Terance Mathis

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Mathis played college football for the New Mexico Lobos, earning consensus All-American honors in 1989. Selected in the 1990 NFL draft by the New York Jets, Mathis played the majority of his career with Atlanta. He last played in the NFL in 2002 with the Pittsburgh Steelers, then retired after the conclusion of the 2002 season. He is second in career two-point conversions with six, behind Marshall Faulk's seven. He is third in Falcons history in touchdown receptions (57), after runner-up Julio Jones (60) and first place Roddy White (63); and third in receiving yards (7,349), behind runner-up White (10,863) and first place Jones (12,896).

In Their Own Story

Off the field, Mathis has remained deeply connected to his roots and community. Born on June 7, 1967, he was raised by his mother Carole Mahone after his father died when he was just six months old. His mother's resilience became a defining family story; she beat breast cancer just two months before Mathis played in Super Bowl XXXIII. He and his wife Arnedia have a daughter named Terae and a son, Terance Jr., while also raising three other children: Sydney, Erik, and Vanessa. Notably, his children Sydney, Erik, and Vanessa appeared in the music video for Cherish's "Unappreciated."

Mathis founded the "Terance Loves Children" foundation in 1996 to support youth, an effort recognized when he was named the Atlanta Falcons' "Man of the Year" in 1998. His career has also extended beyond football into other ventures; in June 2005, he announced Victory Motorsports with drivers Carl Long and Morty Buckles, though the deal never fully materialized. He later served as Vice President of Marketing for Leavine Family Racing in 2013. On the coaching side, he began at Savannah State University in 2011, led Pinecrest Academy from 2017 until 2019, and returned to the collegiate level as Morehouse College's head coach starting February 2, 2024.

Reader's Guide

Mathis attended Redan High School in Stone Mountain, GA, and University of New Mexico, where he played both football and basketball. In 1989, he became New Mexico's first consensus All-American after setting a Division I record for most receiving yards. He also became the first player to have more than 250 receptions, 4,000 receiving yards, and 6,000 yards total. After being drafted by the Jets in the sixth round of the 1990 NFL Draft, he was used as a punt and kick returner. In 1994, he signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons. That season, he set a club record by catching 111 passes, becoming the eighth player in NFL history to exceed the 100-catch mark in one season. He played on the NFC Pro Bowl squad at the end of the season. In 1998, Mathis made his first post-season appearance for the Falcons, and made a three-yard touchdown catch in Super Bowl XXXIII. The following season, he passed Andre Rison as the club's all-time reception leader. After the 2001 season, he was released from the Falcons and signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After Pittsburgh chose not to re-sign him, he retired from the NFL.

Did You Know?

• Mathis is second in career two-point conversions with six, behind Marshall Faulk's seven.
• He is third in Falcons history in touchdown receptions (57), behind Julio Jones (60) and Roddy White (63).
• He is third in Falcons history in receiving yards (7,349), behind Roddy White (10,863) and Julio Jones (12,896).
• Mathis set a Division I record for most receiving yards in 1989.