Jordan Matthews
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Jordan Armand Matthews (born July 16, 1992) is an American professional
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...
. He played
college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
for the Vanderbilt Commodores and was selected by the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
in the second round of the
2014 NFL draft The 2014 NFL draft was the 79th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players to the league. The draft, officially the "Player Selection Meeting", was held at Radio City Music Hall in New Y ...
. Matthews started his NFL career as a
wide receiver A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense (American football), offense, WR gets its name ...
before switching positions after the 2020 season.


Early life

Matthews was born on July 16, 1992, in
Madison, Alabama Madison is a city located primarily in Madison County, Alabama, Madison County, near the northern border of the U.S. state of Alabama. Madison extends west into neighboring Limestone County, Alabama, Limestone County. The city is included in th ...
. He attended Madison Academy where he lettered in football and basketball. As a senior at Madison Academy, Matthews led the football team to a 12–1 record. For his high school football career at Madison Academy, Matthews had 181 receptions, 3,218 receiving yards, and 38 touchdowns. Matthews was a three star recruit. Auburn began recruiting Matthews during his junior year of high school when Phillip Lolley, the director of Football External Operations at the time, called the Matthewses. Matthews was planning to walk on at Auburn before receiving an offer from Vanderbilt. Matthews received a scholarship offer from Vanderbilt head coach Bobby Johnson on Christmas Eve in 2009 after wide receiver prospect and eventual Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby de-committed from Vanderbilt. Matthews only received scholarship offers from Vanderbilt, Kansas, Tulane, Arkansas St., and Jacksonville St. Matthews committed to Vanderbilt on December 26, 2009.


College career

As a true freshman at Vanderbilt, Matthews had 15 receptions for 181 yards and four
touchdowns A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Scoring a touchdown grants the team that scored it 6 points. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchd ...
in
2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
. As a sophomore in
2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
, he had 41 receptions for 778 yards and five touchdowns. Matthews was included in the 2012
Biletnikoff Award The Fred Biletnikoff Award is presented annually to the most outstanding receiver in American college football by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, Inc. (TQCF), an independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The award was creat ...
Watch List. As a junior in
2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
, Matthews was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection and was named third-team
All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
by
Phil Steele Phil Steele (c. 1960) is an American sportswriter and analyst who focuses exclusively on college and professional football. He is considered a "highly respected prognosticator" within the sports media. His company, Phil Steele Publications, pro ...
and CBS SportsLine.com. He finished the season with 94 receptions for 1,323 yards and eight touchdowns. Matthews was included on the 2013
Maxwell Award The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the college football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best all ...
Watch List and the 2013 CFPA Wide Receiver Trophy Watch List. As a senior in
2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
, Matthews was again a first-team All-SEC selection. He would also be named a first-team All-American by ''
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'',
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,
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, ''
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'', and the
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. During the season, he set the all-time SEC record for career receptions and career receiving yards. Matthews also was a semi-finalist for the Biletnikoff Award and won the 2013 CFPA Elite Wide Receiver Trophy. On November 16, 2013, Matthews was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week. In his final college game, he was the MVP of the 2014 BBVA Compass Bowl after recording five receptions for 143 yards and two touchdowns. He finished the season with 112 receptions for 1,477 yards and seven touchdowns. Matthews' 112 receptions in 2013 set the SEC record for most receptions in a single season. Amari Cooper broke this record a year later with 124 receptions. For his collegiate career, Matthews had 262 receptions for 3,759 yards, both marks serving as both SEC and school records. His 24 career touchdowns are also the best in school history. Matthews graduated from Vanderbilt with a degree in economics.


Professional career


Philadelphia Eagles (first stint)

The
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
selected Matthews in the second round of the
2014 NFL draft The 2014 NFL draft was the 79th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players to the league. The draft, officially the "Player Selection Meeting", was held at Radio City Music Hall in New Y ...
with the 42nd overall pick. The Eagles traded up 12 spots in order to draft him. On May 27, 2014, he signed with the team for a four-year deal. He scored his first and second career touchdowns in a Week 3 matchup against the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
. In a ''
Monday Night Football ''Monday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''MNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that air on Monday nights. It originally ran on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from 1970 NFL season, 1970 t ...
'' matchup in Week 10, he caught 7 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns against the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
. He finished the season with 67 catches for 872 yards and eight touchdowns. Matthews started his second year in the NFL with a game against the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
. He had 10 receptions for 102 yards in the 26–24 loss. On October 8, against the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
, Matthews had nine receptions for 133 yards and one touchdown. On December 20, against the
Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
, Matthews had eight receptions for 159 yards and one touchdown. On January 3, 2016, in the regular season finale against the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
, Matthews had his only multi-touchdown game of the season. In the 35–30 victory, he had seven receptions for 54 yards and two touchdowns. On the season, he had 85 receptions for 997 yards and eight touchdowns. With rookie quarterback
Carson Wentz Carson James Wentz (born December 30, 1992) is an American professional football quarterback. He played college football for the North Dakota State Bison, where he won two consecutive NCAA FCS national championships as the starter. Wentz was s ...
, Matthews started his third year in the NFL with a game against the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
. He had seven receptions for 114 yards and one touchdown in the 29–10 victory. The season opener would be Matthews' best game of the season as he would fail to break 100 receiving yards again on the season. Against the Cowboys on October 30, he had a season-high 11 receptions for 65 yards and one touchdown in the 29–23 loss. On the season, he had 73 receptions for a career-low 804 yards and a career-low three touchdowns.


