Clay Matthews Injury: Updates on Packers Star's Ankle, Hamstring and Return
Jeff Haynes/Associated Press
Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews is dealing with injuries to his ankle and hamstring, which will keep him out of action for Week 3 against the Detroit Lions.
Continue for updates.
Saturday, Sept. 24
The Packers announced on Saturday Matthews would not be available against Detroit. The decision came after Matthews did not participate in practice at all this week.
In two games this season, Matthews has registered six tackles and two sacks for a defense allowing 20 points per game, which is 11th best in the NFL.
Matthews is one of the league's most recognizable linebackers, exhibiting a tenacious style of play with athleticism that is unrivaled among his peers, via the NFL:
The six-year veteran is coming off of a 2015 season in which he recorded 6.5 sacks and 66 total tackles, following the trend of a down year in every other campaign.
Matthews had obtained double-digit sack marks in four of his seven years in the league while helping lead the Packers to a Super Bowl title back in 2011.
After a hot start saw him record 4.5 sacks in his first seven games of 2015, Matthews recorded just two more over his next nine games as he was just one of many Packers who struggled down the final stretch of the season.
Yet he still had the respect of his opponents, including Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, as he told ESPN.com's David Newton: "I don't want to say it in the fashion of see ball, hit ball, because he does so many things for them. He can line up and rush the passer and play almost like a defensive end. Then you pop him inside and now you see him as the heat-seeking missile. He is going to the ball."
A glaring program in Matthews' game, though, has been his inability to stay healthy. Last year was just the third time in his career that he was able to play in every game.
Datone Jones could see an increase in playing time with Matthews on the shelf. The fourth-year linebacker recorded three sacks while in a reserve role in 15 games last season.
Stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com
No comments