Packers Were Reluctant to Promote Clay Matthews’ Hair Because of Team Values

Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews started off the season on fire, registering three sacks in each of the team’s first two games. His torrid pace to begin the year had us wondering if he could break Michael Strahan’s single-season record, but alas the linebacker fell short. Around the beginning of the season when Matthews was receiving intense media exposure, he mentioned that having a blond wig available to fans would be cool.

Envisioning a product similar to the Manny Ramirez dreadlock wigs that became popular in LA, I inquired with the Packers’ promotion department to see if they might create something similar. I was told that they were “looking at options” but that they had “to balance individual vs team” when making their decisions. To my knowledge, a Clay Matthews wig never appeared, making it clear they decided not to go with such a promotion despite Clay’s interest.

Several months later, Matthews got his wish of having his hair promoted.

The second-year linebacker signed a deal with Suave hair products to rival what Steelers defensive star Troy Polamalu has done with Head and Shoulders. You’ll notice that Matthews’ deal was arranged through his marketing agent, not the Packers, which isn’t too surprising.

Though the team could receive criticism for not promoting the players in a fun manner such as the way Matthews desired, how can one argue with their values and results? The Cincinnati Bengals have two of the most self-promotional players in the league on their squad and were one of the worst teams. Green Bay meanwhile focuses on promoting the Packers brand and organization, and they’ve made it to the Super Bowl. There’s a reason they and the Steelers are combining to form a Super Bowl so rich in history — they each have similar team values.