Florida State wide receiver D.J. Matthews, who started nine games last season, has entered the NCAA's transfer portal as a graduate, coach Mike Norvell said Tuesday.
Matthews posted on Twitter later Tuesday, thanking FSU administration, coaches, teammates and fans for "believing in me" during the "wild ride" during his time with the Seminoles.
"This decision was a tough one but for the sake of my future and responsibilities as a man, I stand by my decision," Matthews said in the post.
Matthews last month said on Twitter that he had tested positive for COVID-19 before deleting the post. He also retweeted fellow Seminoles wide receiver Warren Thompson, who criticized how FSU was handling coronavirus protocols. Thompson later apologized.
Matthews, who has one year of eligibility remaining, had not been participating in team activities, although he's still listed on the Florida State roster. Norvell told reporters Sept. 4 that he had not spoken with Matthews "in a little while."
"At the end of the day, every time you go through transition, there's some things that fit better than others, and DJ's making a decision for his future," Norvell said Tuesday. "Fully support him in that decision."
The 5-foot-10, 154-pound Matthews recorded 36 receptions for 355 yards and three touchdowns last season. He started six games in 2018 and made 42 receptions for 382 yards and one touchdown.
Matthews excelled primarily on punt returns, ranking 10th in team history with 582 punt return yards. He entered the season ranked eighth among active FBS players with an average of 10.4 yards per return.
ESPN's Andrea Adelson contributed to this report.
