Skilled Bayron Matos is making the most of his opportunity on the Dolphins’ practice squad, waiting for his moment to make NFL history
The offensive Dominican taxa Bill Mathfrom the practice squad Miami Dolphinsit is a double threat…Just as they read it.
Matos played professionally in two sports: American football and basketball. And baseball? Well, he also played it as a teenager in the Dominican Republic, though not at a professional level; His fastballs reached 90 miles per hour from the mound. Could he be a triple threat?
Dominican Bayron Matos — who is on the Dolphins’ practice squad — was part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) Class of 2024, which aims to increase the number of players from outside the US in the league. Miami Dolphins
he a native of Los Minas, Santo Domingo He thought his career would focus on basketball. He moved from his island home to Chattanooga, Tennessee to play and study at the age of 16, thanks to a scholarship. He went to the University of New Mexico and then transferred to the University of South Florida (USF)as a basketball player.
“The coaches that were there at USF told me that I should play football, that I have the body, the speed, the strength. And one day I went and tried it and I liked it,” Matos revealed , in an interview with ESPN.
He would train with the USF football team, but never even play in a game. Incidentally, the parents within his host family - whom he calls ‘Mum’ and ‘Dad’ - always told him that if he had been born in the United states, he would have played American football and not basketball.
After graduating, just in the 2022-23 season, Matos played as a power forward for the Miranda Devilin Caracas, in the Super League Professional Basketball from Venezuela.
While there, he got the call to try out for the program that would put him on the path to the NFL in 2024.
That’s why it undoubtedly qualifies as a double threat: professional basketball in Venezuela in 2023 and professional American football in the NFL in 2024. How many can dare the same thing? Not much.
Bayron Matos is a singular talent.
A diamond in the rough
Matos and his practice squad teammates must be ready in case they are called up to the active roster at any time.
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They have to learn all the same plays as the team, they travel with the team, they are treated as the same team, according to Matos.
But this rookie is in no rush to make the leap too soon, so he can get things right and be ready when his time comes.He is improving his skills day by day.
one thing that stood out about Matos’ performance during the International Player Pathway program this year was his ability to learn new skills quickly.
He emphasizes that while talent is essential, it is indeed nothing without dedication. “I try to put discipline in front, to make it like my shield,” he said in a preseason interview with some Hispanic media.
The Dominican native believes the only thing that surprised him and, to some extent, challenged him was the speed of NFL football. This is how he describes it, “In the blink of an eye, the drama happens.” His point of comparison is how little he knew about the collage game at US
However, Matos refrains from that challenge becoming an obstacle, especially since he says he has always had the support of the coaches and seniors on the team — such as Terron Armstead, Kendall Lamm, Isaiah Wynn — at all times.
Simultaneously occurring,outside the court,they share aspects of their respective cultures. For matos, he teaches them the music, dance and food of his country. Besides, he gives them “the energy and the vibe that we always have.”
Latin links
Matos is very proud to represent his Dominican and Latino identity in the NFL. “It’s nice, you know, for us to expose Latino culture in a sport that’s not seen much. It’s a very, very, very nice thing and I want it to continue to happen,” he says.
he was also very happy to learn that his colleague,the receiver Berrios Braxton originally from Puerto Rico. “He and I are the Latinos on the team. He’s from Puerto Rico and he’s nice. You know, we talk like that and we get along really well too.”
Although he has not met other Latin players, he knows very well the names of that fraternity in the League: Chile Sammis Reyes the Colombian-American Christian Gonzalez the Mexicans Isaac alarcon y Alfredo Gutierrez the Dominican-American Cesar Ruiz he suggested, “I heard about César. He’s proud, you know. He was born here in the United States, but with dominican roots.”
Likewise, it’s fitting for Matos to be based in the city of Miami, saying, “It’s always been my dream to play long in the League and learn more than I can give to the sport, you know, and also to be able to carry the sport to my country.
“It’s like my culture. There’s a lot of latin, the food is great and I like that it’s very hot. … And when I want to go home, I’m close; I’m right there.”
Go to your home,your beloved Dominican Republic,where the most significant support and encouragement is. “My dream is always that my mother feels proud of me,” said Matos in the preseason.
Date with history
Matos feels that he has a date with history.
