Factory Of Sadness
FanSided

4 Cleveland athletes who deserve their jerseys retired

By Chad Porto

OAKLAND - 1998: Jim Thome #25 of the Cleveland Indians bats during an MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at he Oakland-Alameda County Colosseum. Thome played for the Indians from 1991-2002. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
OAKLAND - 1998: Jim Thome #25 of the Cleveland Indians bats during an MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at he Oakland-Alameda County Colosseum. Thome played for the Indians from 1991-2002. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA: Clay Matthews of the Cleveland Browns circa 1986 against the Los Angeles Raiders at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.. (Photo by Owen C, Shaw/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA: Clay Matthews of the Cleveland Browns circa 1986 against the Los Angeles Raiders at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.. (Photo by Owen C, Shaw/Getty Images) /

#57 – Clay Matthews

Clay Matthews played linebacker for the Cleveland Browns in the ’70s, ’80s, and early ’90s. His brother Bruce was an iconic center for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans during the same span and then some. The two men were legends and spawned children who’d go on to pave their own way in the NFL winning awards, earning Pro Bowl selections and becoming the types of guys that teams fought to draft.

Clay Matthews, however, was ours. He was a Cleveland Brown through and through. He was arguably not just the best defensive player during the height of the ’80s Browns squads, but maybe the best player period on those teams.

The former first-round pick played in parts of three different decades for the Browns. During that time Matthews became the all-time leader in total tackles for the organization with 1,430 a near unattainable record. Since 1999, only one player, D’Qwell Jackson (3rd all-time), has even come close to his record and he only amassed 826.

(*For context, before 1994 all tackles were considered as one stat. In 1994 total, solo, and combined tackles became different stats. For the sake of the conversation, we’re only counting total tackles.)

Matthews is also the club’s all-time leader in stats with 68.5 but that number is low because he played five seasons without ‘sacks’ being a recorded stat. He easily could have another 30 or 40 sacks for all we know but since the NFL won’t ever recognize pre-1982 tackles on quarterbacks behind the line of scrimmage as sacs, Matthews is stuck with only 68.5.

It’s a number that’ll soon fall, assuming current Browns player Myles Garrett can stay on the field and be productive. Garrett sits at seventh all time, with 30.5 career sacks through only three seasons.

Matthews was inducted into the Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor just last year, which seems a bit delayed for the impact of his legacy but yet, here we are. It’s time they honor him fully and retire his No. 57.

It’s time to honor arguably the greatest Brownie of all time.

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