Mat McBriar life and biography

Mat McBriar is an Australian American football punter in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys.

PRO:

An undrafted rookie free agent in 2003, Mat McBriar has become one of the NFL's premier punters in just six seasons. He has five of the club's top-10 single-game highs for gross average and the second-best single-game net average. With his selection to the Pro Bowl following the 2006 season, McBriar became just the third Cowboys punter to make the NFL's all-star game, joining Sam Baker in 1963 and Ron Widby in 1971. He narrowly missed a trip to the Pro Bowl following 2007, as he was selected as a reserve for the NFC squad. His Pro Bowl season was highlighted by a 48.2-yard gross punting average, tied for fifth-best in NFL history. He broke Baker's team record of 45.4 yards-per-punt, set in 1962, and became the first punter to average over 48 yards-per-punt since Yale Lary of the Lions in 1963. Entering 2008 with 275 consecutive punts without a block - good for second in team history - McBriar suffered his first career block on punt 300 at Arizona (10/12). The blocked punt also resulted in a broken right foot which landed him on Reserve/Injured three days later. He returned in 2009 as an integral part of the Dallas Cowboys special teams unit, setting a club record with 38 punts downed inside the 20-yard line which was also the sixth-most all-time in a single season in NFL history.

2009:
# Returned to full health after suffering a broken foot in 2008 to finish 10th in the league with a gross average of 45.1 and seventh with a net of 39.9.
# His 38 punts downed inside the 20-yard line were the third-most in 2009 and the sixth-most all-time in a single season in league history while setting a club single-season record. Ranks third in team history with 132 career punts downed inside the 20 (Mike Saxon - 166 and Danny White - 144).
# Returned to action in the season opener at Tampa Bay (9/13) for the first time since breaking his foot in 2008 and had four punts with a season-long of 63 yards, an average of 54.8 and a net average of 43.0. Also had two punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
# Had four punts with one downed inside the 20-yard line against the N.Y. Giants (9/20). Finished with a net average of 43.5, a gross average of 48.8 and a long punt of 59 yards, while adding one tackle on special teams.
# Against Carolina (9/28) had five punts downed inside the 20-yard line to give him 102 for his career making him the fourth punter in team history to have over 100 punts downed inside the 20 - joining Mike Saxon (166), Danny White (144) and Toby Gowin (106) as the only punters to accomplish the feat. Five punts inside the 20 also marked the second time in his career and tied the single-game club record for punts downed inside the 20.
# Punted a season-high six times with three punts downed inside the 20-yard line for a net of 41.7 and a gross of 49.3 at Denver (10/4).
# Recorded four punts with a gross of 43.0 and a net of 41.5 with a long punt of 52 yards at Kansas City (10/11). Had two punts downed inside the Chiefs 20-yard line to up his career total of punts downed inside the opponents' 20 to 107, passing Toby Gowin (106) for the third-most in a punter's career in franchise history.
# Posted a season-best net average of 44.8 on four punts with two downed inside the 20 against Seattle (11/1).
# Tied his season-high with six punts with a gross average of 41.2 and a net of 37.0 with two punts downed inside the 20-yard line at Green Bay (11/15). Also added one stop on special teams.
# Tied his season-high with six punts against Washington (11/22), and again the following week against Oakland (11/26), averaging 38.7 with a net of 37.0 against the Redskins, and a net average of 40.2 and a gross of 41.8 against the Raiders.
# Had a season-best 56.3 average and a season-best 50.3 net average on three punts with just 18 return yards against San Diego (12/13).
# Against Philadelphia (1/3/10) had three punts for a 50.7 average and a 41.0 net with one punt downed inside the 20-yard line to up his single-season club record to 38, which was also good for sixth all-time in league history. He finished the regular season with a net average of 39.9 which was good for fourth in team history.
# In the Wild Card Game against Philadelphia (1/9/10), punted six times for a 38.2 gross and 33.3 net with five punts downed inside the 20-yard line - establishing a single-season club postseason record (since 1976). His 61-yard long punt was good for the third-longest in Cowboys postseason history - Ron Widby (65 yards vs. Detroit, 12/26/70) owns the record followed by McBriar (62 at Seattle, 1/6/07).
# Had three punts for a 45.7 gross and net average at Minnesota (1/17/10), with two punts downed inside the 20-yard line, to give him 10 for his postseason career and break a tie with John Jett to become the club's all-time postseason leader.

2008:
# Played in just six games after breaking his right foot on his first career blocked punt that resulted in the game-winning touchdown for the Cardinals in overtime at Arizona (10/12).
# On 24 punts, averaged 47.0 yards-per-punt with a net of 40.5 and five downed inside the 20-yard line.
# Finished with six punts with a gross of 49.2 against Washington (9/28).
# Registered a season-long punt of 66 yards with an average of 55.3 on three punts against Cincinnati (10/5).
# Before suffering his first career block and a broken foot, punted a season-high seven times with a gross of 47.9 and net of 38.1 at Arizona (10/12).
# Placed on Reserve/Injured on Oct. 15 where he spent the remainder of the season recovering and rehabbing the broken foot.

