Matt Bryant

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Matt Bryant
Date of birth	May 21, 1975
Place of birth	Orange, Texas
Position(s)	Kicker
College	Baylor Oregon State Trinity Valley Community College (Athens, TX)
Statistics	CBS.com DatabaseFootball
Team(s)
2002-2003 2004 2004 2005-present	New York Giants Indianapolis Colts Miami Dolphins Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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

[edit] 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, TX where he was a two time JUCO All-American. He then signed with Oregon State University, later transferring to Baylor University. 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.

[edit] 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 (third place in NFL history, as the top two longest are tied for first place) 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 [1].

[edit] Miscellaneous

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. [2]