Longhorns remember Al Matthews, the first Black coach in Texas history

Al Matthews made history by joining Darrell K. Royal’s Texas Longhorns football staff in the early 1970s.

In 1972, Al Matthews made history as the first Black coach in University of Texas athletics when he became part of Darrell K. Royal’s coaching staff. The news of Matthews’ passing on Tuesday, March 11, deeply saddened Longhorn fans, who mourned the loss of this trailblazing figure.

The Texas football program confirmed his death on Tuesday evening. Matthews, a former Longhorn assistant coach, passed away at the age of 77.

Matthews became part of Royal’s team while still an active NFL player for the Green Bay Packers, working with the Longhorns during the spring before the 1972 and 1973 seasons.

He played college football for Texas A&I, now known as Texas A&M–Kingsville, before being selected by the Packers in the second round of the 1970 NFL Draft. Matthews spent five years with the Packers before joining the Seattle Seahawks in 1976, and later the San Francisco 49ers in 1977.

The former Texas assistant coach was inducted into the Javelina Hall of Fame in 1985 by the Texas A&M-Kingsville program, two years after Royal was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Royal coached the Longhorns for nearly 20 years (1957-1976), achieving an impressive 167 wins against only 47 losses. He led Texas to three national championships and claimed 11 Southwest Conference titles. Matthews contributed to two of those championship seasons (1972 & 1973).

Born and raised in Austin, Matthews attended Stephen F. Austin High School, just a short distance from the Longhorns’ home stadium, which is now named Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in honor of the legendary coach.