Rashean Retires: Remembering A Legend

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Rashean Mathis, who is perhaps the greatest Jaguars defender of all time, will retire a Jaguar today 

By Jordan de Lugo

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Rashean Mathis played in the NFL for 13 seasons, 10 of them with the Jaguars. He recorded a Jaguars record 30 interceptions in his time with the team. Mathis also holds Jaguars record for passes defended (104), defensive touchdowns (3), interception return yards (512), and is 5th all time in total tackles. In 2006 Rashean was named First Team All-Pro. He almost single handedly willed the Jaguars to a victory against the Steelers in Pittsburgh during the 2007 Playoffs, with 2 interceptions, one of which he returned all the way for a touchdown. He famously shut down the once "unstoppable" Chad Johnson, who claimed that not a single cornerback in the NFL could cover him. Rashean did a great many things for the Jaguars on the field, including being the most reliable defender in Jaguars history, but his story is what makes him one of the most memorable Jaguars of all time. 

Mathis grew up in Jacksonville and attended Englewood High School where he earned Second Team All-State in Football and also played baseball. Due to a broken leg, Mathis wasn't recruited highly by any of the big time schools in Florida, so he decided to move less than 100 miles down the road to Bethune Cookman University and play for the Bethune Cookman Wildcats football team. Mathis dominated the 1-AA ranks (FCS) earning the 1-AA defensive player of the year in 2002. In the spring of 2003 Mathis would return home to Jacksonville, being drafted by the Jags in the second round of the NFL Draft. Mathis had a truly wonderful career with the Jags and helped lead them to the playoffs twice. A hometown kid became a hometown legend. And while he excelled on the field, he was even better off the field. He was always willing to sign an autograph or take a picture and he did it with a big smile on his face.

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The fickle nature of football fans can be most unfortunate. Mathis' last couple years in Jacksonville were rough, partly due to a decline in his own skills and partly due to a lack of talent around Mathis, but in the end most fans wanted him gone. But, that is the nature of the business and now that Rashean is retiring most will remember him fondly and some will remember him as the greatest Jaguar defender of all time. 

Mathis will officially announce his retirement today at 1:30 pm. He will sign with the Jags on a one day contract. Some have speculated that Mathis will likely be the fourth member of the Pride of The Jaguars and could be inducted as soon as this season. The retirement press conference can be followed live on Jaguars.com.