Mat McBriar is a former Australian football player who played as a punter in the National Football League (NFL) for several teams. He was born on July 8, 1979, in Melbourne, Australia, and started playing Australian rules football at a young age. However, he switched to American football in his late teens and attended the University of Hawaii, where he played college football as a punter.
After college, McBriar went undrafted in the 2003 NFL Draft but signed as a free agent with the Denver Broncos. However, he was released before the start of the regular season and joined the Seattle Seahawks' practice squad. He spent the entire 2003 season on the practice squad and was released by the Seahawks in 2004.
McBriar then signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2004 and became their starting punter. He played for the Cowboys for nine seasons and was one of the best punters in the league during his tenure. He was named to the Pro Bowl twice (2006, 2010) and was a first-team All-Pro in 2006. He also holds several Cowboys' records, including the highest career punting average (45.3 yards) and the most punts inside the 20-yard line (175).
In 2012, McBriar signed with the Philadelphia Eagles but was released after one season due to injury. He then signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2013 but was released before the start of the regular season. He signed with the San Diego Chargers later that year but did not play in any games.
McBriar retired from the NFL in 2014 and returned to Australia, where he became involved in coaching and broadcasting. He also founded the Mat McBriar Kicking Academy, which provides coaching and training for young football players.
Overall, Mat McBriar had a successful career as a punter in the NFL, earning recognition as one of the best in the league during his time with the Dallas Cowboys. He also overcame adversity, including a serious foot injury in 2011 that required surgery and a subsequent struggle to regain his form. Despite his injury, he continued to play at a high level and remained a valuable asset to his teams.
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