Robert Mathis retired after 14 years coming off the edge as a pass rusher for the Colts, but he hasn’t cut all ties with the organization.
It’s quite the opposite, actually. Mathis has been a frequent presence at the Colts’ facility during their offseason work and is serving as an unofficial coach on the defensive side of the ball.
Defensive coordinator Ted Monachino said that Mathis spoke to him after the end of last season to ask what he could do to help the team in retirement, adding that it’s a positive “anytime you can learn from a master.”
“It’s fun to watch him grow as a coach,” Monachino said, via the Indianapolis Star. “It might be something he wants to do in his future. ... He does a nice job. He’s a good communicator, he’s sharp, he thinks ahead, he sees the game through a barn door instead of through a straw. So, I can see how he fits. I think he’s got a trait to [become a coach].”
The Colts defense can use all the help it can get to improve during the 2017 season. If Mathis’ insight aids in that effort, there may be an official role on the coaching staff in his future.