Buffalo Bills

On August 11, 2017, the Eagles traded Matthews, along with a 2018 third-round pick, to the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
in exchange for cornerback Ronald Darby. On September 10, Matthews made his debut as a member of the Bills. He had two receptions for 61 yards in the 21–12 victory over the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
. Matthews caught his first touchdown with the Bills during a 23–17 upset win over the defending
National Football Conference The National Football Conference (NFC) is a conference of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional American football in the United States. The NFC and its counterpart, the American Football Conference (AFC), each h ...
(NFC) Champions Falcons, but fractured his right thumb during the game. He was expected to be out for a month following surgery, but returned against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers three weeks after his injury. He was placed on
injured reserve The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in ...
on December 5, 2017, with a knee injury. He finished the 2017 season with career-lows with 25 receptions for 282 yards and one touchdown.


New England Patriots

On April 5, 2018, Matthews signed a one-year contract with the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
worth $1 million, with $300,000 guaranteed. However, on August 1, 2018, he was released by the Patriots with an injury settlement following a hamstring injury that he suffered three days prior during training camp.


Philadelphia Eagles (second stint)

The Eagles re-signed Matthews on September 19, 2018, to help with an injury-depleted receiving corps. In Week 4, against the Tennessee Titans, he recorded a 56-yard receiving touchdown for his first touchdown in his return to Philadelphia. Matthews finished the season with 20 catches for 300 yards and 2 touchdowns, and had 1 catch for 37 yards and a touchdown in 2 playoff games.


San Francisco 49ers (first stint)

On March 14, 2019, Matthews signed a one-year contract with the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
. He was released by the 49ers during final roster cuts on August 31, 2019. He was re-signed on October 3, 2019, but was released again on October 26.


Philadelphia Eagles (third stint)

Matthews re-signed with the Eagles on November 11, 2019. He was waived on November 25, 2019.


San Francisco 49ers (second stint)

On December 11, 2019, Matthews was signed by the 49ers. Although he did not play in the 49ers playoff run, the team appeared in
Super Bowl LIV Super Bowl LIV was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2019 NFL season, 2019 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion 2019 Kansas City Chiefs season, Kansas City ...
but they lost 31–20 to the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...
. On November 27, 2020, Matthews was signed to the
practice squad In gridiron football, the practice squad, also called the taxi squad or practice roster, is a group of players signed by a team but not part of their main roster. They serve as extra players during the team's practices, often as part of the scou ...
of the 49ers'. He was released on December 8, and re-signed to the practice squad on December 23, 2020. He was elevated to the active roster on December 25 and January 2, 2021, for the team's weeks 16 and 17 games against the
Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
and
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
, and reverted to the practice squad after each game. His practice squad contract with the team expired after the season on January 11, 2021. Following the season, Matthews announced a position switch to
tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...
after playing
wide receiver A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense (American football), offense, WR gets its name ...
throughout his career up to that point. He put on 30 pounds as part of his new training. He re-signed with the 49ers on July 31, 2021. He was released on August 31, 2021, and re-signed to the practice squad the next day. He was released on September 22. He was re-signed on October 5. He signed a reserve/future contract with the 49ers on February 2, 2022. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve by the 49ers on August 4, after suffering a torn ACL in practice.


Carolina Panthers

On October 25, 2023, Matthews was signed to the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
practice squad. He was signed to the active roster on November 7, 2023. He was released on November 13 and re-signed to the practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract on January 8, 2024. On August 27, 2024, Matthews was released by the Panthers and re-signed to the practice squad the next day, then promoted back to the active roster. He was released on September 17, and re-signed to the practice squad. He was promoted back to the active roster on November 2. Matthews was released and re-signed to the practice squad on November 15. He signed a reserve/future contract on January 6, 2025. On May 8, 2025, Matthews was released by the Panthers.


NFL career statistics


Regular Season


Personal life

Matthews is married to
Chicago Red Stars Chicago Stars Football Club is an American professional soccer team based in the Chicago metropolitan area that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). A founding member of the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league as the Chic ...
soccer player Cheyna Williams, who also attended Vanderbilt before graduating from Florida State University. The couple have two sons together. Matthews is a
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
. Matthews' parents are Brenda and Rod Matthews. He has one brother, Justin. Matthews is related to
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
wide receiver
Jerry Rice Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played for 20 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He won three Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers before two shorter ...
, as his mother is Rice's cousin. Matthews is a member of
Kappa Alpha Psi Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911, at Indiana University Bloomington, it has n ...
fraternity. On July 7, 2018, Matthews hosted his second Vanderbilt Legends Charity Softball Game at Vanderbilt's Hawkins Field. The proceeds from the event benefited YWCA and AMEND Together, two organizations that fight domestic violence. The event included a home run derby and a softball game with teams composed of former Vanderbilt athletes. The event is a part of Matthews' foundation called Matthews Mission.


References


External links


Vanderbilt Commodores bio
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Matthews, Jordan 1992 births Living people Players of American football from Huntsville, Alabama American football wide receivers Vanderbilt Commodores football players Philadelphia Eagles players Buffalo Bills players New England Patriots players San Francisco 49ers players Carolina Panthers players American football tight ends