Clay Matthews says he had hoped to finish his career with the Green Bay Packers

Clay Matthews thought he'd play his entire career with the Packers. He thought there was a chance he would finish his career in his hometown of Los Angeles after he left the Rams.

Matthews says he is at peace with his entire career.

The Packers told Matthews that he would be in their plans even though his production had waned. He knew it was over when they signed Za'Darius Smith andPreston Smith. He said he got a call from Gutekunst telling him that the Packers were moving on.

Matthews said he would have liked to finish his career there. I thought we would continue moving forward based on my discussions after the season. I was surprised by the way in which it did. It is what it is, that's all. I had a great time in L.A., and it was great to return to my hometown and play with my friends.

After one season with the Rams, he decided to keep playing football. In 13 games with the Rams, he had 8.0 sacks, bouncing back from 3.5 sacks in his last season with the Packers. He thought there was a chance to return to Green Bay because his position coach with the Rams, Joe Barry, had just been hired by the Packers.

Matthews said that the man had reached out to him. If he had me, he could use me within the scheme. There might have been powers above that did not want that to happen. There was a fleeting hope that it would happen. It's all good despite that not happening. I'm at peace with my career, that's for sure.

Matthews, a Packers first-round pick in 2009, and a key member of their 2010 Super Bowl team, said it's not a coincidence that he's wearing a Packers jersey in a Tide ad in which he tries to convince people not to wash their jerseys.

Matthews said that everyone knows him from his time in Green Bay. I played with the Packers for 10 years and the Rams for a single year.