Mat McBriar
Punter | |||||||
Personal information | |||||||
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Born: | Melbourne, Australia | 8 July 1979||||||
Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 227 lb (103 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Brighton (AUS) | ||||||
College: | Hawaiʻi | ||||||
Undrafted: | 2003 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
Mat McBriar (born 8 July 1979) is an Australian former
Early years
McBriar began as an Australian rules football player at Brighton Grammar School and Deakin University (he attended three semesters). At one stage, he entered a junior superkick competition, finishing 3rd overall. He also practiced rowing.
Unlike other countrymen such as
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 registering 48 punts for 2,148 yards (44.8 yards avg), with 12 downed inside the 20-yard line and a long of 73 yards. He finished his college career with 131 punts for 5,531 yards (42.2 avg.) and 32 downed inside the 20-yard line.
In January 2003, McBriar was the first-ever Australian player to be selected to play in the
Professional career
Denver Broncos
On 28 April 2003, he was signed as an
Seattle Seahawks
In 2003, McBriar averaged 44.8 yards on five punts in his only preseason game with the Seattle Seahawks. He was waived on 31 August.
Dallas Cowboys
On 26 December
In
.On 28 February
On 12 October 2008, he sustained a season-ending fracture in his kicking foot, after 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
In 2011, he was bothered during the season by a nerve problem that affected his left foot and was placed on the injured reserve list before the final game. He finished the year with a 43.8 gross average and a 36.1 net average per punt. His contract was not renewed after the season, leaving as the franchise career leader in net average (38.1), gross average (45.3) and punts inside the 20-yard line (175).[6]
Philadelphia Eagles
On 25 July 2012, McBriar signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles to compete with Chas Henry for the starting position. He was released on 29 August; however, he was re-signed on 25 September to replace Henry as the team's punter.[7] He was waived on 25 March 2013, although his 46.5 yards average per punt at the time was the highest in Eagles history.
Pittsburgh Steelers
On 29 October 2013, he was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers to replace Zoltán Meskó. After playing in 9 games and averaging 41.3 yards per punt, his contract was not renewed after the season.
San Diego Chargers
On 9 December 2014, McBriar signed with the San Diego Chargers to replace the injured Mike Scifres,[8] whose season ended after suffering a broken collarbone.[9] His contract was not renewed at the end of the season. On 22 July 2015, McBriar announced his retirement after playing 11 seasons in the NFL.
NFL career statistics
Legend | |
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Led the league | |
Bold | Career high |
Regular season
Year | Team | Punting | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | Punts | Yds | Net Yds | Lng | Avg | Net Avg | Blk | Ins20 | TB | ||
2004 | DAL | 16 | 75 | 3,182 | 2,632 | 68 | 42.4 | 35.1 | 0 | 22 | 7 |
2005 | DAL | 16 | 81 | 3,439 | 3,009 | 63 | 42.5 | 37.1 | 0 | 28 | 9 |
2006 | DAL | 16 | 56 | 2,697 | 2,163 | 75 | 48.2 | 38.6 | 0 | 22 | 10 |
2007 | DAL | 16 | 63 | 2,970 | 2,424 | 64 | 47.1 | 38.5 | 0 | 17 | 7 |
2008 | DAL | 6 | 24 | 1,175 | 971 | 66 | 49.0 | 38.8 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
2009 | DAL | 16 | 72 | 3,249 | 2,875 | 63 | 45.1 | 39.9 | 0 | 38 | 3 |
2010 | DAL | 16 | 65 | 3,115 | 2,750 | 65 | 47.9 | 41.7 | 1 | 22 | 8 |
2011 | DAL | 14 | 58 | 2,542 | 2,130 | 68 | 43.8 | 36.1 | 1 | 21 | 7 |
2012 | PHI | 13 | 55 | 2,560 | 2,042 | 66 | 46.5 | 36.5 | 1 | 13 | 7 |
2013 | PIT | 9 | 40 | 1,652 | 1,435 | 70 | 41.3 | 35.0 | 1 | 13 | 3 |
2014 | SDG | 3 | 13 | 610 | 460 | 58 | 46.9 | 35.4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Career | 141 | 602 | 27,191 | 22,891 | 75 | 45.2 | 37.7 | 5 | 202 | 65 |
Playoffs
Year | Team | Punting | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | Punts | Yds | Net Yds | Lng | Avg | Net Avg | Blk | Ins20 | TB | ||
2006 | DAL | 1 | 5 | 242 | 209 | 62 | 48.4 | 41.8 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2007 | DAL | 1 | 4 | 189 | 164 | 58 | 47.3 | 41.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
2009 | DAL | 2 | 9 | 366 | 337 | 61 | 40.7 | 37.4 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
Career | 4 | 18 | 797 | 710 | 62 | 44.3 | 39.4 | 0 | 10 | 2 |
Personal life
A biography of McBriar's story was published in 2014. An Aussie Takes A Punt - Mat McBriar's Journey From Australia to the NFL was written by F.A. James.[10]
References
- ^ Brown, Alex (8 September 2004). "McBriar starts NFL journey against man who made him". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ Philip, By (21 December 2006). "Punt on gridiron pays off". News.com.au. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ^ [1] Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Anatomy of a play - The blocked punt
- ^ "Dallas Cowboys' Romo to resume role as holder". The Dallas Morning News. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ^ Archer, Todd. "Mat McBriar joins Eagles". ESPN. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ^ Wulf, Bo (25 September 2012). "McBriar Returns As Punter; LS Added". Philadelphia Eagles. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ^ Henne, Ricky (10 December 2014). "Bolts Sign Punter Mat McBriar with Mike Scifres Sidelined". Chargers.com. Archived from the original on 10 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
- ^ Geklken, Michael (27 December 2014). "Chargers sign center, put Scifres on IR". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 27 December 2014.
- ^ "An Aussie Takes A Punt". Retrieved 10 December 2015.