Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews was making the media rounds at the Super Bowl on Saturday and finally offered up some excuses for not being on the field at the end of regulation during the NFC Championship game.
Matthews was on the sideline for the Seahawks’ final two drives — both touchdowns — before overtime.
It’s not clear whether Matthews voluntarily offered these excuses or someone finally asked him the question they should have asked him two weeks ago. In either instance, we’ll note that Tom Silverstein is the guy who jotted down Matthews’ excuses.
Way to do your job, Tom!
Here’s what Matthews had to say.
“People said I was exhausted or didn’t want to be out there,” Matthews said. “I’ll let the fans or Seattle fans say what they want. It was a medley of things catching up with me.
“I had just taken a big hit of a tight end coming across the middle, my ribs were hurting pretty good from that late hit on the sack as well as my knee too was acting up. I needed a minute to get my bearings straight. By the time we were out there for that last drive to kick a field goal and tie it I felt ready to go back out there.”
You got that?
Ribs and knee, everyone.
One of the hits Matthews is referring to was was a late hit by Seahawks’ lineman J.R. Sweezy, who nailed Matthews in the back after he sacked Russell Wilson. After the game, Packers coach Mike McCarthy also briefly noted that the training staff was looking at Matthews’ knee.
However, no one other than Matthews has mentioned anything about an injury. And this is also the first time Matthews has mentioned anything about being hurt.
Last week, during his season-ending press conference, McCarthy said Matthews told him “he needed a minute.” In other words, he took himself out of the game. Or, another way to look at it is, he quit on the Packers.
And that’s still the way we’re choosing to look at it.
We’re doing that for two reasons.
First, the minute that Matthews needed was actually around 20 minutes and possibly as much as 30 in real time. We counted. Then he was miraculously just fine and could go back into the game with no ill effects? Oh, and he was healthy enough to play in the Pro Bowl a week later? That doesn’t say “injured” to us, especially when no one else — not the head coach or the team doctor — has suggested Matthews was injured.
Second, we watched two of the other team’s defensive leaders — Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas — play the game with a sprained elbow and dislocated shoulder, respectively. Say what you want about being hurt, Clay, but this is the NFC Championship game and we expect more from our team leaders. Especially when we can see that leadership on the other team.
And maybe that’s why you’re not a team leader. Maybe that’s why you weren’t elected a defensive captain. Moments like this right here.
Because we all know who quits in the NFC Championship game. Jay Culter and now you, Clay Matthews.
The game is over. Time to move on.
To suggest Matthews quit on his team is just wrong. There was some thought he had his bell rung and maybe isn’t bringing that up. While I agree if he was to injured to be in the game and subject Packers fans to watch number 50 out there doing absolutely NOTHING, then the Pro Bowl should have been sat out too.
Can you guys stop crying about it ? When someone says, ” They need a minute “. It’s doesn’t mean, they need 1 min, is this person writing this article the same guy who wrote back in week 4, about Rodgers no longer has his throwing accuracy and power along with his scramble ability ?
Sadly, I have to agree with you. I’m still baffled, pissed, and confused about that game. I’ve always said Cutler lacked fortitude. But I never thought I would think the same thing and Blast Matthews. Everything that I believe the Packers stand for Clay Matthews spit on.
CM3 did not quit on the packers. That shit makes no sense. Why would a dude quit on his team, when they are winning the game at that point ? Comparing that to cutler is stupid. When cutler went ot the game, he was horrible and couldn’t even move the chains. CM quit on the team ? But didn’t quit for the first 3 1/2 Q ?
Easy now. The evidence he quit is there. Crickets for two weeks and now this lame-ass attempt at spin with some tap-dancing to boot. Compare Clay’s actions with Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas. Notice how they didn’t ‘need a minute’? Motherrfucker with a gun couldn’t have kept their asses off the field.
Matthews needs to go get his ass some testosterone treatments this offseason.
I’m calling bullshit on this article. There’s a difference between a quarterback playing and a linebacker playing. Don’t compare Matthews to Jay Cutler. Cutler could have stayed in the game with a limp leg just like Philip Rivers once played on a torn ACL. They’re not running around using every ounce of strength to physically man handle another 300+ player. They’re mostly just standing there observing the field for an open player with an occasional scramble. Stop playing doctor and pretending like you know the full extent of his injuries and concluding that he could have played through them. Some players even tear their ACL’s and don’t know about it until some plays later, it’s entirely possible that Matthews felt there could have been something very wrong with him and didn’t want to make his injuries even worse.
I guess the only way to have made you happy is if he’s playing until he punctures a lung, collapses and suddenly starts coughing up blood?
And further more, cut the “he’s not a leader” bull-crap. My response to that is “SO FREAKING WHAT!?”
I’m calling bullshit on the Packer players and coaches, for giving up, and thinking they were gonna just coast into the Super Bowl, Clay included. Anything other than that is just whining…Stop fucking whining.
finally! the unbelievable luck of the metrosexuals runs out! can you say: BAIL MARY! lololololololololol!
thanksfully the troll SHEHAWKSBONEWHO? won’t be back to pollute TP site w/BS about “DYNASTY” lol.
i just hope we can celebrate with our boston fans by buying those new for sale #12 jerseys w/name E-X-L-A-X-! [sold by both NE and GB outlets? hahaha! ] that’s what GB got for four years of paying these california playboys $100/yr. for four “EXLAX” postseason toilet dumps. while we’re at it, let’s trade one or both of these surfer/choker DUDES for a real wisconsin STUD: JJ Watt. then if we get a real coach like Jeff Fisher, he will know what to do with a team with that calibre talent, believe me! [can i buy a #52 E-X-L-A-X jersey from FATHEAD.com? or is that .co out of business now?].
also, thx. to BB for showing the current coaching cretins in GB how you run a 2 min. drill, at least as they did it in the 4th Qtr.
