Ex-Bomber Matthews shines

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This article was published 02/02/2015 (4143 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Legendary broadcaster Al Michaels may have been scrambling for background on Chris Matthews Sunday night, but most of Winnipeg and CFL fans across Canada already had their details on the big wideout down cold.

Matthews, who was named CFL rookie of the year in 2012 for his fine work with the Blue Bombers, exploded in Sunday’s Super Bowl and instantly became a known name in the football world.

The Seattle Seahawks rookie receiver was on the verge of winning a world championship and very likely being named the game’s MVP before it all unravelled in the final seconds of a 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots.

While NBC’s broadcast team of Michaels and Cris Collinsworth sent producers hunting for background on the 6-5 receiver out of Long Beach, Calif., folks in Winnipeg and all across Canada spent the night spouting his stats. Matthews was trending on Twitter before the first half ended and was the focus of a social media MVP poll conducted by ESPN.

Matthews left the Bombers less than a year ago to chase his NFL dream, signing for the first time with the Seahawks on Feb. 18 of 2014. After a solid training camp he thought he’d made it but got caught up in a numbers game and found himself bouncing on and off Seattle’s roster.

Matthews took jobs working at a Foot Locker and as a security guard while the Seahawks took their time making up their mind on his talents.

The Seahawks released him on Aug. 30 but signed him to the practice squad the next day. He was released from the practice squad on Sept. 3 and re-signed on Oct. 29; released on Nov. 4 and re-signed Nov. 18.

Finally on Dec. 6, Matthews was named to the active roster and took part in five games down the stretch. He didn’t touch the ball in an NFL game until the NFC Championship game when he recovered an on-side kick which led to the Seahawks’ comeback win over the Green Bay Packers.

Then came the Super Bowl and a night of revelation as he caught four passes for 109 yards and one touchdown.

“Winning would have been sweet. I wasn’t worried about myself. I was worried about my team. Trying to do little things or whatever I could to help my team and to be a team player,” said Matthews, 25. “I’m not a selfish player. I don’t care if I had caught one pass or made one tackle. If we had won, and I could have had even the smallest of influence on the game, that would be what I would want.”

When told of the buzz that started building in Winnipeg after he caught a 45-yard pass on Seattle’s first scoring drive of the game, Matthews tipped his hat to his old team and league.

“Canada treated me right. I have great love for Canada. For all the people that helped me up there. Coach (Markus) Howell and coach (Gary) Crowton. They did a lot to help me out,” said Matthews, who caught 81 passes for 1,192 yards and seven touchdowns in his rookie CFL season.

Not surprised by Matthews having success on the biggest of all football stages was Blue Bombers receivers coach Howell.

‘I wasn’t worried about myself. I was worried about my team. Trying to do little things or whatever I could to help my team and to be a team player’

–Chris Matthews

“One of the things Chris could do, even when he first got to us in Winnipeg as a rookie, was get off the ball,” said Howell, reached by phone during last night’s game. “He’s 6-5 and he knows how to use his body. If you try to jam him, he usually leaves you behind. The window for a catch is so small in the NFL. You have to be able to go up and snag the ball out of the sky and Chris can do that. He’s got big mitts and he’s physical. He’ll take the ball out of the window.”

Matthews won’t be immediately cashing in on his newfound success, as he has one more year on a two-year contract and will earn $510,000 next season.

Matthews’ Super Bowl performance has put him on the NFL map. He won’t have to scrape to get a crack on a practice roster and will very likely have a roster spot to lose when camp opens this summer.

And if the Seahawks decide he’s not in their plans, well, he’s got some game tape to pass around.

Super Bowl style.

Gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @garylawless