Matt Bryant

This article is about the American football player. For the English football (soccer) player, see Matt Bryant (footballer).

Matt Bryant

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Career information
College:	Baylor, Oregon State Trinity Valley Community College (Athens, TX)
Career history
New York Giants (2002-2003) Indianapolis Colts (2004) Miami Dolphins (2004) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2005-present)
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Steven Matt Bryant (born May 21, 1975 in Orange, Texas) is an American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Early Years

After playing football and baseball at Bridge City High School in Bridge City, Texas, Bryant would go on to attend Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas where he was a two time NJCAA All-American. He then signed with Oregon State University, later transferring to Baylor University where he ranks seventh in all-time scoring list with 105 points (21 field goals and 42 extra points) also his 21 field goals place him fifth in Bears history and hit 42-42 extra points to set the school record with a 100 percent success rate. After graduating, he went undrafted, and worked for several years at a pawn shop, and then as a personal trainer. He had brief stints with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League and the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe.

NFL Career

Originally signed by the New York Giants in 2002 as a free agent, Bryant played one season with the Indianapolis Colts and then one season with the Miami Dolphins. He was signed as a free agent by Tampa Bay prior to the 2005 season.

On October 22, 2006, Bryant successfully converted a 62-yard field goal as time expired in Tampa Bay's 23-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. The field goal was the second longest distance (second place in NFL history in terms of distance) behind the 63-yarders kicked by Tom Dempsey in 1970 and Jason Elam in 1998.

On October 23, 2006, in response to his 62-yard field goal, Mayor Pam Iorio declared October 23 to be "Matt Bryant Day" in Tampa, Florida.

Personal

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]. He visited the Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point to participate in the Foundation for Hospital Art’s Paintfest 2003.

Bryant drinks a chocolate milkshake on the night before each of his football games. He also is known for squeezing his size 10.5 foot into a size 9 kicking shoe for games. [1]