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Last Updated: 20/03/19 8:20am
Linebacker Clay Matthews is joining the Los Angeles Rams as a free agent after 10 seasons in Green Bay.
The six-time Pro Bowl selection and Packers franchise leader in career sacks made the news public with a new profile picture on his Twitter profile. He is wearing the No 52 in Rams colours.
The Rams then tweeted that they have indeed agreed on a two-year deal with Matthews.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported the deal is worth a maximum of $16.75m (£12.65m) – less than other offers for Matthews, per Garafolo, but family considerations and a shot at a championship outweighed the increased money from other clubs.
A Southern California native born in Northridge, Matthews starred in college at USC before the Packers selected him with the 26th overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft. He quickly made a name for himself with both his level of play and his famed sack celebrations.
Matthews had 10 sacks as a rookie, making the 2009 All-Rookie Team. He had a career-high 13.5 the following year, a season which ended with the Packers defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.
In all, Matthews has 83.5 sacks in his career, though his production has slowed in recent seasons. He has not had double-digit sacks since registering 11 in 2014, the fifth of his six Pro Bowl seasons.
The Rams, the NFC champions last season, are not short of pass rushers. Reigning two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald led the NFL with 20.5 sacks last season. The team also re-signed edge rusher Dante Fowler to a one-year contract earlier this month. The team acquired him in a trade-deadline deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season.
