The former football linebacker Clay Matthews Jr. is the father of Super Bowl Champion and All-Pro linebacker Clay Matthews III and the son of Clay Matthews Sr., who played for the NFL in the 50s.
The Matthews clan is often considered the NFL’s “First Family,” which has produced seven professional football players over three generations.
Similarly, it is also one of the only five third-generation families to play in the league.
On June 2022, Matthews was one of the 25 semifinalists chosen by the hall’s 12-member Seniors Committee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s consideration as members of the 2023 class, and hopefully, he will be inducted this time and won’t get snubbed.
The third generation of the Matthews clan, Clay Matthews, recently announced his retirement from the sport on September 27, 2022.
Clay Matthews Jr. played 19 seasons in the National Football League, starting in 1978 when the Cleveland Browns drafted him in the first round of the draft.
In total, he played 278 games, enough to be ranked 17 among the most games played.
Moreover, Clay’s brother Bruce who played in the NFL for 18 seasons, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.
Clay Matthews Father | Quick Facts
| Birth Name | William Clay Matthews Jr. |
| Known As | Clay Matthews |
| Date of Birth | March 15, 1956 |
| Birthplace | Palo, Alto, California, United States |
| Current Residence | Agoura Hills, California, United States |
| Religion | Christian |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Father Name | Clay Matthews Sr. |
| Mother Name | Daisy Matthews |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 68 Years Old |
| Profession | Former Professional NFL Player & Businessman |
| Famous For | Son of Former NFL Player William Clay Matthews Sr., Brother of NFL Player Bruce Matthews, Former NFL Linebacker, Father of Clay Matthews III & Casey Matthews |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | New Trier East High School, University of Southern California |
| Height | 6 ft. 2 in/1.88 m/188 cm |
| Weight | 245 lbs./111 kg |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Build | Large |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Leslie Matthews |
| Children | Five Children (Jennifer, Kyle, Brian, Clay III, and Casey) |
| Siblings | Bruce Matthews |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Played For | Cleveland Browns (1978-1993), Atlanta Falcons (1994-1996) |
| Position | Linebacker |
| NFL Stats | Tackles: 1,595
Sacks: 69.5 Interceptions: 16 Touchdowns: 1 |
| NFL Draft | 1978 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12 |
| Roster Status | Retired |
| Career Highlights | Second-team All-Pro (1984)
4X Pro-Bowl (1985, 1987-1989) NFL Forced Fumbles Leader (1983) Cleveland Browns Ring of Honors Cleveland Browns Legends |
| Jersey Number | 57 |
| Net Worth (Clay Matthews III) | $50 Million |
| Social Media (Clay Matthews III) | Instagram, Twitter, Facebook |
| Merch | Signed Helmet, Signed Sports Illustrated |
| Last Update | April 2024 |
Clay Matthews Father | Early Life
Clay Matthews Jr. was born to his father, William Clay Matthews Sr., and Daisy Matthews, on 15 March 1956 in Palo Alto, California, United States.
Matthews’s extended family has been sportsmen.
His grandfather H. L. Matthews also known as Matty Matthews, was born in Jeffersonville, Ohio, in 1889, served in World War I, and held tenures as a track, baseball, and boxing coach for The Military College of South Carolina, The Citadel from 1926 to 1953.
However, it was Clay’s father, William, who started the family’s legacy in football.
He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1949 NFL Draft.
Besides, Clay’s younger brother Bruce also played in the NFL for 18 seasons before retiring in 2001.
Moreover, Clay went to New Trier East High School in Winnetka, Illinois, and graduated in 1974.
After high school, he went to the University of Southern California, where he played for the USC Trojans football team along with his brother Bruce.
Clay Matthews Father | Age, Height, & Weight
Born in 1956, Clay Matthews Jr. is 68 years old as of 2024. He stands 1.88 meters tall and weighs around 245 lbs.
Matthews Jr. has a strict workout regimen that he has been following since his playing days to keep himself fit and active.
His sets have obviously reduced to more than half compared to his youthful days, but he still tries to pump some irons to maintain his body weight.
And the result is right in front of us. He looks younger than his actual age, and that, my friends, is how you do it.
Clay Matthews Father | Career
The former American football linebacker William Clay Matthews Jr. played 19 seasons in the National Football League with two teams; the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons.
After playing college football for the USC Trojans football team, Matthews was drafted in round 1 (12th overall) of the 1978 NFL Draft.
He spent 16 seasons with the Browns starting in 1978 to 1993.
