Bill Mathis

Infobox Pro Football player


Color=green
fontcolor=white
DateOfBirth=Birth date and age|1938|12|10|mf=y
Birthplace=Rocky Mount, NC
DateOfDeath=
Jersey=31
Position=Running Back
College=Clemson
AFLDraftedYear=1960
AFLDraftedRound= : Free Agent
DatabaseFootball=MATHIBIL01
PFR=MathBi00
Honors=American Football League
Champion,
World Champion, 1968
Awards=
Records
years=1960-1962
1963-1969
teams=AFL New York Titans
AFL New York Jets
TSNAllAFL=1961
AFLAllStar=1961, 1963
HOF=

Bill Mathis (born December 10, 1938 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina [ [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MathBi00.htm Bill Mathis Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com ] ] ) was an American college and professional football player. A halfback, he is in the Clemson University Hall of Fame, South Carolina Hall of Fame, and the Georgia Hall of Fame. He started his professional career with the American Football League's New York Titans, and played his entire career with the AFL's New York franchise. One of four Titans who remained with the New York Jets to play in and win a World Championship game, Mathis led the American Football League in carries in 1961 and was selected by his peers to the Sporting News 1961 AFL All-League team. He was an AFL Eastern Division All-Star in 1961 and 1963. Mathis had a collarbone broken in the third game of 1961, against the Boston Patriots. He played in the next game, and in fact in all the remaining games of the season.

That persistence allowed him to gain a roster spot year after year, and end his career in 1969 as a member of the World Champion Jets. He is one of twenty players who were in the AFL for its entire ten year existence, and seven players who played their entire AFL careers for one franchise.

ee also

*Other American Football League players

References

External links

* [http://www.conigliofamily.com/TitansJets.htm#jersey Mathis' jersey from his 1961 injury]