Chris Matthews reflects on his journey from Foot Locker to Super Bowl heartbreak
Monday 2 February 2015 05:32, UK
Chris Matthews says defeat in Super Bowl XLIX is tough to take even though it was a dream for him just to be there in the first place.
The Seattle Seahawks wide receiver caught four passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in their 28-24 defeat by the New England Patriots in Glendale, and he would have been a viable candidate for MVP had they won.
But it was rookie Malcolm Butler who proved the hero instead as his late interception secured the Vince Lombardi Trophy for New England and took some gloss off Matthews' incredible story - Butler was beaten to the MVP award by quarterback Tom Brady.
Matthews' name was barely on the radar before the game but he proved to be Russell Wilson's chief target, hauling in a fine touchdown pass that would have been tough to catch for many star receivers.
But the 25-year-old's story is somewhat different to most of the players on show in Glendale, as he came into the game without a single NFL reception and only a year ago he was working in a store for American sports retailer Foot Locker.
Matthews took a call from Seattle last February but still had to be convinced by his agent to go and try out for the Seahawks on a day when he was due to finish his shift late in the evening.
He was eventually persuaded and, after Sunday's performance, the former Canadian Football League rookie of the year might still be able to build a decent NFL career.
But that will still not take away some of the pain of such a heart-breaking defeat in his professional coming out party.
"I don't care if I don't even have one pass, one yard, one tackle, it wouldn't have mattered to me as long as we had won the game." said Matthews, who had played only 26 offensive snaps this season before Sunday night.
"I would have been happy with a win with no stats."
Matthews had an idea he would be part of Wilson's game plan and he hopes to take his Super Bowl performance forward to next season if he gets more of a chance to play in the regular season.
"I just think the coaches prepared me in the best possible way they can in practice," Matthews added.
"They made sure that I was well prepared for what was to come, regardless of whether it was this year, next year or the year after that."
