- Tom Matte
NFL player
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DateOfBirth=Birth date and age|1939|6|14|mf=y
Birthplace=Pittsburgh, PA
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Position=RB
College=Ohio State
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DatabaseFootball=MATTETOM01
PFR=MattTo00
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years=1961-1972
teams=Baltimore Colts
ProBowls=1968, 1969
HOF=Thomas Roland Matte (born
June 14 1939 , inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania ) was anAmerican football player who playedquarterback in college and (mostly)running back in the NFL in the 1960s and 1970s and earned aSuper Bowl Ring. He attended Shaw High School in East Cleveland and is an Eagle ScoutFact|date=February 2007. Matte was an All-American back atOhio State University .Matte's 12-year pro career was spent with the Baltimore Colts where he posted career stats of 4,646 rushing yards, 249 receptions for 2,869 yards, 1,367 yards returning kickoffs, and 57 touchdowns (45 rushing, 12 receiving). Late in the 1965 season, Matte also memorably filled in as an emergency quarterback when Colts QBs
Johnny Unitas andGary Cuozzo went down with season-ending injuries in consecutive home losses to theChicago Bears andGreen Bay Packers , respectively. For the Colts' regular-season finale (a 20-17 win) against theLos Angeles Rams and the following weekend's one-game playoff at Green Bay (a 13-10 overtime loss resulting from a missed Packer field goal that was erroneously ruled good), Colts head coachDon Shula put a list of plays on a wristband that Matte wore. That wristband is now on display at thePro Football Hall of Fame .Later in his career, Matte was immortalized on the cover of Sports Illustrated, scoring his third touchdown of the afternoon in the NFL Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns, January 5, 1969. (http://www.sipictures.com/source/CFW/details_Pop.aspx?iid=92073002&cdi=0)
Matte was selected for two
Pro Bowl s and played in two Super Bowls, earning a ring atSuper Bowl V where the Colts beat theDallas Cowboys . InSuper Bowl III , he rushed for 116 yards and caught 2 passes for 30 yards.Matte briefly was a color analyst on
CBS coverage of football games. Since 1996, Matte has teamed withBaltimore sportscasterScott Garceau in broadcastingBaltimore Ravens games on local radio. He also pursues local business interests and is in demand as a celebrity endorser.He still holds the record for highest per-carry rushing average in a
Super Bowl game: 10.5 (116 yards in only 11 carries in 1969 versus theNew York Jets ).References
* [http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/custom/altoday/bal-al.drink12aug12,0,707451.story A drink with... Tom Matte]
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