Catholic football coach Steve Matthews resigns days after arrest on DUI, drug charges

Steve Matthews resigned as Knoxville Catholic's football coach, the school announced in a news release Monday evening. Matthews had been arrested on drunken driving and drug possession charges. Matthews, 50, coached at Catholic for eight seasons, winning two state championships. 

"We are grateful for the years of service that Steve has give Knoxville Catholic High School," Knoxville Catholic president Dickie Sompayrac said in a statement announcing the resignation. "He's a championship caliber coach and we regret that his tenure at KCHS has ended this way. We respect Steve's decision and we will pray for him and his family as he moves ahead." 

Matthews had previously been arrested for DUI in Tennessee. In 2011, Matthews pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in Rutherford County, according to court records. He received a suspended sentence of 11 months and 29 days and paid court costs. 

On April 1, a Knoxville Police Department officer stopped Matthews for failing to stay in his lane at Maloney Road and Alcoa Highway, according to an arrest warrant. The officer noticed an "open can of Smirnoff Ice Smash Screwdriver in the back pocket of the front passenger seat," officer Delsean Griffith wrote in the warrant. 

The officer reported he asked Matthews to step out of the car and noticed he smelled of alcohol and appeared unsteady on his feet. Matthews initially told the officer he had had five to six beers, but then said he had had three to four beers when asked again, the warrant said. 

Police searched his car and reported finding a plastic bag containing seven pills identified as "acetaminophen and hydrocodone bitartrate, a Schedule 2 prescription narcotic," according to the arrest warrant.

Matthews told police he "believes he has a prescription but could not provide proof at the time of the stop," the warrant reads.

Matthews refused to perform sobriety tests and was taken into custody. He was released from jail the next morning, records show. 

Matthews was hired at Catholic in December 2012. He previously served as the offensive coordinator at Siegel in Murfreesboro for three seasons. After eight seasons at Catholic, his record was 74-28, including state championship wins in 2015 and 2017.

Matthews was a quarterback at Tennessee for one season, in 1990, before transferring to Memphis. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent three seasons with the Chiefs and then played one season each with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans.