Matt Bryant played college football for the Baylor Bears, and was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the AFL's Iowa Barnstormers in 2000.
40 Facts About Matt Bryant
2.
Matt Bryant played football and baseball at Bridge City High School in Bridge City, Texas, and holds the record for the longest field goal.
3.
Matt Bryant then signed with Oregon State University and later transferred to Baylor University, where he played in the 1997 and 1998 seasons and ranks seventh in the all-time scoring list with 105 points.
4.
Matt Bryant set the school record with a 100 percent success rate when he made 42-of-42 extra points.
5.
Matt Bryant was named to the 1990s Baylor All-Decade Team following his collegiate career.
6.
On January 9,2002, Matt Bryant signed with the NFL's New York Giants, who allocated him to the NFL Europe's Berlin Thunder on March 15.
7.
Matt Bryant never played for either NFL Europe team due to a quadriceps injury.
8.
In Week 3, against the Seattle Seahawks, Matt Bryant was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
9.
Matt Bryant converted 30-of-32 extra point attempts and 26-of-32 field goal attempts in his rookie season.
10.
Matt Bryant returned to the team in Week 11 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
11.
On July 30,2004, Matt Bryant was cut by new coach Tom Coughlin.
12.
Matt Bryant signed with the Dallas Cowboys on August 17,2004, and was cut on September 5,2004.
13.
Matt Bryant later played one week with the Indianapolis Colts and then three weeks with the Miami Dolphins.
14.
Matt Bryant was signed as a free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prior to the 2005 season.
15.
In Week 4, against the Green Bay Packers, Matt Bryant earned his fourth career NFC Special Teams Player of the Week nomination.
16.
On September 5,2009, the Buccaneers released Matt Bryant and replaced him with Mike Nugent.
17.
Matt Bryant was signed by the Atlanta Falcons on December 1,2009, to replace veteran Jason Elam.
18.
In Week 4, against the San Francisco 49ers, Matt Bryant earned his fifth career NFC Special Teams Player of the Week nomination.
19.
Matt Bryant finished a then career-best third in the league in scoring with 143 points scored.
20.
One highlight in the season for Matt Bryant was in Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills.
21.
Matt Bryant made two extra points which pushed him over the 600 point mark, making him the second player in Atlanta Falcon history to reach 600 points.
22.
In recognition of his successful 2014 season, Matt Bryant was named to Pro Football Focus's First-team.
23.
On September 14,2015, Matt Bryant kicked a game-winning 47-yard field goal in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.
24.
On October 11,2015, in Week 5, Matt Bryant only connected on two of his four field goal attempts against the Washington Redskins.
25.
On October 15,2015, in Week 6, Matt Bryant connected on all three of his extra point attempts against the New Orleans Saints, becoming the second player in franchise history to eclipse 700-career points joining kicker Morten Andersen.
26.
On December 11,2015, Matt Bryant was placed on injured reserve with a quad injury.
27.
Matt Bryant appeared in his first career Super Bowl in Super Bowl LI against the New England Patriots.
28.
Matt Bryant became the third-oldest player in NFL history to appear in a Super Bowl, behind Matt Stover and Jeff Feagles.
29.
Matt Bryant converted all four of his extra point attempts in the Super Bowl.
30.
In recognition of his successful season, Matt Bryant earned a Pro Bowl nomination for the first time in his career and Pro Football Focus named him to their Second-team.
31.
On March 5,2018, Matt Bryant signed a three-year contract extension with the Falcons through the 2020 season.
32.
Matt Bryant was forced to sit out the next week's game against the New York Giants.
33.
Matt Bryant finished the 2018 season converting 33 of 35 extra point attempts and 20 of 21 field goal attempts.
34.
On February 6,2019, Matt Bryant was released by the Falcons after ten seasons.
35.
Matt Bryant finished the 2019 season converting 14 of 15 extra point attempts and nine of 14 field goal attempts.
36.
Matt Bryant participated in 2002 United Way Hometown Huddle by conducting a football clinic at the Highbridge Center for members of Alianza Dominicana, a local United Way agency that services families in Washington Heights.
37.
Matt Bryant visited the Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point to participate in the Foundation for Hospital Art's Paintfest 2003.
38.
Matt Bryant is known for squeezing his size 10.5 foot into a size 9 kicking shoe for games, believing that curling his foot to strike the ball in the same way that someone makes a fist with his hand before punching increases his distance and accuracy.
39.
In 2009, Matt Bryant was inducted into the Museum of the Gulf Coast, in the museum's Sports Hall of Fame.
40.
Matt Bryant gave them a tour of downtown Atlanta and hosted them to dinner.