1. Matthew Retinai Asiata was born on July 24,1987 and is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League and Alliance of American Football.
32 Facts About Matt Asiata
1. 2.
Matt Asiata attended Hunter High School and played college football at Utah.
3.
Matt Asiata is tied with a number of other Vikings players for the franchise record of most rushing touchdowns in a single game at three.
4.
Matt Asiata achieved this feat three times; once in 2013 and twice during the 2014 season when he started nine games after Adrian Peterson was suspended.
5.
Matt Asiata was a member the state champion basketball team that same year.
6.
In 2006, his sophomore year, Matt Asiata set a new school record for single-season rushing yards with 1,494 despite missing one game with a hamstring injury.
7.
On December 11,2006, Matt Asiata committed to the University of Utah.
8.
Matt Asiata attended the University of Utah from 2007 to 2010, where he went on to become an All-Conference pick at running back.
9.
Matt Asiata finished his career with the Utes ranked third all-time at Utah with 24 career rushing touchdowns.
10.
Matt Asiata scored 26 total career touchdowns to tie for third all-time.
11.
Matt Asiata led the Utes in carries with 146, rushing with a career-high 707 yards and touchdowns with 12, which tied for second-best in the Mountain West Conference.
12.
Matt Asiata had 13 receptions for 111 yards and one touchdown and completed 2-of-3 passes out of the "Asiata Formation," with both completions going for touchdowns.
13.
Matt Asiata finished with 74 carries for 330 yards for an average of 82.5 yards per game and had nine receptions for 88 yards.
14.
Matt Asiata's 36 carries tied the fourth-best single-game total in school history.
15.
Matt Asiata was fourth on the team with 32 receptions for 195 yards and one touchdown.
16.
On July 27,2011, Matt Asiata signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent after the lockout ended and spent training camp and preseason with the team.
17.
On January 5,2012, Matt Asiata was re-signed by the team.
18.
At the start of the 2012 season, Matt Asiata earned a roster spot due to his special team's abilities and was named the third running back on the Vikings depth chart, beating out other running backs Jordan Todman and Lex Hilliard.
19.
Matt Asiata saw action mostly as a special teamer in all 16 regular-season games.
20.
Matt Asiata, while playing in 11 games and starting a game, finished the year with 44 carries for 166 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, while hauling in five passes for 13 yards and returning two kickoffs for 28 yards.
21.
Matt Asiata shared the backfield with rookie Jerick McKinnon, but he still set career-highs and led the team in rushing attempts with 164, rushing yards with 570, and rushing touchdowns with nine, which tied for the third-best mark in the league.
22.
In Week 4, Matt Asiata tied his own hat-trick record with three touchdowns against the weak Atlanta Falcons' defense.
23.
In 2015, Matt Asiata played in all 16 games for the second time in his career, and played in his second career playoff game.
24.
Matt Asiata finished the 2016 season with 121 carries for 402 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns to go with 32 receptions for 263 receiving yards in 16 games and six starts.
25.
On May 30,2017, Matt Asiata signed with the Detroit Lions.
26.
In 2018, Matt Asiata signed with the Salt Lake Stallions of the Alliance of American Football for the 2019 season.
27.
Matt Asiata's totals were 7 rushes for 10 yards and a touchdown.
28.
Matt Asiata was placed on injured reserve on March 12,2019.
29.
Matt Asiata is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints he is married to his high school sweetheart and has three sons and two daughters.
30.
Matt Asiata has a brother, Shawn, who played as a running back for the Utes, and a cousin, Isaac Asiata, who played as an offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills.
31.
Matt Asiata appears in the HBO series Game of Thrones as an extra in the 4th season.
32.
In 2020 Matt Asiata returned to football by way of coaching his oldest son Ephraim Matt Asiata at Herriman High School then joining Ephraim when transfer to his parents' alma mater in 2021.