The NFL announced its All-Decade Team for the 2010’s yesterday. Aaron Rodgers was named to the team, as well as former Packers Julius Peppers and Jahri Evans. However, several players who may have been deserving were left off, including former Packers linebacker Clay Matthews.
Better Numbers than All-Decade Members
Clay Matthew played for the Packers throughout most of the decade and is the team record holder for career sacks with 83.5 sacks. The eight sacks he record last season brought his career total to 91.5 sacks. His 81.5 sacks in the decade are more than Bobby Wagner, Patrick Willis, Khalil Mack, and Luke Kuechly. All of these players were named to the All-Decade team as linebackers. His 81.5 sacks during the decade is also more than the decade total of Julius Peppers, and equal to Calais Campbell’s total. Peppers and Campbell made the All-Decade Team as defensive ends.
Decade Accolades
In addition to his sack numbers, Matthews also has a Super Bowl ring to his credit in the decade, as well as six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro Teams. Two of those Pro Bowls and one of his All-Pros came as a middle linebacker. To put that in a better perspective, Matthews only played middle linebacker for two seasons before moving back to outside linebacker.
During the 2010’s, Matthews also recorded 11 sacks in 15 playoff games, another Packers’ record. He came two votes shy of winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 when he won NFC Defensive Player of the Year.
While there are cases to be made for many players who were left of off this team, it’s hard to deny that Matthews has one of the strongest ones. Matthew’s himself took to Twitter to make his case:
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