FLOWER BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews left the Monday Night Football game against the team Buffalo Bills at 6 weeks with a high ankle sprain. In most cases, this type of injury will keep an NFL player out of action for several weeks.
Not Matthews.
The 12-year veteran went back to doing what he always does when something like this happens. He takes it day by day, sets a goal for the next 24 hours and tries to gradually prepare for the game as the week goes by.
“I try not to worry and think, 'Am I going to play this game?' Matthews told ESPN. “Let's see how Wednesday feels.”
Indeed, Matthews returned to the starting lineup for the Falcons' Week 7 game against the Falcons. San Francisco 49ers. That's exactly what it does. Whether it was through injuries or even the birth of his first child, Matthews has established himself as “Mr. Reliable” in the NFL.
“We know who he is,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “We know what he doesn’t miss.”
Matthews started his 193rd consecutive game last week, making him the fifth-longest streak among offensive linemen since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger. When he comes out on Monday night against Los Angeles RamsMatthews will tie up his ex Cleveland Browns' Linesman Doug Dicken ranks fourth on the list.
Matthews, 33, also has the longest streak of consecutive active games in the NFL. Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard III that's second with 162. No NFL player has started as many consecutive games as Matthews since the days of quarterback. Philip Riverswho was on a 240-game streak at the time of his retirement in 2020 before returning to the tournament Indianapolis Colts last week.
What makes Matthews' streak unique is that the offensive lineman with the longest such streak since the merger is Matthews' father Bruce, a Hall of Famer who played 19 seasons in the league. Bruce started 229 consecutive games from 1987 to 2021.
Matthews' grandfather Clay Sr. played in the NFL, as did his father, uncle (Clay Jr.), cousin (Clay III) and brother (Kevin).
“Anytime you can play that long, stay that healthy, be that reliable, recover that quickly, recover that well, it's extremely unique,” Falcons defensive end. Kirk Cousins said. “I think at some point genetics has to play a factor. Not only his father, but also his uncle, his cousins. It's incredible and I'd like to do a genetic test on their family and then match it with my own and see where the gaps are.”
The only game Matthews missed was the second of his career in 2014. Matthews suffered a leg injury and at the team's family dinner after the game, Bruce told him that he had better put on Normatec boots to recover because “you'll have to play next Sunday.”
“And he shared this story with me, which was cool,” Falcons Pro Bowl right guard. Chris Lindstrom said. “It’s just an attitude of, ‘Yeah, it’s time for you to go.’” So I think his mindset and his intelligence are as strong as anything else.”
Jake Matthews said there's a genetic element to it, but there's also preparation, work ethic, nutrition, his faith and his iron will.
Bruce joked that in his era, game preparation consisted of “a bag of ice, how do you feel on Sunday morning?” Now he sees the work his son does to get ready each week, including steam baths, cold baths and infrared saunas.
“Obviously he starts in the offseason with his workouts, but he has a whole routine that he does every night, and I'm like, 'Yeah, I don't want to miss any games, but I don't know if I'm that dedicated,'” Bruce told ESPN.
Jake Matthews' winning streak almost ended three years ago, and it wasn't due to injury.
Matthews and his wife Maggie were expecting their first child, a son named Beckett Thomas, in 2022. Maggie ended up going into labor in the early morning hours of the night's Falcons vs. Falcons game. Carolina Panthers — in Charlotte.
A Falcons security officer eventually drove Matthews back to the Atlanta area, speeding down I-85 in a rental car. Matthews arrived at the hospital in time to help with the birth. He managed to hold Beckett for 15 minutes before being taken to owner Arthur Blank's private jet to return to Charlotte for the game. Matthews arrived about 30 minutes before warm-up.
“My wife is a real gem,” Matthews said. “She went all in. She is also a participant.
“She knew the deadline for me to leave was 3:30. She kept looking at her watch. You want to talk about streaks and tough decisions and all that stuff. “Hey, let's see what happens.” And luckily she succeeded, and I think this series is more important to her than it is to me.”
Matthews said Maggie will ask him from time to time how long he thinks he will play. His contract with the Falcons runs until 2028. He usually answers: “We’ll see how this week of training goes.”
And it's not that Matthews is just tough. Since becoming a Pro Bowler in 2018, he has remained a consistently good left tackle throughout his career. This season he is 14th in the NFL among tackles in pass-block winning percentage (93%).
Matthews said he feels healthy, and while he may be closer to the end of his career than the beginning, he believes his knowledge and feel for the game continues to improve.
Therefore, any talk about retirement may be premature. Matthews still has a few more games to start. If he starts the final two games of this season, Matthews will be 35 games shy of his father's record. In other words, just over two years if the NFL maintains its 17-game regular season.
However, Matthews doesn't think about it. If he had been inclined towards such things, he might not have found himself in the situation he is in now.
“I'm overwhelmed as I start to look and plan for the future,” Matthews said. “So I’ll take it day by day.”
Will he ride it until the wheels fall off?
“I'd love to,” Matthews said. “As long as the body can withstand it. And like I said, I feel great. So, God willing, this will continue.”
