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Clay Matthews is a passionate man.

The Green Bay Packers linebacker has a lot of loves—football first and foremost among them. Yet, he's also a smart man, and he knows that the game of football will not be good to him forever. So Matthews sat down with Bleacher Report to talk about what might come for him after the game.

"What’s most important is to find something [a player is] passionate about. For me, growing up around video games, to see what goes on behind the scenes should be big for me."

Matthews was chosen to be an intern for the day at Sledgehammer Games—makers of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. He expected to be seeing what goes into the game, but also doing "daily chores, getting the coffee and the mail."

Photo Credit: PMK-BNC

He also knew he was going to be unlike the normal intern and would get a chance to try on the "exosuit," one of the new features in the game (to make players "be more of a badass," he says) and hopefully get the chance to even do some voice-overs.

You see, off the field, Matthews is actually nothing like his on-field mentality would suggest.

"Quite honestly, I live in California in the offseason. Going off to Green Bay is just like two different walks of life—I hunt, fish, practice with firearms. Back in California, it's spend time at the beach, go to the movies. I'm generally a low-key guy."

Even though Matthews isn't as intense off the field, that's not the same as lacking passion. One could say that Matthews refuses to take plays off, even in his free time.

Still, it really shouldn't surprise anyone that Matthews isn't the same on-edge personality off the field that he is on it. The more NFL football becomes a world power, the more it becomes a 24/7, year-round enterprise. Because of that, it becomes important to find ways to balance the other parts of your life. As Matthews says:

"Take any day: It requires waking up early—nutrition is just as important as any notes and video as you prepare for the game. So much is dedicated to getting your body back to 100 percent...ice baths, working with trainers. Plus, trying to blend your time away with family and loved ones."

He added, "The season is a full-time job, you’re going almost 24/7."

Around the team, Matthews takes on a more active role. He fashions himself a leader, but knows on a team like the Packers, he's not the only one:

"We have leaders at each position. Look at the guys we have across the board, and everyone’s making plays in their own right. [Defensive end Julius] Peppers, myself, [cornerback] Sam Shields, [safety] Morgan Burnett, [linebacker A.J.] Hawk—everyone leads in their own right.

"People are used to seeing one figure, but everyone has their own voice."

This is a Packers defense that has taken huge strides this season. Currently ranked 20th in the league, that may only be up from 25th a year ago, but teeth have been added to the defense with the addition of Peppers and the continued maturation of players like linebackers Mike Neal and Nick Perry.

In recent weeks, Matthews has even moved inside to aid getting more of those players on the field in certain situations. Pro Football Focus took a look at exactly how the Packers did so, pointing out that Matthews plays just about everywhere on the field, as the Packers mixed and matched their sub-packages.

It's a credit to the ingenuity of defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who has been much maligned by the fanbase in recent years. Matthews stuck up for his coach:

"I don’t need to make a pitch for our coaches. I know Packers fans are invested in the team—even more so than the rest of the country. You look at [Capers'] body of work and you’ll see that we’ve been top five in a lot of defensive metrics (turnovers, opponents QBR)."

Matthews added that this year, the Packers have had flashes of a dominant defense, saying, "I think it’s just the maturation of this team. The addition of Julius Peppers and [safety] Ha-Ha Clinton Dix, you’re adding physicality to the field. You look at the pass rush with myself, Peppers, Neal…On the deep end, with Sam Shields getting the new contract, Tramon Williams..."

Matthews went on to name just about the entire defense as impact players, which speaks both to his polish as a vocal leader and as a person who is well versed in handling the media, but also to the faith he has in his teammates and where he thinks this team can go.

He calls their play this season a "great opportunity."

"Fans, especially ours, demand championships. That’s what we’re striving for."

Michael Schottey is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Find more of his stuff on his archive page and follow him on Twitter.