Green Bay - He was Brian Cushing's teammate for four years at USC. They were in the same linebacker room too. And he was thrust into the Defensive Rookie of the Year revote controversy after Cushing was suspended for violating the league's steroid policy.
But Packers linebacker Clay Matthews hadn't commented on the situation publicly. Until Wednesday.
"I was very shocked," Matthews said when asked his reaction to Cushing's suspension. "I obviously played with this guy for four years at SC. He's a great friend of mine and the type of work ethic he has, it would give me no indication that he would partake in such actions. So for me it's very hard to believe.
"I really don't know the full details on the story but he's one of the hardest working guys I know and he's always been very cautious about what he puts in body and he's very meticulous as you see through how he plays, how he trains and just how he approaches life. So I'm rooting for him, I'm pulling for him, he'll make it through this and I think he'll have just as great a season the second year as he did his first."
Matthews also admitted that some people might view his success differently since they were teammates and were linked in a pre-draft story (which was later retracted) that said both had tested positive for steroids.
"There's definitely a slight sense of guilt by association just because we did go to the same school, I'm very good friends with him, we have similar stories," Matthews said. "But beyond that, we're on different teams now. He lives in Texas, I live in Wisconsin so there's not a whole lot there. But especially with the fact that we were linked to allegations of a failed drug test was not only bogus but it was downright just stupid. For the most part my true fans and everybody here in Wisconsin know what I stand for and know the type of players I am and know that I'm here to work and I do it the right way and that's what I plan on doing for years to come."
Matthews said he didn't think about whether or not he would have accepted the award had he won it. But he did say it was glad Cushing won it again.
"I didn't really think about it to be quite honest but if I would have won the award, I would have gladly accepted it but at the same time in my eyes, Cushing won it, that's his award, he deserved it and he got it," Matthews said. "And fortunately no one else took it home so there's no scrutiny or whatnot. But he took it home twice so more power to him."