Matthews then signed with the Seattle Seahawks where he recovered a critical onside kick during the 2014 NFC Championship Game, and caught four passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl XLIX.

He intended to enroll at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to play college football for the UCLA Bruins football team, but was academically ineligible to play for a school in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

[10] Matthews signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the 2012 season.

[4] While Matthews was working as a security guard, he received a phone call from a member of the Seattle Seahawks inviting him to try out for them that night.

[4] In Super Bowl XLIX against the New England Patriots, Matthews caught his first NFL career catch, a 44-yard pass from Russell Wilson.

[19] For his performance he received consideration for Super Bowl MVP honors which was ultimately won by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

I didn’t want to go back to that life.”[20] After being released by the Seahawks, Matthews was signed to the Baltimore Ravens practice squad on November 23, 2015.

[25] On April 7, 2016, Matthews signed his exclusive rights free agent tender to remain with the Ravens.

[30] According to Sports Illustrated, Matthews was a "heartwarming story, a guy who’d gone from hiding in plain sight to the cusp of Super Bowl history to the unemployment line, in less than a calendar year".

[31] With the Calgary Stampeders winning the Grey Cup, Matthews became a crucial pickup making 12 receptions for 252 yards in four remaining regular season games.

[32] In two playoff games, Matthews contributed seven catches for 98 yards en route to winning the Grey Cup.

[37] Matthews played in five games in the second half of the season, and helped Montreal secure its first playoff berth since 2015, by catching nine passes for 139 yards and three touchdowns.