Jerome Mathis facts for kids

Jerome Alvon Mathis was born on July 26, 1983. He is an American former professional football player. He played as a wide receiver and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL). The Houston Texans picked him in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL draft. In 2005, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl and was named an All-Pro player with the Texans. He also played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Arena Football League (AFL).

Early Life and High School Sports

Jerome Mathis grew up in Petersburg, Virginia. He went to Petersburg High School. There, he was a great wide receiver and kick returner for the football team. He earned honors like all-state, all-district, and all-metro. This means he was one of the best players in his area and the whole state.

Track and Field Achievements

Besides football, Jerome was also an amazing track and field athlete. He won six state championships in track during high school. In 2001, he won the national indoor title for the 200 meter race. His time of 21.79 seconds was the 7th fastest in the nation.

He also had one of the fastest times in the nation for the 55 metres race, at 6.29 seconds. This was even faster than famous sprinter Tyson Gay that year. Jerome also ran the 300 meter indoor race in 34.03 seconds, which was the 2nd fastest time. He also competed in the long jump, jumping 7.50 meters in 2003.

College Football Career

Jerome Mathis played college football at Hampton University. He set some impressive records there. He holds the NCAA record for the best career kick return average. This means he gained more yards on average each time he returned a kick than any other player in NCAA history.

He also holds the NCAA record for the most career kickoff returns for a touchdown. He scored six touchdowns from kickoff returns, which is more than anyone else.

Professional Football Journey

Before the NFL Draft

Before joining the NFL, players show off their skills at the NFL Combine. Jerome Mathis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.26 seconds. This was one of the fastest times ever recorded at the Combine. Only a few players have run it faster since then.

Playing for the Houston Texans

In his first year, called his rookie season, Jerome played for the Houston Texans. He was so good at returning kicks that he was chosen for the Pro Bowl. This is a special game where the best players from the American Football Conference (AFC) play against the best from the National Football Conference (NFC). Jerome was one of only three rookies to be picked for the game that year.

After the Pro Bowl in January 2006, Jerome broke his left foot. He missed a lot of games in the 2006 and 2007 seasons because of this injury. He was placed on Injured Reserve, which means he couldn't play while he was healing. Even with injuries, he still returned one kick for a touchdown in 2007. After the 2007 season, the Texans decided not to offer him a new contract.

Other Teams and Leagues

Jerome Mathis also played for other football teams. In 2008, he briefly signed with the Washington Redskins. In 2009, he joined the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He hoped to be their main kick returner, but injuries continued to bother him.

Later, in 2011, he played for the Pittsburgh Power in the Arena Football League (AFL). He had a fantastic game on June 11, 2011. In that game, he set new team records for yards receiving and longest kick return. He also scored the first kick return touchdown in the Power's history. For the Power, he caught 30 passes for 418 yards and 7 touchdowns. He also returned 31 kickoffs for 688 yards and 1 touchdown.

NFL Career Statistics Summary

During his NFL career, Jerome Mathis played in 17 games.

• He had 6 receptions for 80 receiving yards and 1 receiving touchdown.
• As a return specialist, he had 72 kickoff returns for 2,154 yards and 3 touchdowns.
• He also had 12 punt returns for 68 yards.