Jake Matthews’ father is in the Hall of Fame, but he’s got one thing on Bruce Matthews and the entire Matthews clan: he was drafted higher than all of them.
Bruce, before his 14 Pro Bowls, was the ninth selection overall in the 1983 draft. Jake Matthews’ uncle Clay Sr. was the 12th overall pick in the 1978 draft and his cousin, Clay Matthews III was the 26th overall pick in 2009.
Matthews said he’ll take those bragging rights, but he’d rather just have a career like his dad.
“My entire career, I’ve tried to copy my dad,” he said. “He’s been a role model of mine since I was a kid. I always wanted to be like him. He was someone who went in every day. He didn’t say much, but he worked hard and got things done. That’s kind of the same attitude I’ve had my entire career.”
Like any successful son of a successful father, he will let his father hear about his draft position, but that’s about the extent of it.
“The one thing I can rub in my dad’s face is that I got drafted higher than him, but he’s a great player,” he said. “I’ve still got a long way to go to catch up to where he is.”