Nobody can dispute that during his 10 seasons in a Jaguars’ uniform, Rashean Mathis was the consummate professional on and off the field.
He never shied away from accountability when the pass defense struggled and was one of the most impactful players during the franchise’s last quality run from 2004-07. The Jacksonville native, an Englewood High product, also had one of the most exemplary records when it came to volunteering for community service.
But now that Mathis has officially retired from the NFL – ending Wednesday by signing a one-day contract with the team that drafted him in 2003 – the question remains how exactly to define a playing career that was much better on the front end of his time in Jacksonville than on the back end.