The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Matthews to be added to Ring of Honor
Clay Matthews, spurned by the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, in two months will get a glorious moment he richly deserves.
Matthews’ name will be added to the Ring of Honor inside FirstEnergy Stadium in a special ceremony Sept. 22 when the Browns host the Rams in a Sunday night game, the Browns announced July 31.
Matthews, drafted 12th overall in 1978 (the same year the Browns drafted tight end Ozzie Newsome 23rd overall in the first round), played linebacker 16 years for the Browns and then three more seasons for the Falcons. He played in 232 games for the Browns with 206 starts. He had 1,430 tackles and 76.5 sacks.
The number 10,363 was added last year to the Ring of Honor to recognize the amazing consecutive snap streak of retired left tackle Joe Thomas, but Matthews will be the first Browns player not in the Hall of Fame to have his name added to the Ring of Honor.
Matthews was caught off guard earlier this summer when Browns general manager called him at his home in California to deliver the news.
“I was honored,” Matthews said in a story on the team’s website. “I mean, the Browns have a pretty good legacy of players in that group. We lived through that generation of players mostly in the 60s who were so successful, and to be included in that group is just an honor.”
The announcement on Matthews was made one day after the Browns announced
a statue of Browns Hall of of fame quarterback Otto Graham will be unveiled outside FirstEnergy Stadium on Sept. 7.
The timing for the ceremony is perfect. Clay’s son, Clay Matthews III, plays for the Rams after 10 seasons with the Packers. Plus, Clay Matthews Jr. is being recognized in what is projected to be a playoff season for the Browns.
“To honor me at the platform and with that going on and having him here, I’m just honored,” he said. “I’m honored by the Haslam family and the folks who think I’m worthy of doing it.
“It seems like they’re doing a pretty good job of picking talent around there, so I’m going to ride that wave.
The Browns, even though they had a little hiccup for a while when the team went away and came back, that’s what you think of when you think of the NFL. At least for myself growing up, the Browns, Packers, Bears, those types of teams that were there from long ago. To be included at this level is just a huge honor.”
Dorsey was a linebacker with the Green Bay Packers from 1984-89. He saw firsthand how well Matthews played.
“To me it was a nobrainer,” Dorsey said. “That guy symbolizes everything it means to be a Cleveland Brown. Respect and honor for the game of professional football. His passion for the game. I can’t
wait to meet him when we do this against the Los Angeles Rams. It will be special for him.
“The coolest thing was when we called him up and let him know what we were doing in regards to his day, I got a little nervous because it was Clay Matthews Jr. and he was one of those guys I personally looked up to and thought was an exceptional football player in his era. I’ve always been taught if you dominate the league during a decade you should definitely be going into the Canton Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
That day might still come for Matthews, but on Sept. 22 he will be honored in a ceremony and cheered by fans that saw him play.