When I think of former linebacker Clay Matthews’ long career with the Browns, three plays come to mind.

In fact, these plays, all of which have similar themes, are the first thing I thought of when the announcement was made that, as a seniors candidate for the first time, he is a semifinalist for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The first play occurred late in the 1987 season, on Dec. 13, against the Cincinnati Bengals in the regular-season home finale. The Bengals and quarterback Boomer Esiason had piece-mealed the ball down the field, toward the Dawg Pound end of Cleveland Stadium, on sideline passes to the tight end, almost exclusively to the right side. Again and again, they had gone to that play.

As the Bengals neared the goal line, Matthews finally had had enough and stepped in front of a pass, grabbing it and then running the other way along the Cleveland bench. As he started to tire, he looked for someone to lateral the ball to, but could find only veteran defensive tackle “Big Daddy” Carl Hairston lumbering along a few yards behind him. So, he continued on. Each time he searched thereafter, Big Daddy remained the only option, and so finally, after running 36 yards and with his tank completely on empty, Matthews had no choice but to flip the ball to him.

“Then I put it on all my moves,” Big Daddy would say with a laugh later.

And indeed, he did. He rumbled 40 yards before being brought down from behind.

It was the most memorable play of the game and, as it turned out, the season. And it was certainly among the funniest plays in any season in Browns history. The combined 76-yard return late in the game set up the Browns to score the clinching touchdown in a 38-24 win that halted a two-game losing streak and got the team righted down the stretch on the way to clinching its third straight AFC Central crown.

The other two memorable plays by Clay Matthews will come in my next post.

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