Former Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews has been hired as an NFL studio analyst for Netflix and will make his on-air debut during the league’s Week 1 game in Australia, the Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, Sept. 10, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
- Clay Matthews has been hired as an NFL studio analyst for Netflix and will debut for the Rams-49ers game in Melbourne on Sept. 10.
- He will appear during pregame, halftime and postgame; the game streams exclusively on Netflix with kickoff at 7:35 p.m. CT from the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
- Matthews played 11 NFL seasons (mostly with Green Bay), is the Packers’ all-time sacks leader, retired after 2019 and was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2024.
Who’s on the Netflix broadcast team for the Australia game
According to reporting from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Matthews joins a studio team that includes host Elle Duncan and former NFL players Michael Irvin and Nick Foles. Noah Eagle is scheduled to handle play-by-play duties, with Luke Kuechly listed as the booth analyst.
When and where to watch Matthews’ debut
The Rams-49ers matchup takes place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and will kick off at 7:35 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, Sept. 10, the Journal Sentinel reports. Netflix holds exclusive streaming rights for this game, so viewers will need access to Netflix to watch the contest and the studio coverage in which Matthews will appear during pregame, halftime and postgame windows.
What this role means for Matthews’ media trajectory
The Journal Sentinel notes Matthews has prior on-camera experience from his playing days — including appearances in film, television and commercials — and recently appeared on FanDuel’s podcast “Bussin’ With the Boys.” The Netflix studio role continues a transition many former players make into broadcasting and multiplatform media after retirement.
Matthews’ football background
Matthews was a first-round pick by Green Bay in 2009 and played 11 NFL seasons, all but one of them with the Packers, according to the Journal Sentinel. The paper reports he is the Packers’ all-time leader in sacks, earned six Pro Bowl selections and made a notable play in Green Bay’s Super Bowl XLV victory when he forced a fourth-quarter fumble. He retired after the 2019 season and was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2024.
Netflix’s NFL schedule highlights (as reported)
- The Melbourne game is one of multiple games Netflix will stream exclusively this season.
- The Packers are listed as participants in two Netflix games this season, including a Thanksgiving Eve matchup on Nov. 25 (Packers at Rams) and a Christmas Day game on Dec. 25 (Packers at Bears), per the Journal Sentinel’s overview of the Netflix slate.
- Netflix also will stream two Christmas Day games and a Week 18 game this season, the Journal Sentinel reports.
What remains unresolved or unclear
Details not confirmed in the reporting include the exact format and length of Matthews’ studio segments across the Netflix season, whether he will appear for other non-Packers games beyond those listed, and the full Netflix studio roster for later weeks. The Journal Sentinel provided the schedule items above but did not publish a comprehensive season-by-season assignment of studio personnel.
Why it matters locally and for fans
For Packers fans, Matthews’ new role is notable because he remains one of the franchise’s most prominent recent players; his presence in Netflix’s studio coverage coincides with several Packers games being carried exclusively by the streamer. For viewers more broadly, the hire illustrates Netflix’s continued investment in high-profile football coverage and its use of former players to build studio credibility.
Timeline of relevant events (from the reporting)
- 2009 — Matthews selected in the first round by the Green Bay Packers (reported).
- 2019 — Matthews retired from the NFL (reported).
- 2024 — Inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame (reported).
- Aug. 15–16, 2026 — Reporting that Matthews will join Netflix as an NFL studio analyst and will debut Sept. 10 in Melbourne (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel coverage syndicated by Yahoo Sports and others).
- Sept. 10, 2026 — Scheduled Rams vs. 49ers game at Melbourne Cricket Ground, kickoff 7:35 p.m. CT — Matthews expected to appear in studio for pregame, halftime and postgame (reported).
Practical viewing information
Viewers who want to watch Matthews’ debut should have an active Netflix subscription and be prepared for the shifted broadcast window due to the Melbourne local start time. The Journal Sentinel lists kickoff at 7:35 p.m. CT on Sept. 10; confirm local listings and Netflix availability in your region ahead of the game.
Sources and attribution
This article is based on reporting by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (as carried by Yahoo Sports and published on jsonline.com) about Clay Matthews’ hiring as an NFL studio analyst for Netflix and his planned appearance for the Week 1 Australia game. Specific game times, personnel and biographical details are attributed to that reporting.
