Former 49ers Player Clay Matthews Sr. Dies at Age 88

Former San Francisco 49ers player Clay Matthews Sr. died Thursday at the age of 88.

According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, Matthews Sr. died in South Carolina after dealing with a long illness. The 49ers confirmed Matthews' death.

Matthews Sr. was the patriarch of a three-generation football family and appeared in 45 games for the 49ers from 1950 to 1955, per Pro Football Reference. He was an offensive and defensive lineman and recorded 11 fumble recoveries in his career.

However, he was best known for setting the stage for his sons Clay Matthews Jr. and Bruce Matthews, as well as his grandsons Clay Matthews III, Jake Matthews, Kevin Matthews and Casey Matthews. Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk noted all four of those grandsons reached the NFL.

McClain praised him for paving the way:

Matthews III is one of the faces of the Green Bay Packers defense and one of the most recognizable players in today's NFL. Matthews Jr. was a four-time Pro Bowler and formidable linebacker for the Cleveland Browns, and Bruce Matthews is a Hall of Famer.