Meet the Newest New England Patriot: Mathew Sexton

The New England Patriots have signed free agent wide receiver Mathew Sexton to their practice squad. Sexton was one of the 13 players at tryouts in Foxboro on Tuesday. At 5-foot-11, 176 pounds, Sexton is not big, but he is quick. He has yet to play in an NFL game, though New England will be the fourth franchise he has spent time with.

Sexton played college football at Eastern Michigan. In four years he caught 100 passes for 1,335 yards and nine touchdowns. Sexton only got two opportunities to return punts in college.. This is surprising because of how successful his attempts were. As a sophomore he returned one punt, and took it for 27 yards. As a senior he got his only other punt return opportunity, and returned it for a 50-yard touchdown.

Mathew Sexton was a teammate at Eastern Michigan of Patriots rookies Sidy Sow and Chad Ryland.

Nobody selected Sexton in the 2020 NFL Draft. His next football stop was playing in the NFL Spring League. He got to show off his return skills in the Spring League. He participated in the Michigan State Pro Day in 2021. There he posted an impressive 40-yard dash in the low 4.3’s that got scouts attention. Sexton worked out for the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills, before ultimately signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Former Eastern Michigan WR Mathew Sexton is signing with the #Steelers, source said, after blazing a low-4.3s 40 at Michigan State pro day last week. Undrafted in 2020, Sexton flashed return skills in The Spring League. #Bills, #Patriots worked him out too, but he’s headed to PIT pic.twitter.com/t3o0sRn6Hd

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 31, 2021

Sexton impressed in the 2021 preseason with the Steelers returning punts. However, he also muffed an attempt in the final preseason game, and the return specialist job in Pittsburgh went to Ray-Ray McCloud. On Jan. 11, 2022, the Kansas City Chiefs signed Mathew Sexton to a future deal. However, he ended up on IR with an undisclosed injury. Kansas City cut him on June 16, 2022 with an injury settlement.

The next stop for Sexton was the Vegas Vipers of the XFL. Again, Sexton impressed with his return skills, while also contributing as a wide receiver. This earned him a workout with the Atlanta Falcons on Aug. 3, 2023. He stayed with the Falcons throughout preseason, and was later signed to their practice squad. However Atlanta cut him on Sept. 18, 2023.

With Demario Douglas injured and currently in concussion protocol, Sexton becomes a replacement option at punt returner. Primary kickoff returner Ty Montgomery also missed Wednesday’s Patriots practice due to illness. So, Mathew Sexton could be given an opportunity to make his NFL debut and contribute right away.