Clay Matthews: Is He the Best Player in His Family?

Clay Matthews III, outside linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, just won a Super Bowl ring, making him the "John Fitzpatrick" of football's Kennedy family.

Clay Matthews Jr., the father of the Packers superstar, played 18 years in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns and the Atlanta Falcons, while Matthews Jr.'s brother, Matthews III's uncle Bruce Matthews, played 18 years for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans.

To make the football gene pool deeper, Matthews III's younger brother Casey Matthews is a linebacker for the Oregon Ducks, and their cousins Kevin Matthews and Jake Matthews, the sons of Bruce Matthews, play center for the Tennessee Titans and lineman for Texas A&M respectively.

The patriarch, Clay Matthews Sr., born in 1928, played five years for the San Francisco 49ers.

It's like reading the New Testament.

But Clay Matthews won the family's first, and so far only, Super Bowl, putting him in the proverbial White House.

Which begs the question: Is Clay Matthews III the best player in the family?

Clay Matthews Jr., a former linebacker, played 278 games over his 18-year career. The oldest player to ever record a sack, Matthews Jr. totaled 69 through his career—that is almost four a season. Matthews Jr. was selected to four Pro Bowl teams.

Bruce Matthews, a former offensive lineman, is the most decorated player in the family. Bruce was elected to 14 Pro Bowls, received nine first team All-Pro selections and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. Bruce also holds the record for most games played by an offensive lineman.

Their father, Clay Matthews Sr., played four seasons as a lineman for the San Francisco 49ers before leaving football to serve in the Korean War.

The third generation Matthews boys are following in their elders' footsteps.

Kevin Matthews, son of Bruce, has had a rough career, but he is a pro nonetheless. The former Texas A&M Aggie has recently been given a spot on the Titans' active roster again after being waived in September and used for the practice squad. Who knows where he'll be next year?

Kevin's younger brother, Jake Matthews, is a 19-year-old freshman at Texas A&M. He was named a high school All-American by USA Today, among other publications.

Casey Matthews, the younger brother of Clay Matthews III of the Packers, just lost to Auburn in the 2011 BCS National Championship Game. He just graduated from Oregon.

Then there is Clay.

Matthews III was named NFC Defensive Player of the Year while being named to his second Pro Bowl team and becoming the only Matthews with a big shiny ring on his finger.

Matthews III is only 24 years old and seems to be at the start of a great career.

Prediction: Matthews III will surpass the greatness of his father but fall short of topping his uncle.

But no matter how it pans out, Clay Matthews III has the ring, and that gives him bragging rights at the Thanksgiving table.