No player born in the Dominican Republic has ever played in an NFL game. On the other hand,some players with Dominican roots have played in the NFL and played in games,such as Luis Castillo (san Diego Chargers,2005-2011) and César Ruiz (New Orleans Saints,2020-present).
Although Matos is the fourth player from Quisqueya to sign with an NFL team, he could still make history for his country. These are the dominicans who signed the Treaty before him:
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In 2013, linebacker Frank Beltré, born in Azua, became the first player born on that gorgeous island in the NFL; He spent time with the former San Diego Chargers (2013), the former Oakland Raiders (2014) and the New York Jets (2017).
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In 2015, guard Josué Matías – born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New Jersey from the age of six – signed with the Tennessee Titans. He spent his first season on the practice squad and was injured in 2016, missing that season. He was released in 2017 and retired in 2019.
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Last year, Santo Domingo-born catcher Daniel Arias, who played for the Colorado Buffaloes, was an undrafted free agent. The Arizona Cardinals signed him after Arias failed to make the 53-man roster in the 2023 draft, but Arizona signed him to their practice squad for nearly a month. The Kansas City Chiefs would sign him to their practice squad for 27 days. Arizona brought Arias back to its practice squad for 6 days and then 28 days last season. Although they signed him to a reserve/futures contract in January of this year, they released him in August. Arias remains a free agent today.
This year,Matos became the first player from the Dominican Republic in history to be selected for the International player Pathway (IPP),the program designed by the NFL in 2017 to increase the number of players in the League from outside the United States and Canada.
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Caribbean was already remarkable, running the 40-yard dash in 4.88 seconds, which would be the fastest time among offensive linemen at the NFL Combine.Despite his massive size at 6-foot-7 and 290 pounds (his weight is now listed at 330 pounds on the Dolphins’ website), he showed great hand-foot coordination as well as unique explosiveness.
Many thought, after his impressive performance at both the USF Pro Day and the IPP program, that Matos would make history as the first player born in the dominican Republic to be selected in the 2024 draft. But that was not the case.
But the Miami Dolphins approached matos with an offer to be their No. 1 player. 17 on the practice squad,the international spot exemption implemented at the start of this 2024 season for all teams.
Matos followed in the footsteps of three Latin American players who entered the NFL through the IPP program:
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Mexican offensive lineman Isaac Alarcón (2020), who spent three years on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad and is on the San Francisco 49ers practice squad this year;
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Chilean tight end Sammis Reyes (2021), who appeared in 11 games with the Washington Commanders in 2021 and, after a short layoff, signed with the Minnesota vikings practice squad;
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Mexican offensive tackle Alfredo Gutiérrez (2021), who recently moved from the Niners practice squad to his new role as franchise ambassador in Mexico.
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So far, Bayron Matos has accomplished everything he set out to do: play professional basketball and make it to the NFL.
For now, even though he would like to step on the field in a regular season game, he sees the practice squad as the perfect springboard to lead him there, “I’m very happy where I am, to do it. That was thank God, you know, for bringing me this far.” and (I will) continue to work.
“Keep working,as… I want to play more than 10 years in the league and I know that the time to be at the top is coming,” he says.
control and, of course, his talent — the same ones that made him a dual threat, professional star in two sports — will get Bayron Matos his horse wherever he wants to go.
PD Matos has another dream, which he stated in that preseason interview, ”I want the experience of living a Super Bowl and being able to win a Super Bowl”…
How is the NFL supporting diversity and inclusion for international players like Matos?
From international backgrounds in the league. Matos’ journey is truly unique, transitioning from a basketball player to aspiring to make a mark in professional American football, a sport he only started playing seriously in college.His dedication and rapid adaptation to the game have made him a standout in the IPP program, wich identifies and develops athletes from outside the United States for opportunities in the NFL.
Matos not only brings athletic talent but also cultural pride as he represents his Dominican heritage within the Dolphins organization.His experiences, both in basketball and football, have shaped him into a versatile athlete who understands the importance of hard work and discipline. In interviews, he has expressed his desire to pave the way for future Dominican players while also showcasing the richness of Latino culture through his interactions wiht teammates.
As the first Dominican player in the IPP, Matos has the potential to break barriers and inspire young athletes in his home country and beyond. His journey is a testament to the growing inclusivity in the sport and the NFL’s commitment to expanding its reach globally. Matos is not only aiming to fulfill his dreams but also to honor his roots and those who have supported him along the way.
