It’s not every day that we get served up with what we want. Actually, it’s hardly ever… But when coaches like Dan Reeves and Bill Cowher as the Falcons legend Terance Mathis—not once, but twice—if he would retire early and become a coach. Guess what he said? His answer was a resounding: NO! Not the right time. During an EssentiallySports exclusive with the Behind the Mask podcast, Mathis opened up about his regrets and the road that eventually led him to coaching. So, what changed his mind? Let’s hear it in his own words.

Mathis didn’t hold back when reflecting on those early offers. “My 12th year in Atlanta [Falcons], my exit meeting with Dan Reeves… he said, ‘You’d be a fine coach. I want you on my staff.’ But I told him, ‘Coach, I want to play another year.’” It was not just because of his leadership that he was being asked to join the sidelines, but also because the Falcons wanted to do cost-cutting. And Mathis understood.

So, he packed his bags and moved to Pittsburgh in search of snaps. But the offer to ‘join the staff’ did not die. Bill Cowher echoed the same sentiment: “I think you’d be a hell of a coach.” Again, Mathis passed. Why? He simply wasn’t ready for those sleepless 3 a.m. game-planning sessions. “I wasn’t about that life at 34,” he admitted.

It wasn’t until 2011, nearly a decade after hanging up his cleats, that Mathis took the plunge into coaching. His first gig? Offensive coordinator at Savannah State. From there, he worked his way up, landing at Morehouse College in 2024 as the head coach. So, why Morehouse? For Mathis, it’s not about Division II labels. “I don’t look at it as an HBCU Division-2 program. It’s college football, and that’s how we go about business,” he said. Passion clearly drives the man.

His journey hasn’t been a straight shot. From working in NASCAR to stints at high school programs like Pinecrest Academy, Mathis has taken the scenic route to where he is now. Along the way, he’s emphasized execution and consistency—two things he believes will help Morehouse improve, despite a rocky 0–2 start to the 2024 season.

Terance Mathis may be new to the role, but his resume speaks volumes… Yeah, you surely never sleep on a man who was part of the Dirty Birds era? Do you?

Terance Mathis: The dirtiest of the Dirty Bird!

Let’s rewind to 1998—a year when the fanatics remembered the Falcon, not the birds, but the Dirty Birds. They had swagger about them, like no other franchise. The iconic Dirty Bird dance followed each TD. And Terance Mathis? Oh, he was right there. Catching passes like he had glue on his palms—he might’ve had, who knows? No one really checked it. Guess that escape, led him to become a Pro Bowl wide receiver and ATL legend.

And he was not really under center, but in the thick of it, as one of the faces of a squad that was at the peak of its powers. The Falcons really pulled a heist. Close, yet so far. They came this close to bringing home a Lombardi Trophy. So, you can understand why he did not want any part of the coaching. I mean, why would he?

Mathis was part of a Falcons team that turned heads. Under Dan Reeves, a no-nonsense coach who knew how to win, the Falcons defied all odds in 1998. The NFC Championship game? Pure drama. Minnesota was 15-1, seemingly unbeatable. But when Gary Anderson missed a field goal, Mathis stepped up. With 49 seconds left, he caught a clutch touchdown pass from Chris Chandler to tie the game. Overtime came, and the Falcons flew to victory thanks to Morten Andersen’s legendary kick. It was a moment for the ages—Reeves and the team breaking out the Dirty Bird dance on the stage. Ah! The nostalgia…

But that was then, and he is mature now. Fast forward to now, and Mathis is all about shaping young talent. He’s traded touchdowns for teaching moments as the head coach at Morehouse College. And hell no, we would not say that it came naturally to him. As you read above, speaking on the ES exclusive collab with the BTM podcast, Mathis revealed the reasons why he shrugged off Reeves and Cowher’s tempting offers.

But ever since 2011, he has not looked back. Been more than a decade now. What has kept him going? Well, this one motto: “When you have a passion for what you do, it doesn’t matter where it is,” he concluded during the exclusive chat. At least, it’s clear that Mathis isn’t one to dwell on missed chances.

So, is it too late for Terance Mathis to make his mark as a coach? Not a chance. Sure, he had better opportunities lined up for him, as he recalled. But, come on, you can’t blame him for being the dirtiest of the Dirty Birds.