Jerome Mathis facts for kids
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||||
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| Born: | July 26, 1983 Petersburg, Virginia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 184 lb (83 kg) | ||||||||||
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| High school: | Petersburg | ||||||||||
| College: | Hampton | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2005 / Round: 4 / Pick: 114 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Jerome Alvon Mathis (born July 26, 1983) is a former American football player. He played as a wide receiver and kick returner. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in 2005. Jerome Mathis was chosen for the Pro Bowl and was named an All-Pro player in 2005. He also played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Arena Football League (AFL).
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Early Life and High School Sports
Jerome Mathis grew up in Petersburg, Virginia. He went to Petersburg High School. There, he was a star player in football. He was recognized as an all-state, all-district, and all-metro wide receiver and kick returner.
Track and Field Achievements
Mathis was also an amazing athlete in track. He won six state championships during his high school years. In 2001, he won the national indoor 200-meter title. He also set some of the fastest times in the nation for other races.
He was also good at the long jump. He achieved a personal best jump of 7.50 meters in 2003.
College Football Career
Jerome Mathis played college football for Hampton University. He set some impressive records there. He holds the NCAA record for the best career kick return average. He averaged 26.6 yards per return, which was a new record.
He also holds the NCAA record for the most career kickoff returns for a touchdown. He scored six touchdowns from kickoff returns during his college career.
Professional Football Journey
Before joining the NFL, Jerome Mathis showed off his speed. At the NFL Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.26 seconds. This was one of the fastest times ever recorded at the Combine.
Time with the Houston Texans
In his first year, the 2005 season, Mathis was a rookie for the Houston Texans. He was so good at returning kicks that he was chosen for the 2006 Pro Bowl. He was one of only three rookies selected for the game that year.
Unfortunately, Mathis faced some injuries. He broke his left foot in 2006 during the Pro Bowl. This injury caused him to miss a lot of playing time. He was later placed on the Injured Reserve list. He played only a few games in the 2007 season before being injured again. After the 2007 season, the Texans did not offer him a new contract.
Other Teams and Leagues
After leaving the Texans, Mathis signed with the Washington Redskins in 2008, but he was released shortly after.
In 2009, he joined the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League. He was hoped to be a key kick returner for them. However, injuries continued to bother him, and he was released later that year.
Mathis then played in the Arena Football League (AFL). He signed with the Pittsburgh Power in 2011. He had an amazing game on June 11, 2011, against the Tampa Bay Storm. In that game, he set new team records for receiving yards and longest kick return. He also scored the first kick return touchdown in the Power's history. During his time with the Power, he caught 30 passes for 418 yards and 7 touchdowns. He also returned 31 kickoffs for 688 yards and 1 touchdown.
Career Highlights and Statistics
Jerome Mathis played in 17 NFL games. He had 6 receptions for 80 receiving yards and 1 receiving touchdown. As a kick returner, he was very successful. He had 72 kick returns for a total of 2,154 yards. He also scored 3 touchdowns from kick returns. His longest kick return was an impressive 99 yards.
