1. Matthew Albert Blair was an American professional football linebacker who played for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League for all 12 seasons of his career from 1974 to 1985.
16 Facts About Matt Blair
1. 2.
Matt Blair was recruited by Cincinnati but his academics were not up to standard so he enrolled at Northeast Oklahoma Junior College.
3.
Matt Blair was able to earn a half scholarship through football but had to join the basketball team to receive his other half scholarship.
4.
Matt Blair was recruited by Florida, Florida State, Alabama, and Iowa State, among others.
5.
Matt Blair was a member of ISU's 1971 Sun Bowl team and was named the bowl's most outstanding defensive player despite ISU's loss.
6.
Matt Blair earned All-America honors, tallying 77 tackles, one interception and three fumble recoveries.
7.
Matt Blair was invited to play in the Hula Bowl, East-West Shrine Game, and the Senior Bowl.
8.
Matt Blair was a selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 1974 NFL draft with the 51st overall selection.
9.
Matt Blair quickly established himself as one of the top and speediest linebackers in the NFC, earning Pro Bowl honors for 6 consecutive seasons and making the NFL All-Rookie Team.
10.
Matt Blair was an exceptional special teams player, particularly in blocking punts because of his great speed and timing abilities.
11.
Matt Blair is third in NFL history with 20 blocked kicks.
12.
Matt Blair appeared in two Super Bowls with the Vikings, Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl XI, and both were losses respectively to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders.
13.
Matt Blair started for the Vikings his rookie season replacing the injured Roy Winston.
14.
Matt Blair participated in special teams play in Super Bowl IX, blocking Bobby Walden's punt, recovered by Terry Brown in the endzone, the Vikings' only points all day, as they missed the extra point.
15.
Matt Blair recovered five fumbles and intercepted two passes from his linebacker position with Jeff Siemon in the middle and Wally Hilgenberg on the opposite side.
16.
Matt Blair said that he was told by his neurologist that the symptoms were likely the result of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease linked to concussions.