For some players, the NFL is simple. Players come into the league at their natural position and they produce a decade-long career. But for some players, that process is more difficult and they need to reinvent themselves to survive.
That’s why the NFL has been a whirlwind for former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jordan Matthews. The Vanderbilt product came into the league as a second-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2014 NFL Draft but injuries forced him out of the league and into the tight end position the past two seasons.
It’s been a show of resilience that Matthews has been in the NFL this long. But his career may now be on the ropes after he received some bad news on Thursday morning.
Panthers Release Former 49ers Wide Receiver Jordan Matthews
According to Joe Person of The Athletic, the Carolina Panthers have cut Matthews before the start of their rookie minicamp. Matthews spent the past two seasons in Carolina and played sparingly as a tight end but was a respected leader in the locker room that is now gone ahead of the offseason program.
If this is it for Matthews, it’s been an interesting career. The 32-year-old caught 225 passes for 2,673 yards and 19 touchdowns in his first three seasons, but a 2017 trade to the Buffalo Bills was a turning point. After catching 25 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns with the Bills, Matthews signed with the New England Patriots but was released after suffering a hamstring injury.
Matthews spent the next two years bouncing between Philadelphia and San Francisco and announced that he would be switching to tight end following the 2021 season. Although he put on 30 pounds in preparation for the role, he missed the entire 2022 season after suffering a torn ACL before signing with Carolina in October 2023.
After five games and one target, Matthews' time in Carolina has come to an end and it could be the final act of a career that lasted longer than anyone could have expected.