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Former NFL WR named Georgia high school football head coach

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby: Lawrence Fernandez04/02/26lawandfern

Players on a Georgia high school football team will gain much wisdom from their new head coach, who has NFL experience. Sara Tidwell of the Athens Banner-Herald reported that Athens Christian hired Terance Mathis to take over their football program.

Mathis played for Stone Mountain’s Redan High School before attending the University of New Mexico. He represented the Lobos in basketball and football, in which he became the school’s first Consensus All-American. Mathis also became the first NCAA player to have 200 receptions, 4,000 receiving yards, and 6,000 all-purpose yards.

The New York Jets selected Mathis in the sixth round of the 1990 NFL Draft. Four years later, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons and became a Second Team All-Pro member in his first year with his hometown team.

After playing eight seasons with the Falcons, Mathis spent one year with the Pittsburgh Steelers before retiring in 2002. The one-time Pro Bowler finished his career with 689 receptions for 8,809 yards and 63 touchdowns.

It won’t be the first time that Mathis will coach in Georgia high school football. After his playing career, he became the head coach at Pinecrest Academy. He coached the Paladins for three seasons, finishing with a 7-25 record.

Mathis’ coaching career included stints as offensive coordinator at Savannah State and as an assistant coach at Blessed Trinity High School and Fellowship Christian. He also coached Morehouse College to a 4-16 record in two seasons.

Terance Mathis will take over a team that finished the 2025 season at 4-6. The Eagles started by winning three of their first five games. Conversely, they lost four of their last five, including their season-ending defeat to Piedmont Academy. 

The Eagles’ best-ever finish was a second-round stint in the 2021 Georgia High School Association Class A Private playoffs. Three years later, they switched from the GHSA to the Georgia Independent Athletic Association.