In 2009, Clay Matthews was not in New York City to hear his name called Live in the NFL Draft.

Instead, like many others before and after him, he spent time at home with family and friends, who everyone waited to hear the phone call in front of them to see where he would be on his way.

Matthews ended up going to the Green Bay Packers, and Thursday night will be a full circle moment as he spends time in Lowe’s Green Room with 2025 NFL drafts of potential first round elections, all of which will wait patiently and eagerly to see where their NFL journey begins.

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All of these prospects will be able to tell their draft day history when it is all said and done, including those who will be at home or elsewhere surrounded by family and friends.

“It’s mildly nervous,” Matthews told Pakinomist Digital about his draft day experience. “Unless you are the guy who needs # 1 or top-to or three, you know your financial security and where you want to be.

“For me, after I had gone 26. not knowing where to go, I thought I would end up in Denver at one point, maybe Houston, and then New England was on the clock. Green Bay, who had already drafted that year of the ninth election to BJ Raji, I did not expect to end in Green Bay. They acted back and picked me.”

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Matthews and his family were in ecstasy to see him on his way to Green Bay, but he revealed something funny that emerged the moment to remember.

His mother thought New England Patriots was throwing her son.

As Matthews mentioned, the patriots were a team that he thought needed some Kanth help and they owned No. 26 choices. But Green Bay traded with Bill Belichick-Tom Brady-led Patriots and they went with another defensive player in the first round.

“Green Bay called and acted up in the draft so everyone knows I’m going to Green Bay – it’s blinking up the screen,” Matthews said. “But my mother, she missed it somehow and thought I was going to New England.

Packers outside Linebacker Clay Matthews leaves the field after the Detroit Lions game, December 30, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. (Mark Hoffman/USA Today Network)

“So for about an hour afterwards – now, remember you, this is Prime New England, Super Bowl, Tom Brady – she was fired up. About an hour later when she found out I was going to Green Bay, was she like ‘what?! We’re not going to New England?!’ However, I did not get everyone worked up. [there]”

Matthews had a huge success during his decade long tenure in Green Bay, earned six Pro Bowl nikes and became the defensive player of the year in 2010 after setting up 13.5 sacks, 60 combined tackles, two forced fumbles, an eavesdropping and 18 tackles for loss.

It was the year, Matthews’ second season when Packers continued to win the Super Bowl XLV and beat Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25.

Now retired, and a member of Packers Hall of Fame, Matthews remains a staple in Green Bay, including this week, where all stops are pulled out to the latest NFL Draft class.

Clay Matthews detailed a fun NFL draft of night history in which his mother thought he was taken by the patriots – not Packers. (IMagn)

Together with the NFL Redzone host Scott Hanson, Matthews is touring the Lowe’s Green Room, which was configured to look like a luxury cigar lounge, and interact with the top views and wait for Commissioner Roger Goodell to call their names.

“It’s great to be here right now,” Matthews said of the green space. “Like someone who was drafted in the first round, but did not attend the festivities that come with being in New York at the time, what Lowe’s has been able to achieve and do in here are really remarkable.

“Having drafted in Green Bay, it only makes sense. I was just out on stage and admired what it will be on these young men tomorrow night. Hopefully all the hard work that has gone on that the city has put on.”