PM #72

Phidarian Mathis

Defensive Tackle · Alabama

Phidarian Mathis was a second-round pick and Alabama national champion whose career stalled with injuries before he found a new home on Buffalo's roster.

Phidarian Mathis arrived in the NFL as a well-regarded Alabama defensive tackle with a national championship pedigree, but a rookie-year meniscus tear derailed his early trajectory in Washington. After stops with the Jets and a run through the Bills' practice squad, he re-signed with Buffalo in 2026 looking to carve out a steadier role.

★ 2020 national champion with Alabama

★ Second-team All-America and second-team All-SEC, Alabama

★ Second-round pick, 2022 NFL Draft (No. 47 overall)

Path to the league

Mathis redshirted his freshman year at Alabama before playing in all 15 games as a redshirt freshman and earning SEC All-Freshman team honors. He was part of Alabama's 2020 national championship team, finishing his college career with 129 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks, and earning second-team All-America and second-team All-SEC recognition. The Washington Commanders selected him in the second round, 47th overall, of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Career highlights

Mathis tore his meniscus in his first game as a rookie, ending his 2022 season before it truly began, and he never fully established himself as a full-time starter in Washington. He was later waived by the Commanders, claimed by the New York Jets, and released before their third preseason game.

2025 season recap

Mathis signed with the Buffalo Bills' practice squad on September 10, 2025, was elevated to the active roster twice during the season, and officially joined the 53-man roster on November 5. He re-signed with Buffalo on a one-year contract in February 2026, looking to build on his limited but growing role in the Bills' defensive line rotation.