Rishard Matthews says touchdown salute honored brother killed in Afghanistan
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews saluted in the end zone on Sunday after catching a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers. This week, he said that gesture was meant to honor America's veterans, including his late brother, Christopher Ruiz.
"You could say [my brother is] a key to all my success so far," Matthews told ESPN Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. "That I got in the end zone and did that, it was just a sign to him watching down..."
Ruiz was a Marine who served in Iraq. He died in a transport plane crash last October while serving as a private defense contractor in Afghanistan.
"It's just normal, you think people are going over there and coming back and then you get the news he's not coming back," Matthews said, according to Kuharsky.
Matthews honored his brother in an Instagram post earlier this week.
On the season, Matthews has 36 catches for 483 yards and leads the team with six receiving touchdowns.
-Ryan Fish
