Spartans In the NFL: Wayne Matthews III Earns Chicago Bears Contract

On Monday, Spartan linebacker Wayne Matthews III proved his rookie minicamp tryout was worth it. The two-year starter with Michigan State football parlayed his minicamp invite into an NFL contract, signing an undrafted free agent contract with the Chicago Bears. Matthews III becomes the next member of the Spartans in the NFL.

Wayne Matthews III Earned This

Matthews III was a member of Jonathan Smith’s first transfer portal class, with the linebacker transferring from Old Dominion after an eye-popping 135 tackle season. It was enough to garner the interest of Jonathan Smith and Joe Rossi, bringing him in during the December portal cycle.

However, Matthews III was not assured a starting role, and found himself coming off the bench during his first campaign in East Lansing. Fellow transfer linebacker Jordan Turner was the primary linebacker for the Spartans, with senior Cal Haladay being the other linebacker eating up snaps.

Worse yet for Matthews, he suffered an upper body injury that forced him to miss the final three games of the season, finishing his campaign with 33 tackles, a drop off over 100 tackles from his last season with the Monarchs.

Haladay and Turner each graduated after 2024, with Turner pursuing a pro career that led into his pro debut with the Denver Broncos during the 2025 NFL season. That paved the way for Wayne Matthews III and Jordan Hall to become the starting linebackers for 2025.

Matthews III was ready for the role, putting up 73 tackles with 4.5 for loss, along with his first career interception, during the season. There was a brief scare with injury during the season, as he suffered an injury against USC that required him to be transported to the hospital mid-game. However, he bounced back and was able to play against Nebraska in the next contest.

Matthews closed out his time in East Lansing with 106 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and an interception in 21 games. While that and his Pro Day numbers were not enough to convince a team to draft him or give him an assured contract, he impressed the Bears brass enough to get a real shot at the NFL.

What Other 2025 Michigan State Football Players are in the NFL?

Matthews III reunites with his teammate from 2025, Omari Kelly, with Chicago. Another set of his teammates are with Washington, as Malik Spencer and sixth-round pick Matt Gulbin reside in the nation’s capital. Ryan Eckley was taken in the sixth round by Baltimore, and Quindarius Dunnigan was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars after the draft concluded. Rounding out the Spartans in the NFL from the 2025 crop is Jack Velling, who signed with Atlanta minutes after the NFL Draft ended.