Report: Cal DB Matthew Littlejohn Withdraws from Transfer Portal

Littlejohn was Cal's starting nickel back the past two seasons, and apparently he will be back with the Bears in 2025
Matthew Littlejohn
Matthew Littlejohn / Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Cal defensive back Matthew Littlejohn announced on January 3 that he had entered the transfer portal, but On3 reported on Tuesday that Littlejohn has withdrawn from the portal and will stay at Cal.

This is a rare move but a significant one for Cal, assuming the report is accurate. Littlejohn has been the Bears starting nickel back each of the past two seasons since joining to Cal program. He was listed as a senior this season, but Littlejohn spent two years at junior college before coming to Cal, and a recent NCAA ruling gives an additional year of eligibility to junior college transfers.

Littlejohn, who is from San Antonio, Texas, played two seasons at Citrus (Junior) College before transferring to Cal before the 2023 season.

In 2023, Littlejohn started nine games and had 42 tackles and one interception.

His 2024 season was practically ruined by injuries. He was Cal's starting nickel back in the 2024 opener against UC Davis, but Littlejohn then missed the next six games because of injury. He returned in time to play in the final six games of the season, and he started four of those six games.

The 6-foot, 190-pound Littlejohn started the Bears' final three games of the 2024 season, and he finished the season with 15 tackles and three pass breakups.

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Jake Curtis
JAKE CURTIS

Jake Curtis worked in the San Francisco Chronicle sports department for 27 years, covering virtually every sport, including numerous Final Fours, several college football national championship games, an NBA Finals, world championship boxing matches and a World Cup. He was a Cal beat writer for many of those years, and won awards for his feature stories.