Former Fresno State football player is on ‘The Bachelorette.’ He’s getting a lot of TV time
A former Fresno State football player is a contestant on the latest season of “The Bachelorette” — and he’s quickly becoming a show favorite.
Rodney Mathews came to Fresno State when Derek Carr was quarterback, suiting up for the Bulldogs from 2013-2014.
Injuries limited Mathews’ impact at Fresno State.
But the Rancho Cucamonga native has been shining on TV, with Mathews showing off his humble, fun and easy-going personality.
Mathews was among 30 original contestants selected to compete for the love of featured Bachelorette Michelle Young on the reality show.
In fact, after three aired episodes of Season 18, Mathews, in football talk, is just past the 50-yard line.
The 29-year-old sales rep is one of 14 suitors still in contention for the “final rose” from Young, a 28-year-old kindergarten teacher from Minnesota who is a former college athlete herself as a basketball player at Bradley University.
Mathews received a good amount of camera time in each of the three episodes to air so far.
And in the latest episode (Week 3), Mathews got a bit of the spotlight.
During his one-on-one date with Young, Mathews shared his fears and a little of his upbringing. He also showed his playful side while running around naked (censored, of course) during one scene.
“Last night was definitely a night I’ll never forget,” Mathews posted on his Instagram account. “I’m so thankful for moments like this and excited to continue moving forward in this journey.”
At Fresno State, Mathews arrived during the spring of 2013 as a junior college transfer who was expected to contribute immediately.
The 2013 Bulldogs team that would go down as one of the best in program history, led by future NFL players Carr and receiver Davante Adams.
Mathews suffered a season-ending knee injury two games into the season. When he returned the following year, Mathews played in only one more game in his career.
Still, his time with the Bulldogs might’ve prepared him to be a contestant on “The Bachelorette.”
When contacted by The Bee, Mathews said he would not be able to comment until after the entire season finished airing.
But on an official “Bachelor Nation” podcast, Mathews talked about how he wasn’t nervous during filming, and actually was comfortable competing and being around a lot of other guys.
“Growing up and I’m in the locker room my entire life,” Mathews said. “I played football in college ... a 100 guys in each locker room. I’m used to being around the guys. Bringing my energy. Still laughing, joking around, whatever it may be.
“I was very excited to be in the environment and just say ‘I know I can do this.’ And I can try to find a way to shine as much as possible.”
This story was originally published November 6, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
