Profile Text
Birth Name: Bruce Rankin Matthews
Place of Birth: Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.
Date of Birth: August 8, 1961
Ethnicity: English, German, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish
Bruce Matthews is an American professional football player. An offensive tackle, guard, center, and long snapper, he played for the Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He was also an offensive assistant for the Houston Texans, and an offensive line coach for the Tennessee Titans. He was inducted in the Football Hall of Fame in 2007. He is 6′5″.
Bruce is the son of Daisy Ezelle and Clay Matthews, Sr. (William Clay Matthews), a professional football player, a lineman who played for the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL. His brother is professional football player Clay Matthews, Jr. He was partly raised in Chicago, Illinois, and Arcadia, California. Bruce is married to Carrie, with whom he has seven children, including professional football players Kevin Matthews and Jake Matthews, and college football player Mike Matthews. His nephews, Clay Matthews III and Casey Matthews, are also professional football players, and are Clay, Jr.’s sons; as is his nephew Troy Niklas, who is Carrie’s sister’s son.
Bruce’s paternal grandfather was Howard Lynn “Matty” Matthews (the son of George Washington Matthews and Maxie Jean Rankin). Howard was born in Jeffersonville, Ohio. George was born in Ohio, the son of James Milton Matthews and Sarah Jane Bentley. Maxie was born in Ohio, the daughter of Lyman Rankin and Martha/Margaret A. Smith.
Bruce’s paternal grandmother was Elsa Wilhelmina “Booty” Bargmann (the daughter of William John Bargmann and Catherine/Cathrine Elsa Tiedemann). Elsa was born in South Carolina, to German parents. Catherine was the daughter of Carsten Tiedemann and Adelheid Gerken.
Bruce’s maternal grandfather was Thomas Walter Crowson (the son of Thomas Siegic Crowson, Jr. and Nannie Rebecca Gulledge). Bruce’s grandfather Thomas was born in Anson County, North Carolina. Bruce’s great-grandfather Thomas was born in Wadesboro, Anson County, the son of Thomas Seigic Crowson and Eliza Jane Covington. Nannie was born in Wadesboro, the daughter of Thomas Huntley Gulledge, whose father was a minister, and of Rachel Ratliff.
Bruce’s maternal grandmother was Daisy Ezelle Lilly (the daughter of Frederick “Fred” Lilly and Roxanna/Roxana Goodwin). Daisy was born in North Carolina. Frederick was born in North Carolina, the son of Thomas/Tom J. Lilly and Mary Ann Hatch. Roxanna was born in North Carolina, the daughter of Dick Goodwin and Mary Garner.
Sources: Genealogies of Bruce’s parents – https://www.findagrave.com