| No. 1 Dallas Cowboys | |
| Punter | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: 8 July 1979 | |
| Place of birth: Melbourne, Australia | |
| Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | Weight: 223 lb (101 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: Hawaii | |
| Undrafted in 2003 | |
| Debuted in 2004 for the Dallas Cowboys | |
| Career history | |
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| Roster status: Unrestricted Free Agent | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2011 | |
| Punts | 485 |
| Punt yards | 22,026 |
| Punting average | 45.4 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
Mat McBriar (born 8 July 1979) is an Australian American football punter in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys.
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McBriar began as an Australian rules football player, playing Australian rules for Brighton Grammar School and Deakin University (attended three semesters). At one stage, he entered a junior superkick competition, finishing 3rd overall.
He later moved to Hawaii, where he recorded the Warriors' all-time, single-game record with a 53.8 yards/attempt average against Tulane University on 25 December 2002. After 3 years, he had the second-best career punting average for the Warriors with 42.22 yards per punt behind Jason Elam. As a junior he made the second team All-WAC after averaging 43.4 yards per punt, and earned All-WAC honors as a senior, after averaging 44.8 yards per punt.
In January 2003, McBriar was the first-ever Australian player to be selected to play in the Hula Bowl Maui, as Punter for the Kai (North) team.
On 28 April 2003, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Denver Broncos and had six punts for a 41.5-yard average in the preseason.
McBriar was traded from the Broncos to the Seattle Seahawks on 22 August 2003 for a conditional draft choice. He averaged 44.8 yards on five punts in his only preseason game with the Seahawks. Shortly thereafter, the team waived him on 31 August 2003.
On 26 December 2003, he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys to their practice squad, becoming the second Australian to play for the team, joining former punter/kicker Colin Ridgway.
In 2006, McBriar made headlines with a 75 yard punt which made the record books as the second longest in Cowboys' history.[1] Also in 2006, he has been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week twice for his outstanding punting ability.
In December 2006 season, McBriar was only the second ever Australian player to be selected in the Pro Bowl, as punter for the NFC team.[2] His league leading 48.2 yards per punt average in 2006 season broke Sam Baker's team record of 45.4 yards per punt, made him the first player to average over 48 yards per punt since 1963 and tied him for fifth best in NFL history. He was the Cowboys' first Pro Bowl punter since 1971.
On 28 February 2007, the Cowboys extended McBriar's contract to a 5-year, $8.5 million contract. He also received a $2.5 million signing bonus. This contract made McBriar the highest-paid punter in the league. That season he narrowly missed a Pro Bowl selection, after being chosen as a reserve for the NFC team.
On 12 October 2008, McBriar sustained a season-ending fracture in his kicking foot, after he suffered his first career blocked punt, which was also returned for the game-winning touchdown on the final play of an overtime loss against the Arizona Cardinals. Before the injury he was averaging 49 yards per punt and had a 38.8 net punting average.[3][4]
In 2009 he had a team record 38 punts downed inside the red zone ranking third in the NFL, and sixth all-time in a single season in NFL history. With the injury of Brad Johnson in 2009, McBriar took up holding duties for the Cowboys on field goals and extra point attempts. However, after several missed field goals, holding duties were handed over to Tony Romo in game 13 versus the San Diego Chargers.[5] McBriar resumed his role as the team's holder during the 2010 season, in which he also was named to his second Pro Bowl, after leading the NFL in both gross punting average (47.9 yards) and net average (41.7). He also had 22 punts downed inside the red zone, with eight touchbacks.
In 2011 he was bothered during the season by a left plant foot injury and was placed on the injured reserve before the final game. He finished the year with a 43.8 gross average and a 36.1 net average per punt.
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