View source for Matt Light

{{Short description|American football player (born 1978)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Matt Light
| image       = Matt Light.JPG
| alt         =
| caption     = Light with the New England Patriots in 2009
| number      = 72
| position    = [[Tackle (gridiron football position)|Offensive tackle]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1978|6|23|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Greenville, Ohio]], U.S.
| death_date  = 
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 5
| weight_lbs  = 305
| high_school = [[Greenville High School (Ohio)|Greenville (OH)]]
| college     = [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue]] (1996–2000)
| draftyear   = 2001
| draftround  = 2
| draftpick   = 48
| pastteams   = * [[New England Patriots]] ({{NFL Year|2001}}–{{NFL Year|2011}})
| highlights  = * 3× [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XXXVI|XXXVI]], [[Super Bowl XXXVIII|XXXVIII]], [[Super Bowl XXXIX|XXXIX]])
* First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[2007 All-Pro Team|2007]])
* 3× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[2007 Pro Bowl|2006]], [[2008 Pro Bowl|2007]], [[2011 Pro Bowl|2010]])
* [[New England Patriots All-2000s Team]]
* [[New England Patriots 50th Anniversary Team]]
* [[New England Patriots All-Dynasty Team]]
* [[New England Patriots#Patriots Hall of Fame|New England Patriots Hall of Fame]]
* First-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] ([[2000 All-Big Ten Conference football team|2000]])
* Second-team All-Big Ten ([[1999 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1999]])
| statlabel1  = Games played
| statvalue1  = 155
| statlabel2  = Games started
| statvalue2  = 153
| statlabel3  = [[Fumble|Fumble recoveries]]
| statvalue3  = 2
| pfr         = L/LighMa20 
}}

'''Matthew Charles Light''' (born June 23, 1978) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who spent his entire 11-year career as an [[tackle (gridiron football position)|offensive tackle]] for the [[New England Patriots]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue Boilermakers]]. He was picked by the Patriots in the second round of the [[2001 NFL draft]].

==Early life==
Light was born in [[Greenville, Ohio]].  He attended [[Greenville High School (Ohio)|Greenville High School]], where he played football for the Green Wave as a three-year two-way starter.  On defense, he played [[linebacker]] and was a second-team Division II all-state selection at the position, and as a senior earned all-county, all-conference, and all-district honors after making 69 tackles and forcing two fumbles.  On offense, he played [[offensive guard|guard]] as a sophomore, tackle as a junior, and [[tight end]] as a senior, when he caught four passes for 75 yards and a touchdown.  He also competed in the [[shot put]] in [[track and field]], and was a district champion as well as an all-county and all-conference selection.

==College career==
Light attended [[Purdue University]], where he played for the [[Purdue Boilermakers football]] team from 1996 to 2000.  He began his career as a true freshman tight end in 1996, appearing in seven games as a reserve and making one reception for 16 yards. He [[Redshirt (college sports)|redshirt]]ed the 1997 season after undergoing left shoulder surgery in the spring. In 1998, he moved to left tackle, starting 13 games and earning an honorable mention [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten Conference]] selection as part of an offensive line that only allowed 16 sacks of future [[Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award|Super Bowl MVP]] [[quarterback]] [[Drew Brees]]. In 1999, Light started 12 games for an offensive line that allowed just 15 sacks, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors. In the [[2000 Purdue Boilermakers football team|2000 season]], Light earned first-team All-Big Ten recognition after starting 12 games at left tackle, helping an offensive line that gave up only seven sacks en route to a Big Ten title and [[2001 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl Game]] appearance.<ref>{{cite news |title=Purdue's 5th-year Seniors Glad They Stayed |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2000/11/17/purdues-5th-year-seniors-glad-they-stayed/ |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=November 17, 2000}}</ref>

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 4 3/4
|       weight = 311
|         dash = 5.24
|    ten split = 1.84
| twenty split = 3.05
|      shuttle = 4.49
|   cone drill = 7.84
|        bench = 26
|     arm span = 33 1/2
|    hand span = 9
|         note = All values from Pro Day<ref>{{Cite web |title=2001 NFL Draft Scout Matt Light College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1106&DraftYear=2001 |access-date=August 20, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}</ref>
}}

===New England Patriots===
Light was drafted in the second round (48th overall) of the [[2001 NFL draft]] by the [[New England Patriots]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2001 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2001/draft.htm |access-date=March 18, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He started 12 of 14 games played during his rookie season in [[2001 New England Patriots season|2001]], helping a Patriots running game which averaged 112.2 yards per game. He was the starting left tackle for an offensive line that led the way for 133 yards on 25 carries (5.3 yard average) in the Patriots 20–17 victory in [[Super Bowl XXXVI]] over the [[St. Louis Rams]]. He was named to the ''Football News'' 2001 NFL All-Rookie Team following the season. Light returned in [[2002 New England Patriots season|2002]] to start all 16 games at left tackle for the Patriots, who missed the [[2002–03 NFL playoffs|playoffs]].

