Matt Birk facts for kids
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Birk with the Baltimore Ravens in 2012
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| No. 75, 78, 77 | |||||||
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| Position: | Center | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | July 23, 1976 Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 310 lb (141 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Cretin-Derham Hall (Saint Paul, Minnesota) |
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| College: | Harvard (1994–1997) | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1998 / Round: 6 / Pick: 173 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Matthew Robert Birk (born July 23, 1976) is a former American professional football player. He was a center in the National Football League (NFL). He played for 14 seasons, mostly with the Minnesota Vikings.
Matt Birk was born and grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He played college football for the Harvard Crimson. In 1998, the Minnesota Vikings picked him in the NFL draft.
He became a starting player in 2000. During his time with the Vikings, he was chosen for six Pro Bowl teams. After the 2008 season, Birk joined the Baltimore Ravens. He won a Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2013.
In 2011, he received the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. This award is given to players for their amazing work on and off the field. After winning the Super Bowl, Birk retired from the NFL.
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Early Life and College Football
Matt Birk went to Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was a great athlete in football, basketball, and track and field. He earned honors in all three sports.
He was named All-State in both football and basketball. He also received Academic All-State honors for his good grades. Matt graduated from high school in 1994.
Birk then went to Harvard University to play college football. He played for the Harvard Crimson team. He earned top honors in college football too.
He was named All-Ivy League and All-New England. He also received Division I-AA All-Eastern College Athletic Conference first-team honors. Matt Birk graduated from Harvard in 1998. He earned a degree in economics.
Playing in the NFL
Time with the Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings picked Matt Birk in the 1998 NFL draft. He was the 173rd player chosen overall. Experts thought he was a promising player from the Ivy League.
For his first two seasons, he was a backup player. He played in 22 games as an offensive lineman. In 2000, he became the starting center. He started all 16 games that year.
In 2000, he was chosen for his first Pro Bowl team. Birk started every game for the Vikings as center from 2000 to 2003. In 2004, he had surgery and missed some games. He also missed the entire 2005 season due to a hip injury.
Birk played well again in 2006. He was a strong leader for the Vikings' offensive line. He earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection that year. In 2007, he was named Minnesota Vikings Man of the Year. This was his sixth time receiving this honor.
He also earned his sixth Pro Bowl selection in 2007. This tied a team record for a Vikings center. In 2010, the Vikings celebrated their 50th anniversary. Matt Birk was named one of their 50 greatest players.
He returned to the Vikings' home stadium for its final game. The team named him an honorary captain. He is still considered one of the team's best players.
Time with the Baltimore Ravens
In 2009, Matt Birk signed a contract with the Baltimore Ravens. He joined the team as a free agent. He signed a three-year deal worth $12 million.
In 2012, Birk signed another three-year deal with the Ravens. He achieved his biggest career goal with the team. He won his first Super Bowl championship. This was Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers.
After winning the Super Bowl, Birk announced his retirement. He retired from the NFL on February 22, 2013. He finished his career with the Ravens.
After Football
After retiring, Matt Birk briefly worked for the NFL. He was the director of football development. In 2019, he helped start a private Catholic high school. It is called Unity Catholic High School. The school is in Burnsville, Minnesota.
Birk has also been involved in politics. He is part of the Minnesota Republican Party. In 2022, he ran for lieutenant governor of Minnesota. He was the running mate for Scott Jensen. They challenged the current Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan.
Birk is known for his conservative views. He lost the election with his running mate.
Personal Life and Charity
Matt Birk is known for being very smart. In 2010, Sporting News named him the sixth-smartest athlete. He scored very high on a special test for NFL players.
Matt Birk is Catholic. He and his wife have eight children. His wife volunteers at a center that helps pregnant women. Matt has also participated in events supporting these causes.
Charity Work
In 2002, Matt Birk started the HIKE Foundation. This is a nonprofit organization. It helps young people in the Twin Cities area. The foundation focuses on improving reading skills.
In 2011, Birk received the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. This award recognized his dedication. It honored his work to help at-risk youth improve their reading.
