Then and now | Kevin Mathis
Ex-Cowboy Mathis finds football exciting again
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Dallas Cowboys
Ex-Cowboy Mathis finds football exciting again
By RICK HERRIN
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Former Cowboys cornerback Kevin Mathis can be spotted these days around football on Friday nights in the area.
Mathis, who played for Dallas from 1997-99, lives in Colleyville and can't stay away from football with his NFL career now over. The Gainesville native regularly checks out high school games with former players, such as Deion Sanders and Ray Mickens, who live in the area.
A broken neck last year ended Mathis' season and a successful career, which spanned 10 years. That's 10 more than most expected. The small (5-foot-9, 185 pounds) and undrafted player beat the odds and worked himself into an NFL player in his hometown and eventually became a regular starter. He hopes to return to the league as a scout or coach.
How rewarding did it feel to play 10 years in the league after going undrafted? Anytime you are undrafted you are always out to prove yourself. That's what kept me working so hard and playing hard on every play. Once I got to the Cowboys I think the perception probably was that I couldn't believe I made it. Some thought I was just satisfied to make the team. Anytime you can accomplish your dreams it's always rewarding.
Why do you want to get into scouting or coaching? I want to stay in it because I like the development of players. I like to search out for talent and be around the game. The game has taught me about life, and I think I can give back to some of the guys coming into the league now and improve them in different areas of life.
You played for Wade Phillips in Atlanta, so why do ex-players speak so highly of him? Just because he's a down-to-earth guy, and he keeps it real. If you talk to him, he can have a conversation with anybody about anything. He's the type of guy you want to give all you've got for him. He's not a guy that's fake. We all took a vote in Atlanta when he was interim and we had guys going to [Falcons owner] Arthur Blank wanting him to get the job.
You suffered two serious neck injuries. How has it been for you to see two major neck injuries recently in the NFL? That first night when I saw [Bills tight end Kevin] Everett I could barely sleep. Because I knew what he was going through. I was able to walk away from that. I was getting carted off the same way. Then to see it happen again, it's like déjá vu. I was going for a tackle on special teams and I was paralyzed for about five minutes.
How devastating was it for you to come back from a major knee injury and then suffer a broken neck the next season? When I hurt my knee I was real motivated to come back. The reports were that I would never play again. I knew I could still play ... I think I came back pretty well, and my knee held up great. After my neck injury, I called my defensive coordinator and told him I was done.
Kevin Mathis file
Position: Cornerback
Career: 1997-99, Cowboys; 2000-01, Saints; 2002-06, Falcons.
Age: 33
Residence: Colleyville
Family: wife, Kimberly; daughter Kennedy (5) and sons Kaleb (3) and Kole (1).
Notable: Starred at Gainesville High School and Texas A&M-Commerce. ... Started 11 games in Dallas. ... Has own Web site at kmat23.com. ... Won the Ed Block Courage Award with the Falcons for coming back from injury in 2006. ... Played 10 seasons and will officially retire next year. ... Suffered a spinal cord contusion and broken neck that ended his career last year. ... Had six interceptions with Atlanta. ... Was traded by Cowboys to Saints for LB Chris Bordano, who never played for Dallas.
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