov) : Dennis Allen has now been fired twice mid-season with Derek Carr as his starting QB
Zero2Cool (4-Nov) : Kuhn let go
beast (4-Nov) : I wonder if the Packers would have any interest in Z. Smith, probably not
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