Here’s how it really happened. Packers had the game in hand and he was a little dinged up, so why push it? Sit it out and save yourself for the Super Bowl. Holy shit it’s overtime? It’s do or die now I better get back on the field. We lost, well at least I played 3 1/2 quarters of solid football that’s better than most guys can say right?? Off to Honolulu or wherever the fuck.
Belichick stated: ” “They play from the opening kickoff to the final whistle, to the final gun. They play from the snap of the ball ’til the whistle blows at the end of the play.”
Guess what team he wasn’t talking about.
yah sure…Belichick without Brady is shit…McCarthy without Rodgers is shit…who made who, the whole world says McCarthy is piss poor game planer and those three straight runs into a stacked line proves it….too bad we don’t have a Jerry Jones who would say, you want to be coach good, you don’t call plays and you don’t call the defense….thats the ginger boy does, stands there and claps….and people wanted him to be coach of the year?? hahaha…we will see if McCarthy learned ANYThing from the historic shameful defeat…i bet not.
Quitting probably isn’t the word to use. This was just a team of arrogant morons thinking seattle had given up. Of course they can’t admit that now because that would pile on even more embarrassment, if that is possible.
I highly doubt the Packers thought Seattle had given up, i doubt anyone watching the game thought Seattle had given up. I think it’s fairly obvious which of those two teams gave up.
they didnt give up, they got coached out of a win…thanks McCathy for such a devastating loss…i aint getting any younger, this was our big chance at a SuperBowl…think how fun this past week would of been, now i don’t give a shit about anything but the puppy bowl and commercials…
But then again, maybe this topic is being beat to death….I mean, the Packers really fucked up, and we as fans have to live with it instead of watching the Packers play today. Sometimes i think the fans take losing harder than the players and coaches.
Monty, do some real investigative reporting and find out if Jermicheal Finley successfully collected on his insurance policy. That i’m curious about.
Only “Sometimes”?
These dudes get paid millions to play for a team they probably didn’t care about growing up, hell some (e.g. Curtis Martin) don’t even like the game. They are also in control of their own destinities, so to speak, and can redeem themselves; we fans are and can not. Of course we care more.
At least Clay is talking about it.
Maybe the Packers’ “next man up” philosophy has something to do with it? Unfortunately, there is a big drop off to the next man.
Ready to move on… Glad football will be over with after today.
It’s over and done with. I don’t think he quit, but I still think the general failure of the last five minutes falls directly on the coaching staff for not having their team in the zone when it mattered most.
Time to move on and start looking towards the draft.
watch the film…i think he got a concussion or close to it…the collision was huge….you don’t like CM3 good for you, maybe they can shitcan him and keep Brad Jones…me, I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt, he plays non stop all the time, something was going on, I’m satisfied with the explanation, perhaps you should drop a few f-bombs and other vulgarities and move on….
Just what I was waiting for, Clay to speak. Now that he has it is clear that the organization and players including Clay will never be completely honest about what happened. In some ways that is good. A quality team just does not air their laundry for all to see. Good teams deal with these type of issues internally, without the media being involved. I just hope the team can be honest with each other within the locker room to avoid similar failures.
To me there is no question Clay may have been dinged on the collision with the tight end, in addition Clay may have had his knee lock up slightly about six plays after the tightend collision when Lynch ran for a first down. He definitely had his ribs or back stung by the late hit. The dings must have not been serious or else Clay would not have gone to the pro bowl, Right? So why sit out the last two series of the fourth quarter? Nacho probably has it correct.
I do believe all of Clays other teammates were playing those last two series and they may have had their own dings. So why does Clay get to sit? Team sports such as football and hockey have some interesting dynamics. Players sweat through two a day practices together, bang heads and pads with each other, probably throw punches at each other, throw up side by side, drop blood on the same field, and rehab in the same room. During all this process over a season(s) a bond is formed. The reason you play the game with dings or worse is not because you want to gain the respect of your teammates, it is because you do not want to disappoint your teammates mainly because of the respect you have gained for your teammates. Maybe quit is to harsh, however does Clay respect his teammates enough to be with them on the field when dinged?
Typical Packer homers: “Clay can do NO wrong!”
If you saw a video of Rodgers fucking a sheep you’d claim it was an alien morphed into a replica of Rodgers and besides its not really a sheep but Katy Perry in a costume…
Clay fucking thought the game was over and gave up on his team. Sucks. Hate it. Pisses me off. But its reality, deal with it.
The guy is a ‘me first’ guy. His fellow players know it, his coaches know it, hell everyone except green and gold colored glasses Packer fans know it.
Fine. As long as he performs next year and helps us win a Super Bowl. I dont need to like the guy; and likely never will again. However, I do want the best players available to us so we can get another Lombardi.
Me first guy? We don’t know what was wrong with him & it sounds like his head was spinning. But a me first guy doesn’t move to a new position in the middle of the season to help the team. Sack totals obviously go down for him and most likely will result in less of a pay raise. Give me a break- that loss came down to coaching- nothing less.
Why all the hate ?
GB as a team and coaching staff snatched defeat from the jaws of victory…
All the burden of that should and cannot rest on the shoulders of #52….
‘Nuff said !!!!!
Time to move on….
I am comforted by the fact that It really sux to be a Cheathawks fan…..
i’ll bet Chad Clifton’s good friend Warren Crapp, er, Sapp is thinking a whole lot more lame excuses than that, at least for the moment before his arraignment, viz.
http://www.tmz.com/2015/02/02/warren-sapp-arrested-arizona-super-bowl-soliciting-a-prostitute/