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Clay Matthews has fans doing a double take.
It all started when photos began circulating online that showed the former Green Bay Packers star looking almost unrecognizable.
TMZ kicked off the chatter on Tuesday after publishing photos of Matthews, 40, carrying groceries while sporting a noticeably different jawline and facial structure that was giving off total real-life action figure vibes.
"Clay's still rocking his trademark long hair -- pulled back into a bun -- but his overall appearance looks noticeably different from his playing days ... has he had work done?" the outlet wrote. "What's behind the change is anyone's guess ... but Clay's definitely switched things up."
Four days earlier, the outlet shared the same photos on X in a post captioned, "Clay Matthews was spotted out grabbing groceries looking VERY different after apparently getting some work done."
There was one important catch.
The X post included the "#ad" label, along with a Community Note that confirmed the images were AI-generated and did not depict a cosmetic transformation by Matthews.
There was no Botox or facelift performed, and the former Packers star doesn't look like the Hulk in real life.
But that didn't stop the photos from going viral.
The AI-generated photos have 3.6 million views as of this writing and sparked plenty of speculation about whether the retired NFL linebacker had undergone cosmetic surgery.
Clay Matthews was spotted out grabbing groceries looking VERY different after apparently getting some work done. 👀 #ad pic.twitter.com/8ihX46BSAl
— TMZ (@TMZ) September 4, 2026While several fans criticized TMZ for using the altered images in the ad, others took the bait.
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"The work was done on his Jaws?" one person commented.
"Bro looking like Buzz lightyear 😂," a second wrote.
"He’ll be a good villain in a movie," a third added.
"@Grok what happened to Clay Matthews," another asked.
Whatever is behind the campaign, it certainly got people's attention.
Matthews spent 10 seasons with Green Bay before finishing his NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019.
The six-time Pro Bowler recorded 91.5 career sacks and helped the Packers win Super Bowl XLV.
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