In [[2003 New England Patriots season|2003]], Light again started 16 games, and earned his second [[Super Bowl ring]] after helping to not allow a sack against a [[Carolina Panthers]] defensive line in [[Super Bowl XXXVIII]] that featured [[Kris Jenkins]], [[Mike Rucker]], [[Brentson Buckner]] and [[Julius Peppers]]. Light was a part of an offensive line that enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in club history in [[2004 New England Patriots season|2004]], starting 16 games at left tackle and helping the team to average more than four yards per carry for the first time in 19 seasons and helping [[Corey Dillon]] set a single season franchise record with 1,635 rushing yards. In October 2004, he signed a six-year contract extension with the team worth [[United States dollar|$]]27 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2004/10/06/light_receives_6_year_extension/|title=Light receives 6-year extension|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|author-link=Nick Cafardo|first=Nick|last=Cafardo|date=October 6, 2004|access-date=June 18, 2010}}</ref> He earned his third Super Bowl ring in a win over the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] in [[Super Bowl XXXIX]].

Light began the [[2005 New England Patriots season|2005 season]] just as he did the previous three, starting at left tackle before a broken leg suffered against the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] in Week 3 kept him inactive for the next 11 games and eventually led to his placement on [[injured reserve]] on December 22. He returned in [[2006 New England Patriots season|2006]] to start 16 games. His play earned him an appearance in the [[2007 Pro Bowl]], the first Pro Bowl appearance of his career, where he replaced the injured [[Jonathan Ogden]].

In [[2007 New England Patriots season|2007]], Light started all 16 games and all three [[2007–08 NFL playoffs|playoff]] games for the Patriots, including their loss to the [[New York Giants]] in [[Super Bowl XLII]], when the Patriots offensive line allowed five sacks of quarterback [[Tom Brady]]. He was one of eight Patriots players, and one of three Patriots offensive linemen (joining [[Dan Koppen]] and [[Logan Mankins]]) elected in December 2007 to the [[2008 Pro Bowl]].

In the [[2008 New England Patriots season|2008 season]], started 16 games for the sixth time in his career. After being named to the Patriots 50th anniversary team in August 2009, Light started the first five games of [[2009 New England Patriots season|2009]] before missing five games due to an injury. He returned in Week 12 and started the remainder of the season at left tackle. In [[2010 New England Patriots season|2010]], Light started all 16 games at left tackle and was named as an injury replacement to the [[2010 Pro Bowl]].

On July 31, 2011, Matt Light signed a two-year contract with the New England Patriots.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/sports/rap_sheet/index.php/2011/07/31/patriots-lt-matt-light-is-returning-to-protect-qb-tom-bradys-blindside/|title=Patriots Matt Light is Returning to protect QB Tom Brady's Blindside|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|first=Ian|last=Rapoport|date=July 31, 2011|access-date=July 31, 2011}}</ref>

At the end of the 2011 season, Light and the Patriots appeared in [[Super Bowl XLVI]]. He started in the game, but the Patriots lost to the [[New York Giants]] by a score of 21–17.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201202050nwe.htm |title=Super Bowl XLVI - New York Giants vs. New England Patriots - February 5th, 2012 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |access-date=December 6, 2017}}</ref>

===Retirement/broadcasting career===
On May 7, 2012, he officially announced his retirement in a press conference at [[Gillette Stadium]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 4, 2012 |title=Matt Light to Officially Announce Retirement During Ceremony at Gillette Stadium |url=http://www.nesn.com/2012/05/matt-light-to-officially-announce-retirement-during-ceremony-at-gillette-stadium.html |website=NESN.com}}</ref>

On July 19, 2012, it was announced that Light would join [[ESPN]] as an NFL analyst. He will contribute to ''[[SportsCenter]]'', ''[[Sunday NFL Countdown]]'', ''[[NFL Live]]'', ''[[First Take (talk show)|First Take]]'', and ''NFL32''.

===Political career===
On May 2, 2022, Light lost his bid for a seat on the Foxborough, MA, School Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://foxboroughma.gov/departments/town_clerk/election_information/election_results|title=Official Results, Annual Town Election, Monday, May 2nd, 2022|access-date=May 3, 2022}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Light has [[Crohn's disease]].<ref>{{cite web | last=Reiss | first=Mike | title=Light reveals decade-long battle with Crohn's | website=ESPN.com | date=2012-05-08 | url=https://www.espn.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/7903017/matt-light-reveals-decade-long-battle-crohns | access-date=2025-05-13}}</ref>

Matt married his wife Susie in 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-08-04 |title=Matt Light's wife Susie Light |url=https://www.playerwives.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/matt-lights-wife-susie-light/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=PlayerWives.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Matt and Susie founded a charitable organization in 2003, called the Light Foundation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-08-04 |title=Matt Light's wife Susie Light |url=https://www.playerwives.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/matt-lights-wife-susie-light/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=PlayerWives.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.patriotshalloffame.com/hall_of_famer/matt-light/ New England Patriots bio]
*{{commons category-inline}}

{{Patriots2001DraftPicks}}
{{Super Bowl XXXVI}}
{{Super Bowl XXXVIII}}
{{Super Bowl XXXIX}}
{{Patriots2000s}}
{{Patriots50th}}
{{PatriotsAllDynasty}}
{{PatriotsHOF}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Light, Matt}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:American football offensive tackles]]
[[Category:New England Patriots players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Greenville, Ohio]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Ohio]]
[[Category:Purdue Boilermakers football players]]
[[Category:People with Crohn's disease]]