Fansided

30 biggest Hall of Fame snubs in NFL history

By Jarrett Bailey

Ken Anderson, Cincinnati Bengals. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Ken Anderson, Cincinnati Bengals. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 27: Junior Miller #80 of the Atlanta Falcons fights off the hit of Clay Matthews #57 of the Cleveland Browns during an NFL football game September 27, 1981 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Miller played for the Falcons from 1980-83. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 27: Junior Miller #80 of the Atlanta Falcons fights off the hit of Clay Matthews #57 of the Cleveland Browns during an NFL football game September 27, 1981 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Miller played for the Falcons from 1980-83. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

20. Clay Matthews

Clay Matthews is one of the greatest, and most beloved, Cleveland Browns of all time. He is also one of the most underrated players of all time, as he is not in the Hall of Fame after a long, successful career.

While Matthews was always a solid player, he took the next step into becoming a Pro Bowl-caliber player in the middle stage of his career. He was drafted No. 12 overall by the Browns in the 1978 NFL Draft out of USC, but didn’t make his first Pro Bowl until the 1985 season. The Browns had one of the best stretches in franchise history in the 1980s, and Matthews was their leader on the defensive side of the ball.

He was a Pro Bowler every year from 1977-89, giving him four appearances to round out the decade, and his career. He spent three quality seasons with the Atlanta Falcons from 1994-96 to finish off his career at the age of 40.

While Matthews was never part of a Super Bowl winning team, he was the defensive leader for multiple teams that came within moments of getting to the biggest game of the year, and carved out a long, successful career that spanned two decades.

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