Falcons Weekly Release - Bengals Home

2013 ATLANTA FALCONS VETERAN PLAYERS
CLIF MATTHEWS
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
98
HT: 6’4” WT: 268 NFL EXP: 1 ACQ: D7B ‘11 1st YEAR WITH FALCONS
BIRTHDATE: 8/5/89 COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
TRANSACTIONS
• Selected as a seventh round (230 th pick overall)
draft choice by Atlanta in 2011.
2012 (FALCONS)
• Played in 10 games in 2012 as a reserve defensive
lineman and on special teams. Notched three tackles
and three special teams tackles.
CAREER
• Was a member of the 53-man roster as a rookie in
2011, but was inactive for Weeks 1-17 and the Wild
Card playoff.
EXTRA POINTS
• In 2013, participated in Celebrity Server Night at
Mellow Mushroom in Gainesville. All of the tips received
from the evening benefitted the Edmundson
Telford Center for Children.
• Participated in the Fashion Funds the Cure hosted
by DT Corey Peters. A fashion show to benefit the
Rally Foundation, a local childhood cancer research
foundation. The players served as escorts and models
with local children who have been afflicted with
cancer.
• In 2011, participated in the Atlanta Falcons Rookie
Club sponsored by UnitedHealthcare of Georgia,
this program gives the players the opportunity to
take part in several charitable events.
COLLEGE
• Finished his Gamecocks’ career with 149 total tackles
(108 solo), 26 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, six
passes defensed and seven forced fumbles.
• As a senior in 2010, was listed on the preseason
Lott, Nagurski and Lombardi trophy watch lists,
was named a preseason first team All-SEC selection.
Posted 44 tackles (30 solo), with 8.5 tackles
for loss, 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in his final
season.
• Served as a team captain in 2009 and earned second
team All-SEC honors after recording 47 tackles
(35 solo), 10.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks.
AUDIBLES
Matthews is one of 11 players from the SEC drafted
by the Falcons since 2008. Atlanta has selected more
players from the SEC than any other conference during
that time.
• Earned the Weight Room Effort Award for the defense
and captured the Joe Morrison Award as the
top defensive player of the spring as a junior.
• Moved to defensive end after spending most of his
freshman season at outside linebacker, started all
13 games and logged 32 tackles, including 5.5 tackles
for loss and 3.0 sacks.
• Named to both the SEC Coaches and the Sporting
News Freshman All-SEC team as an outside linebacker,
also named to the honorable mention freshman
All-America squad by the Sporting News after
playing in all 13 games with nine starts as a freshman.
• Recorded 26 tackles (20 solo) with a pair of tackles
for loss and a quarterback hurry in his freshman
season.
PERSONAL
• Graduated from Cheraw (S.C.) High School in 2007,
was a two-way starter, playing both tight end and
defensive end and led his team to the state championship
as a senior.
• Was an all-region selection, earned Defensive MVP
honors at the Shrine Bowl after finishing with four
tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery.
• Earned his degree in Criminal Justice in 2011.
• Family includes father James Matthews, mother
Mary Matthews and younger brother Damian.
• Off the field interests include fishing, golf and
spending time with family and friends.
A TLANTAFALCONS.COM