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Clay Matthews Sr. dies at 88

Douglas C. Pizac / US PRESSWIRE

Clay Matthews Sr., head of one of the NFL's most famous football families, died Thursday night at age 88, the San Francisco 49ers announced.

The Matthews family patriarch was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1949, but played with the San Francisco 49ers in 1950, spent two years serving in the Korean War with the U.S. Army, and returned to the Niners for three more seasons.

His sons, Bruce and Clay Jr., enjoyed successful 19-year careers. Bruce, a Hall of Famer, played all 19 seasons with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans organization. Clay Jr., a semifinalist for the Hall of Fame, spent all but three years with the Cleveland Browns before finishing his career with the Atlanta Falcons.

The brothers produced five more NFLers: Kevin, Clay III, Casey, Jake, and Mike.

The Matthewses represent the NFL's third three-generation family.

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