January/February 2025 - 19

A conversation with Morehouse
College head coach and former
NFL wide receiver Terance Mathis
By Wesley Sykes, managing editor
T
erance Mathis is the first-year head coach at
Morehouse College. Previously, he has been the
offensive coordinator at Savannah State University
and head coach at Pinecrest Academy in Georgia, among
other coaching positions.
Before joining the coaching ranks, Mathis was drafted
by the New York Jets in 1990 - becoming the eighth
player in NFL history to record a 100-catch season as a
rookie. He played eight seasons with the Falcons,
including the 1998 Super Bowl season when he caught
64 passes for 1,136 yards and an incredible 17.8 yards
per catch average.
Off the field, Mathis's contributions extend beyond the
gridiron. In 1996, he founded the Terance Mathis
Foundation, now known as the Terance Mathis
Educational Institute, displaying his commitment to
education and community service. His charitable
outreach was recognized when he was selected as the
Atlanta Falcons' " Man of the Year " in 1998.
With a history of using his prowess on the football
field to help his community, Mathis is uniquely positioned
to positively impact the lives of his student-athletes at
Morehouse.
Mathis sat down with Coach & Athletic Director to
discuss his playing career, coaching style, and how he is
molding the next generation of football players. Below is
an excerpt from that conversation.
COACH & A.D.: What made you want to get into
coaching?
Terance Mathis: The story goes back to my last few
years in the NFL, where basically I was coaching and
playing at the same time. I'm teaching the young guys,
we're running meetings after meetings, making sure
that we're all on the same page.
And then after Year 12, I had my exit meeting with
Dan Reeves. One of the first things he asked me was
what your plans are when you're done playing football.
And I knew what he was getting at. I told him I wanted
to play some more after this year. And I asked why. He
said, 'Because I think you would be a great coach on
this staff.' And I said [that] I want to play some more.
So I got released by the Falcons, and then I went to
Pittsburgh for a year. And then with my exit meeting
with Bill Cowher, he asked the same thing. I said,
'Coach, I want to play some more.' And he told me, 'I
think you'll be a great coach on this staff.' Then one day
an agent called me and said he wanted me to train one
of his clients, Justin Gatlin, a world-class, gold medal
sprinter who wanted to play football. And then I got bit
by that bug. I knew this was what I was supposed to be
doing. I am supposed to be teaching. I was supposed to
be coaching.
And through that time, I've coached at every level.
I've coached from little league to middle school to high
school to college. The only place I haven't coached is
the NFL.
COACHAD.COM 19
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January/February 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January/February 2025

2025 Coaches Survey Results
Ad Index
A.D.ministration
Between the Lines
Built For This
CSCCa Strength Focus
Facility Focus
Football Focus
Football X&Os
Holistic Health
Organizing the Offseason
Product Focus
Product Marketplace
Q&A.D.
January/February 2025 - 1
January/February 2025 - 2
January/February 2025 - 3
January/February 2025 - Between the Lines
January/February 2025 - 5
January/February 2025 - 6
January/February 2025 - 7
January/February 2025 - A.D.ministration
January/February 2025 - 9
January/February 2025 - 10
January/February 2025 - 11
January/February 2025 - 12
January/February 2025 - 13
January/February 2025 - CSCCa Strength Focus
January/February 2025 - 15
January/February 2025 - 16
January/February 2025 - 17
January/February 2025 - Built For This
January/February 2025 - 19
January/February 2025 - 20
January/February 2025 - 21
January/February 2025 - 22
January/February 2025 - 23
January/February 2025 - 24
January/February 2025 - 25
January/February 2025 - 2025 Coaches Survey Results
January/February 2025 - 27
January/February 2025 - 28
January/February 2025 - 29
January/February 2025 - Football X&Os
January/February 2025 - 31
January/February 2025 - 32
January/February 2025 - 33
January/February 2025 - 34
January/February 2025 - A1
January/February 2025 - A2
January/February 2025 - A3
January/February 2025 - A4
January/February 2025 - A5
January/February 2025 - A6
January/February 2025 - A7
January/February 2025 - A8
January/February 2025 - A9
January/February 2025 - A10
January/February 2025 - A11
January/February 2025 - A12
January/February 2025 - A13
January/February 2025 - A14
January/February 2025 - A15
January/February 2025 - A16
January/February 2025 - Q&A.D.
January/February 2025 - 36
January/February 2025 - 37
January/February 2025 - Football Focus
January/February 2025 - 39
January/February 2025 - Holistic Health
January/February 2025 - 41
January/February 2025 - 42
January/February 2025 - 43
January/February 2025 - Facility Focus
January/February 2025 - 45
January/February 2025 - 46
January/February 2025 - 47
January/February 2025 - 48
January/February 2025 - 49
January/February 2025 - Product Focus
January/February 2025 - 51
January/February 2025 - 52
January/February 2025 - 53
January/February 2025 - 54
January/February 2025 - 55
January/February 2025 - Organizing the Offseason
January/February 2025 - 57
January/February 2025 - 58
January/February 2025 - Product Marketplace
January/February 2025 - 60
January/February 2025 - 61
January/February 2025 - 62
January/February 2025 - 63
January/February 2025 - 64
January/February 2025 - 65
January/February 2025 - Ad Index
January/February 2025 - 67
January/February 2025 - 68
January/February 2025 - 85
January/February 2025 - 86
January/February 2025 - 87
January/February 2025 - 88
January/February 2025 - 89
January/February 2025 - 90
January/February 2025 - 91
January/February 2025 - 92
January/February 2025 - 93
January/February 2025 - 94
January/February 2025 - 95
January/February 2025 - 96
January/February 2025 - 97
January/February 2025 - 98
January/February 2025 - 99
January/February 2025 - 100
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