Matthews, 27, re-joined his offseason teammates on the practice field on Thursday. The receiver was initially signed on March 14 but was part of the team's 53-player roster cutdown before the start of the regular season.
"Jordan was one of the first guys that came up to me in the offseason, kind of wanted to learn the intricacies of the offense and everything, and how it's all tied together," quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo told reporters on Thursday. "Just his work ethic is incredible. There's not many guys that have been around like that, so it's great to have a guy like that back."
RELATED
The Philadelphia Eagles made Matthews a second-round selection out of Vanderbilt in 2014. He registered 20 receptions for 300 yards with two touchdowns through 14 games and three starts with the Eagles in 2018.
The 49ers now have two receivers on injured reserve. They are Trent Taylor (foot) and Jalen Hurd (back).
"You'd like to always have six receivers up because you usually take five into game day, and Jordan was a guy who was extremely close to making our team," Shanahan said on Thursday. "We knew if those guys didn't come back, he'd be the next man up."
Matthews has caught 270 passes for 3,255 yards with 22 touchdowns through his five NFL seasons. He also spent time with the Buffalo Bills during his professional career.
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers officially announce 2026 NFL Mexico City game at Estadio Banorte
The San Francisco 49ers have officially announced they will play a regular-season game in Mexico City during the 2026 NFL season, continuing the league's international expansion efforts. News of the 49ers serving as the designated home team for the international matchup was... -
49ers draft buzz: Daniel Jeremiah identifies pass rushers, WR targets for San Francisco
With the 2026 NFL Draft approaching, Daniel Jeremiah offered insight into how the San Francisco 49ers could address two of their most pressing offseason needs: pass rusher and wide receiver. The longtime NFL Draft analyst held his annual pre-Combine conference call ahead of... -
Barnwell proposes Mac Jones trade the 49ers might not be able to refuse
The San Francisco 49ers have consistently maintained that Mac Jones remains part of their plans for the 2026 NFL season. The veteran quarterback signed a two-year deal last offseason, keeping him under contract through 2026 and out of free agency until 2027. That means any... -
Where 49ers QB Brock Purdy landed in PFF's top 101 players of 2025
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy appeared in just nine games during the 2025 NFL season, missing eight contests due to a turf toe injury suffered in Week 1. Still, the former final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft did more than enough to earn recognition from Pro Football...