THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – LB Clay Matthews was eating breakfast the morning after the Rams' Oct. 3 Thursday night game against the Seahawks in Seattle, fully prepared to get ready for next week's home game against the 49ers, when he noticed a clicking sound while chewing his food.
Initially, doctors thought his jaw injury was a sprain. To his surprise, a precautionary visit revealed it was actually broken – stalling a promising start to his first season in Los Angeles which saw him produce 16 tackles and six sacks through the first five weeks.
"Obviously we had to wire it shut or do surgery. Figured it out," Matthews said. "But yeah, it's disappointing in that regard."
Fortunately for Matthews, the hardware that kept his mouth shut was removed "two or three weeks ago," and he's now back on the practice field this week as the Rams begin preparing for the Steelers, ready to put the injury behind him.
Getting to this point, though, required a long month of recovery and dietary restrictions.
Matthews said he could only eat soft food, so he began with oatmeal and eggs and gradually worked his way up. He estimates he lost "four or five" pounds from his diet of soft and blended food.
"Never realized how I much I enjoyed eating until you have your mouth wired shut," Matthews said. "But it was one of those ones that sucks, no doubt about it. Not only being hurt, but you don't realize how much you use your mouth every day, having your mouth wired shut. Especially when your kids don't listen to you, but that's another story."
Indeed, giving instructions to his children was going to be difficult. He could still talk while his mouth was wired shut, but it was all mumbled.
"I got pretty good at that," Matthews said.
From there, it was a matter of sticking to a straightforward rehab program.
"And then once it came off, obviously it just took a long time, as it does with any kind of broken extremity, to get those muscles firing and stuff. Eating, chilling, talking, doing exercises with jaw mobility is the best thing I could do."
Matthews has endured his fair share of injuries: A broken nose during a charity softball game in the summer of 2018, breaking his thumb twice in three months during the 2013 season, an ankle and a hamstring in 2016. This one, though, was different.
"Obviously I've never experienced this before and it was very much a freak injury," Matthews said. "Unfortunate, but hopefully we can put it all past us now and move forward without any more hiccups."
Check out the best photos from the first half of the 2019 season!
Linebacker (52) Clay Matthews of the Los Angeles Rams sacks quarterback (1) Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers during the Rams 30-27 victory over the Panthers in an NFL Week 1 football game, Sunday, September 8, 2019, in Charlotte, NC. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Defensive tackle (99) Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams tackles quarterback (10) Jimmy Garopollo of the San Francisco 49ers during the Rams 7-20 loss to the 49ers in an NFL Week 6 regular season football game, Sunday, October 13, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Defensive tackle (99) Aaron Donald and linebacker (56) Dante Fowler Jr. of the Los Angeles Rams sacks quarterback (10) Jimmy Garoppolo of the San Francisco 49ers during the Rams 7-20 loss to the 49ers in an NFL Week 6 regular season football game, Sunday, October 13, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Running back (30) Todd Gurley II of the Los Angeles Rams scores a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks during the Rams 29-30 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in an NFL Week 5 football game, Thursday, October 3, 2019, in Seattle, WA. (Will Navarro/Rams)
Defensive tackle (90) Michael Brockers of the Los Angeles Rams sacks quarterback (6) Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns during the Rams 20-13 victory over the Browns in an NFL Week 3 football game, Sunday, September 22, 2019, in Cleveland, OH. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams runs the ball and scores a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the Rams 40-55 loss to the Buccaneers in an NFL Week 4 football game, Sunday, September 29, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Defensive tackle (69) Sebastian Joseph-Day of the Los Angeles Rams makes a tackle and celebrates against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the Rams 40-55 loss to the Buccaneers in an NFL Week 4 football game, Sunday, September 29, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Linebacker (52) Clay Matthews of the Los Angeles Rams sacks quarterback (6) Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns and celebrates with (99) Aaron Donald during the Rams 20-13 victory over the Browns in an NFL Week 3 football game, Sunday, September 22, 2019, in Cleveland, OH. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Wide Receiver (18) Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass, stiff arms (23) Marshon Latimore of the New Orleans Saints and runs down to the 1 yard line during the Rams 27-9 victory over the Saints in a Week 2 NFL football game, Sunday, September 15, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Running back (34) Malcolm Brown of the Los Angeles Rams runs the ball, scores a touchdown, and celebrates against the Carolina Panthers during the Rams 30-27 victory over the Panthers in an NFL Week 1 football game, Sunday, September 8, 2019, in Charlotte, NC. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Defensive lineman (90) Michael Brockers of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates a sack against the New Orleans Saints during the Rams 27-9 victory over the Saints in a Week 2 NFL football game, Sunday, September 15, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA. (Will Navarro/Rams)
Wide Receiver (19) JoJo Natson of the Los Angeles Rams returns a punt and celebrates with teammates against the New Orleans Saints during the Rams 27-9 victory over the Saints in a Week 2 NFL football game, Sunday, September 15, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA. (Will Navarro/Rams)