During his time with the Browns, he was a four-time selection for the Pro Bowl and was a cornerstone of the defense for over a decade.
His interception against the pass thrown by quarterback Jim Kelly in the 1990 playoff game between the Browns and Bills with only seconds left in the fourth quarter is still considered the most badass football moment.
After super successful 16 seasons with the Browns, Matthews signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 1994.
He set the record as the oldest player to record a sack with the Falcons in 1995 at the age of 40 years, 282 days.
Matthews currently works as a defensive coordinator at Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, California.
About Clay Matthews III
The third-generation Matthews, Clay Matthews III, is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and former American football outside linebacker.
He played college football for the USC Trojans from 2004 to 2008 at the University of Southern California under head coach Pete Carroll.
He was drafted 26th overall in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.
Matthews III topped his rookie year’s ten total sacks with 13.5 in 2010 and helped the Packers to their Super Bowl XLV victory.
Interestingly, Matthews Jr. and Matthews III are the only father-son duo to be named Defensive Player of the Week in the National Football League.
After ten successful seasons with the Packers, Matthews became an unrestricted free agent after the conclusion of the 2018 season.
He then signed a two-year deal with the Rams on March 19, 2019.
With the Rams, he could not perform well and missed several games. Consequently, in the off-season of 2020, he was released by the team.
In September of the same year, he was offered a contract by the Broncos, but both sides could not reach an agreement.
So, after two seasons out of football, he announced his retirement on September 27, 2022.
Matthews Family Tree
As mentioned before, William Clay Matthews Sr., Clay’s father, started the family’s legacy in football which is considered the “NFL’s First Family.”
His grandfather H. L. Matthews served in World War I and was a minor league baseball player and coach of several sports teams at The Citadel.
Clay’s father, William Clay Matthews Sr., served as a paratrooper in the Korean War but rejoined the league and played three more seasons with the 49ers before hanging his boots.
Unfortunately, on March 24, 2017, he passed away at 88.
Matthew’s brother Bruce Matthews is also a former NFL player.
The two are the only brothers to play on the same Pro Bowl team for the American Football Conference in both 1988 and 1989.
Three of Clay Jr.’s sons, Kyle, Casey, and Clay III, have played football past the high school level.
Kyle, the oldest, played as a safety for USC Trojans. Clay III played 11 seasons in the NFL, and Casey played in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings.
Moreover, Bruce’s sons Kevin and Jake also played in the NFL.
Jake plays as an offensive tackle for the Falcons, and Kevin played as a center for the Titans, Redskins, and Panthers.
Clay Matthews Father | Net Worth & Businesses
Even though there are no exact numbers on Clay Jr.’s net worth, we can safely say that throughout his 19 seasons with the different teams, he made handsome money.
While he was still playing in the NFL, Clay Matthews Jr. wanted to sow his hard-earned money for the future, which is why he invested in a car dealership in 1992.
Clay opened a Pontiac car dealership in Euclid, which currently operates under new ownership as Sims Buick GMC.
As for his son Clay III, he is worth more than $50 million as of 2024.
In the year 2013, he became the highest-paid linebacker in NFL history with a $66 million five-year deal.
Over the course of eleven years, Matthews III earned a total of $83.50 million in NFL salaries, incentives and bonuses combined.
If we were to break down that, he made $43.93 million in salaries, $21.3 million in signing bonuses, $11.55 million in roster bonuses, $2.87 million in workout bonuses, $3.7 million in option bonuses, and $125,252 in incentives.
Unknown Facts About Matthews
- As mentioned before, seven of the members from the Matthews clan have played in the NFL. They have combined 11 first-team All-Pro selections, 25 Pro Bowl invitations, and three Super Bowl appearances.
- Bruce Matthews’s youngest son Luke Matthews is a sophomore for the Texas A&M Aggies, where all his brothers played.
- Matthews Jr.’s son Casey played college football for Oregon Ducks at the University of Oregon and afterward played for the Eagles from 2011 to 2014 and Vikings in 2015.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Who is Clay Matthews III’s wife?
Clay Matthews III has been married to a former contestant on HGTV Design Star, Casey Noble, since 2015.
What is Clay Matthews Jr.’s most impressive record?
Matthews Jr. had 1,561 tackles in his career, which is the third most in NFL history unofficially.
Did Clay and Bruce compete in Family Feud?
Yes, they did compete against another family on the famous TV game show Family Feud hosted by Richard Dawson. As a matter of fact, they also managed to win a $10,000 grand prize, which they did not take. The Matthews family ended the game with 41 total points.
