Matthew Rice facts for kids
| No. 69 | |
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| Position: | Defensive end |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | February 12, 1982 |
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight: | 256 lb (116 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: | Penn State |
| Undrafted: | 2006 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Matthew Nathaniel Rice was an American football player. He was born on February 12, 1982. Matthew played as a defensive end, which is a position on the defense that tries to tackle the opposing team's quarterback or stop their running backs. He played college football at Penn State University. Matthew Rice sadly passed away in March 2023 from brain cancer.
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Matthew's Football Journey
Matthew Rice started his professional football career after the 2006 NFL draft. He signed with the Buffalo Bills as a free agent, meaning he wasn't chosen in the draft but was signed directly by a team. He later joined the St. Louis Rams and then the New York Giants in the same year.
In 2007, Matthew played for the Detroit Lions organization. He was also sent to play for the Rhein Fire in NFL Europa. This was a league that helped players develop their skills.
College Football Success
Before playing professionally, Matthew was a star player at Penn State University. He was a starter for three years. In 2005, he was named a second-team All-Big Ten player. This means he was one of the best defensive players in his college conference.
Matthew helped the Nittany Lions (Penn State's team) have the best defense in their conference in 2005. He made 9 sacks and 147 tackles. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. He was also chosen to play in the 2006 Hula Bowl, an important college football all-star game.
Life Beyond Football
Matthew Rice was not just a talented football player. He was also a very skilled artist. He was a painter and illustrator. He earned two degrees from Penn State University in 2005. He studied integrative arts and African-American studies.
Mateo Blu: Art for a Cause
Matthew used his artistic talents to help others. He started a company called Mateo Blu. This company published special, limited-edition art prints. The money raised from selling these prints went to help different charities.
Facing Health Challenges
In August 2007, Matthew began having seizures. Doctors used special scans like CAT scans and MRIs. These scans showed a tumor on the right side of his brain. This part of the brain is often linked to artistic abilities.
The tumor was found to be benign, which means it was not cancerous at first. However, after he had a second seizure, surgery became necessary.
Successful Surgery and Hope
The surgery took place at Johns Hopkins University. It was a success! The tumor was only on the surface of his brain. Doctors were able to remove it without causing any damage to his brain. They even told Matthew that removing the tumor might help his artistic talents grow even more. During the surgery, doctors also made sure his skull was strong enough. This meant there was a chance he could play football again in the future.
Sadly, Matthew Rice later passed away from brain cancer in March 2023.