Linebacker (52) Clay Matthews of the Los Angeles Rams completes a sack against the New Orleans Saints during the Rams 27-9 victory over the Saints in a Week 2 NFL football game, Sunday, September 15, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA. (Will Navarro/Rams)
Quarterback (16) Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints during the Rams 27-9 victory over the Saints in a Week 2 NFL football game, Sunday, September 15, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA. (Will Navarro/Rams)
Tight end (89) Tyler Higbee of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers and celebrates with teammates during the Rams 30-27 victory over the Panthers in an NFL Week 1 football game, Sunday, September 8, 2019, in Charlotte, NC. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Wide Receiver (17) Robert Woods of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates a catch against the New Orleans Saints during the Rams 27-9 victory over the Saints in a Week 2 NFL football game, Sunday, September 15, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA. (Will Navarro/Rams)
Wide Receiver (10) Brandin Cooks of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass and runs and celebrates against the New Orleans Saints during the Rams 27-9 victory over the Saints in a Week 2 NFL football game, Sunday, September 15, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA. (Will Navarro/Rams)
Linebacker (56) Dante Fowler Jr. of the Los Angeles Rams sacks quarterback (1) Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers and celebrates during the Rams 30-27 victory over the Panthers in an NFL Week 1 football game, Sunday, September 8, 2019, in Charlotte, NC. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Wide Receiver (12) Brandin Cooks of the Los Angeles Rams during the Rams and Saints season game two match at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, in Los Angeles Ca., on September 15th, 2019. The Rams defeat the Saints 27-9. (Daniel Bowyer/Rams)
Punter (6) Johnny Hekker of the Los Angeles Rams drops back to pass on a fake punt against the Atlanta Falcons during the Rams 37-10 victory over the Falcons in an NFL Week 7 regular season football game, Sunday, October 20, 2019, in Atlanta, GA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams scores a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks during the Rams 29-30 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in an NFL Week 5 football game, Thursday, October 3, 2019, in Seattle, WA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Los Angeles Rams strong safety John Johnson celebrates after an inception against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (18) celebrates his touchdown with tight end Tyler Higbee (89) during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019 at Wembley Stadium in London. (Andrew Fosker/NFL)
Linebacker (58) Cory Littleton of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates after an interception against the Atlanta Falcons during the Rams 37-10 victory over the Falcons in an NFL Week 7 regular season football game, Sunday, October 20, 2019, in Atlanta, GA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Linebacker (56) Dante Fowler Jr. and defensive tackle (90) Michael Brockers of the Los Angeles Rams sacks quarterback (14) Andy Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals during the Rams 24-10 victory over the Bengals in an NFL Week 8 regular season football game, Sunday, October 27, 2019, in London, England. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Wide receiver (17) Robert Woods of the Los Angeles Rams tosses the ball back to quarterback (16) Jared Goff before Goff throws a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals during the Rams 24-10 victory over the Bengals in an NFL Week 8 regular season football game, Sunday, October 27, 2019, in London, England. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Linebacker (45) Ogbonnia Okoronkwo of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates with teammates after a sack against the Cincinnati Bengals during the Rams 24-10 victory over the Bengals in an NFL Week 8 regular season football game, Sunday, October 27, 2019, in London, England. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Wide receiver (83) Josh Reynolds of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass and scores a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals during the Rams 24-10 victory over the Bengals in an NFL Week 8 regular season football game, Sunday, October 27, 2019, in London, England. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
When anticipating whether to come back or not, Matthews said it's difficult to simulate some of the hits a player is going to take in a live game.
While this injury is unlike any one he's had before, it's still the same in that the biggest key coming back from it is playing with confidence – something he feels based on conversations with the doctors, the x-rays, the CT scans and timeline he's been looking at.
"It feels good just having my helmet on it, being out there, just getting it jostled and everything," Matthews said. "I anticipate it to go well. Like I said, that's the thing about an injury – you've got to be able to have a confidence to come back and not played scared or reluctant."
Matthews said that if the Rams had a game last week, it would've been one of those situations where he would've been hesitant to play. Still, he said having the bye week helped. He's now five weeks removed from the injury, and when hen he returns, he'll be wearing a regular helmet.
His status is still uncertain for Sunday's game, but Rams head coach Sean McVay said that if Matthews progresses the right way throughout the week, he should be ready to roll. Matthews himself is confident in his chances of seeing the field.
"I tried my best to get all the nutrients I could, stay on top of my workout regiment as well as my conditioning," Matthews said. "I feel good. I feel like there shouldn't be that much of a drop-off once I come back, and hopefully my play on Sunday says so."
