Though he comes off as California cool, Clay Matthews III has a rust belt background that may reveal more about him than he cares to admit.

If you want proof that he's of mixed sensibilities - part West Coast, part Midwest - dive deep into the Cleveland Browns media guide (page 235 to be exact) and you'll find the evidence.

There in the records section under "service" is stamped the name of Matthews' father, Clay Jr., one of the most durable and committed players ever to put on a Browns uniform.

Most games: 232 (1978-'93).

Clay Matthews III might have been all-California, all the time from his middle school days on, but for the first seven years of his life, he spent the football season living in Cleveland. The fact he is going back there Sunday as a member of the Green Bay Packers hasn't really struck a sentimental chord.

"Unfortunately, I was too young to really appreciate what he was doing, not only within football, but especially out there in Cleveland," Matthews said Wednesday. "People have asked me if this game means a little bit more, but I'm going to approach it like any other game."

Actually, Matthews' return to Cleveland may not be near as significant to him as it is to Browns fans. It's pretty likely a portion of the crowd at Cleveland Browns Stadium will be watching with keen interest to see if this Clay measures up to their Clay.

Some of the fans spent 16 seasons watching the hard-working, hard-tackling linebacker lead teams far superior to the one they have now.

At home, the younger Matthews has a No. 57 Browns jersey hanging in his closet, and among the tape he watches are highlights of his father playing. The kid might have long, flowing blond locks, but he doesn't play the game like a Cali-bred pretty boy.

"You know, it's funny," Matthews said after practice. "I watched an old interview from, I think it was either the late '80s or early '90s, and he did an interview after the game, and I saw an uncanny resemblance. I'd like to think (we play alike). I think we definitely have a knack for getting after the ball and just making plays and just being around the ball, really."

Matthews will return to Cleveland as a starter for the Packers. He was elevated to that position last week and responded with two sacks, a tackle for loss and a pass broken up. This week, the bar goes up.

"You could always see the ability from Day 1," coach Mike McCarthy said. "That's obviously part of the reason he was drafted where he was drafted. He needs to play, just like all of our younger players. You can't buy real game-time reps. You can just see every opportunity that he had in the past, it was building. His productivity was building."

Now it's off to Cleveland.