CLEVELAND — The ever elusive dream is still alive for Clay Matthews Jr.

The legendary former Browns linebacker advanced Thursday to the next stage of voting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 2026, being selected as one of 34 senior nominees. The Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee will eventually whittle those names down to nine semifinalists before three finalists are selected for the final phase of voting early next year.

Matthews, the 12th overall pick in the 1978 NFL Draft, played 16 seasons in Cleveland and 19 overall. A four-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro selection in 1984, he became a cornerstone of a Browns defense that reached the playoffs seven times during the 1980s, including three AFC Championship Games. He was enshrined in the team's Ring of Honor in 2019.

See Full Page