'How is Clay Matthews not in?' Ode to Browns iron man as Hall of Fame gets set for 2023 class

CANTON − Clay Matthews jumps to mind every year when the Pro Football Hall of Fame tees up a new class.

That is no less true in 2023, even though − or specially since − Matthews' chance to make it as a "modern-day player" has expired.

The former Browns linebacker (1978-93) isn't even a finalist in the old-timers category − the three "senior" nominees are Ken Riley, Joe Klecko and Chuck Howley. Matthews must keep waiting at least until next year.

Count me among those who watched Matthews' entire career and judged him to have passed the eyeball test as a Hall of Famer. By all means, don't take it from me.

Hall of Fame coach Bill Cowher views Matthews as an obvious Hall of Famer. That viewpoint is supported by Hall of Fame guard Joe DeLamielleure, and plenty of others.

During a recent conversation, DeLamielleure told us Browns left tackle Joe Thomas should be part of the Class of 2023. He changed the subject to Matthews.

"How is Clay Matthews not in?" DeLamielleure said. "I don't get it? I played with him and I played against him. He's the best outside linebacker I ever played against. Period."

Matthews fell short in the highly subjective business of going to numerous Pro Bowls. All-star exercises aside, there is a reason his career went 19 years long.

He played more games, 278, than any linebacker in NFL history. In addition to the belief Matthews was a great player, his durability should count as a Hall of Fame trait. Let's compare Matthews' "278" to the game count for the 15 modern-era men who are up for election.

The Class of 2023 will be announced Thursday night on the NFL Honors show.

Pro Football Hall of Fame 2023:Eight men in, plus a coach: Predicting the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2023

Here are the modern-era finalists, in order of regular-season games played, with a brief note on each man.

241 games, Cornerback Ronde Barber

He played all 16 games in all but one of his 16 seasons with Tampa Bay. I still picture him at age 35, returning an interception 64 yards in the Browns' 2010 opener. It's a long story, but that pick was the end of QB Jake Delhomme's relevance in Cleveland.

225 games, Cornerback Albert Lewis

He was a reason Kansas City became a winner after fired Browns coach Marty Schottenheimer took over the Chiefs in 1989. His last home game for the Chiefs was a playoff win over Pittsburgh in 1993. After that, he started for the Raiders from 1994-98.

218 games, Edge rusher Dwight Freeney

He made 107.5 of his 125.5 career sacks in his 11 seasons with the Colts, then bounced among five teams the next five years. He ranks a modest No. 26 in career sacks.

211 games, Receiver Reggie Wayne

He was a Colt for all 14 of his NFL seasons, catching passes from Peyton Manning for the first 10. His 1,355 yards with rookie Andrew Luck at QB in his 12th year put him over the top as an obvious eventual Hall of Famer.

195 games, Offensive tackle Willie Anderson

It wasn't his fault the Bengals were the NFL's worst team in the 1990s. He made his first Pro Bowl in his eighth season, 2003, after the team improved. Like Joe Thomas, he was very good when the team was very bad.

193 games, Receiver Andre Johnson

The Texans were a second-year expansion team when they drafted him third overall. He was a dream pick in that he led the NFL in receiving yards in his sixth and seventh years. He made due with quarterbacks David Carr, Matt Schaub and Sage Rosenfels.

187 games, Defensive end Jared Allen

He was a small-potatoes prospect out of Idaho State before recording 73 sacks in his first six pro seasons. That's similar to Myles Garrett's 74.5 sacks in his six years to date in Cleveland. The trick is to keep 'em coming. Allen tacked on 55.5 sacks in his next four campaigns.

184 games, Linebacker Zach Thomas

The 5-foot-11 dynamo emerged at a time the Dolphins were in decline as they moved from quarterback Dan Marino to Jay Fiedler. Longtime teammate Jason Taylor, whose sister was married to Thomas from 2000-15, made the Hall of Fame's Class of 2017.

178 games, Edge rusher DeMarcus Ware

He never missed a game through his first eight years with the Cowboys. In races for NFL sacks titles, he beat Joey Porter 20.0-17.5 in 2008, edged Tamba Hali 15.5-14.5 in 2010, and was second to Jared Allen, 22.0-19.5, in 2011.

178 games, Safety Darren Woodson

He never missed a game through his first four seasons, playing for Cowboys teams that won Super Bowls capping the 1992, 1993 and 1995 campaigns. He played for three different coordinators, Dave Wannstedt, Butch Davis and Dave Campo, in his Super Bowls.

173 games, Receiver Torry Holt

Holt missed just two games in his 10 years with the St. Louis Rams. He was the sixth overall pick the year the Browns came back as an expansion team. Andre Johnson (14,185 career yards), Reggie Wayne (14,345) and Holt (13,382) remain in an ongoing wideout logjam.

167 games, Left tackle Joe Thomas

The Browns great obviously was an iron man within his 10 full seasons, never missing a snap, but his career span in years, as reflected by this list, was moderate. He will be a Hall of Famer eventually, but is not a lock this year.

157 games, Return man/receiver Devin Hester

Hester's career with the Bears ran parallel to Josh Cribbs' time in Cleveland. Hester was a slightly more electric return man. Cribbs (145 career games) was more relentless. Hester produced 3,311 career receiving yards. Cribbs was under-utilized on offense. As a special teams cover man, Cribbs was in a league of his own.

145 games, Cornerback Darrelle Revis

He played 108 games for the Jets and then bounced among four teams. Notably, one was the Patriots, for whom he played every defensive snap in a Super Bowl win over Seattle.

112 games, Linebacker Patrick Willis

He made first-team All-Pro in five of his first six seasons with the 49ers before injuries led to an early retirement. He was the defensive face of the Jim Harbaugh era, starting eight games across the 2011, 2012 and 2013 postseasons.

Clay Matthews? We'll have more to say about his 278 games, same time, next year.

Reach Steve at steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com

On Twitter: @sdoerschukREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Hall of Fame finalists compared to Browns' Clay Matthews, Joe Thomas