Split loyalties: Clay Matthews reflects on Aaron Rodgers facing the Green Bay Packers

MILWAUKEE — Former Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews understands the conflicted feelings Packers fans are experiencing as Sunday Night Football heads to Pittsburgh. The team that gave them more than a decade of memories faces off against the quarterback who made those moments possible.

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"It'll be interesting," Matthews smiled. "I'm pulling for Aaron. I'm pulling for the Packers next week on Sunday Night Football, but I really hope he does his thing."

Matthews spent 10 seasons alongside Rodgers in Green Bay, creating a bond that transcends team loyalties. The former linebacker finds himself torn between supporting his former team and the quarterback who defined an era of Packers football.

"I love Aaron," he stated. "I've got the utmost respect for him and our relationship, having played 10 years together, and without him on any of those Packers teams, in which I was a part of — our success was predicated based on what he was able to do with and obviously all the ancillary pieces that were a part of the team."

That success reached its pinnacle against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, a memory that grows more meaningful with time.

Watch here: Clay Matthew reflects on his relationship with Rodgers ahead of matchup with Packers.

"To match up against them in Super Bowl 45, XLV, down there in Dallas was memorable, and the further I get removed from that, the more kind of emotional, the more it brings back memories," Matthews said.

Matthews made a crucial fourth-quarter play in that championship game, forcing a fumble that shifted momentum back to Green Bay.

"Forcing that fumble in the fourth quarter was amazing," Matthews recalled. "Just gave all the momentum back to us, went down there, scored, and the rest was history. This was at a time when I was only in my second year. I just assumed we would be playing in multiple Super Bowls; obviously, that didn't happen, but it was just a special run we had."

More than a decade later, the Packers continue pursuing that championship feeling. Matthews believes the team's recent addition of pass rusher Micah Parsons shows their commitment to getting over the hump.

"I thought it was a perfect fit," he shared. "A lot of times, some of these teams make splash moves in free agency, and while the team becomes better, is it done for the right reasons? But I felt like — more than bringing Micah a part of the team and bringing his talent to a pass rush group that could use a little help — but I think it shows that they're all in this year, that they're so close to getting over the hump."

While Green Bay aims for another Lombardi Trophy, Sunday's spotlight will shine on their former quarterback leading a different team.

"At the end of the day, when all the dust has settled, Aaron will forever be known as that Packers quarterback," Matthews smiled. "So yeah, it might look a little different now, but he's still the same Aaron throwing the ball the exact same way he was in Green Bay."

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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