2007:
# Finished fourth in the NFL with a 47.1 gross average and seventh with a 38.5 net average.
# Had a season-best gross average of 56.5 yards in the win at Buffalo (10/8).
# With a 53.8 average on five punts against New England (10/14), had the third-best single-game average in club history.
# Posted the fourth-best gross average in club history the next week against Minnesota (10/21) with a 53.3-yard average.
# Also had a net average of 50.5 against the Vikings, the second-best single-game net average in franchise history.
# Against Green Bay (11/29) logged his 254th consecutive punt without a block, surpassing Jett for the second-longest streak in club history.
# Had a season-high seven punts against Philadelphia (12/16) and again at Washington (12/30).
# Averaged 47.3 yards in the Divisional Playoff Game against the N.Y. Giants (1/13/08) - good for the second-highest gross average in club playoff history.
# Also had three punts downed inside the Giants 20-yard line which tied for the second-most punts downed inside the 20-yard line in Dallas postseason history.

2006:
# Earned his first career trip to the Pro Bowl after posting an NFL-best 48.2-yard gross punting average, tying Sammy Baugh's 1942 average for the fifth-best in NFL history.
# Trailed only Baugh's 51.4 in 1940, Lary's 48.9 in 1963, Baugh's 48.7 in 1941, and Lary's 48.4 in 1961.
# Set a club record, breaking the previous mark of 45.4, set by Baker in 1962.
# Was fourth in the league with a 38.6-yard net average, also the fourth-best ever by a Dallas punter - the best average by a Dallas punter since Baker's 40.6 in 1963.
# Became just the third Cowboys punter to make the Pro Bowl, joining Baker in 1963 and Widby in 1971.
# Also a second-team All-Pro choice by The Associated Press and a first-team All-NFC pick by the Pro Football Writers.
# Twenty-seven of his 56 punts in 2006 went 50-or-more yards, including seven that went 60-or-more yards.
# Had 15 of his punts downed inside the opponents 20-yard line, and his 75-yard punt against Houston (10/15) was the longest in the NFL in 2006.
# Set a then career-high with a 53.2-yard average on five punts in the season opener at Jacksonville (9/10).
# Set a club record in the win over Houston (10/15) with a 56.8-yard average on four punts - 47, 75, 56, and 49 yards - and had a career-high 46.0 net average.
# His 75-yard punt went out of bounds at the Houston two-yard line and was tied for the second-longest punt in club history.
# Notched a season-high 58.0-yard gross average and tied his season-high with a 46.0-yard net average on two punts.
# Named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after posting a 46.7-yard average on three punts, including two inside the 20-yard line in the win over Indianapolis (11/19).
# Averaged 48.4 yards on five punts in his postseason debut at Seattle (1/6/07) - the highest punting average in a playoff game in team history.
# Had a 62-yard punt in the fourth quarter, the second-longest punt in Cowboys postseason history.

2005:
# Finished his second season in Dallas with a 42.5-yard average on 81 punts, which ranked eighth in the NFC and 20th in the NFL.
# His 37.1-yard net average was fourth-best in the NFC, 12th-best in the NFL, and the best by a Dallas punter since 1993, marking the fourth time since 1969 that a Dallas punter had a net average over 37 yards.
# Eighteen of his 81 punts were downed without a return, the second-best total in the NFL and tied for second in the NFC - fifth in the NFL - with 28 punts downed inside the 20-yard line, tying Mike Saxon for the second-best total in club history.
# Had a 48.2-yard average on six punts and a 40.0-yard net average with three punts that landed at or inside the Redskins 10-yard line in the home opener against Washington (9/19).
# Tied a career-high with nine punts at Seattle (10/23), and five were downed inside the Seahawks 20-yard line, a team record.
# Against Arizona (10/30) had a 53.3-yard average on three punts - 55, 53, and 52 yards along with his first special teams tackle of the season.
# Tied his career-high with nine punts for a 42.7-yard average at Philadelphia (11/14).
# Had a season-high 42.0-yard net average on five punts against Denver (11/24).
# At Carolina (12/24) averaged a season-best 48.6 yards on seven punts, including one for a season-long 63 yards.

2004:
# Played in all 16 games in his first pro season, finishing with a 42.4-yard gross average on 75 punts and a 35.1-yard net average.
# Twenty-two of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line and his 42.4-yard gross average was the highest by a Cowboys punter since 2000, when Micah Knorr posted a 42.8-yard average.
# Made his NFL debut in the season opener at Minnesota (9/12) and averaged 32.7 yards on three punts, including two that were downed inside the 20-yard line.
# Two of his three punts against Cleveland (9/19) were downed inside the 20, including one at the one-yard line, which led to a safety when the Browns were called for holding in the end zone.
# On four punts against Pittsburgh (10/17), averaged 50.3 yards with a 45.0-yard net average, marking the best gross and net average by a Dallas punter since Oct. 24, 1999, when Toby Gowin had a 53.3-yard gross average and a 45.3-yard net average.
# Punted seven times for a 44.1-yard average against Philadelphia (11/15), including a 57-yard punt and a then career-long 68-yard punt, the longest since Gowin's 72-yard punt against Chicago on Sept. 28, 1997.
# Had a career-high nine punts against Chicago (11/25) on Thanksgiving Day, averaging 43.1 yards-per-punt with four consecutive punts of 50-or-more yards in the first and second quarters.
# Against New Orleans (12/12), had his first career special teams tackle.
# Added his second career special teams tackle against Washington (12/26), preventing a touchdown by forcing Antonio Brown out of bounds at the Cowboys 23-yard line.

2003 (Denver/Seattle/Dallas):
# Signed with the Denver Broncos as a rookie free agent and had six punts for a 41.5-yard average in the preseason.
# Was traded to Seattle on Aug. 22 for a conditional draft pick and averaged 44.8 yards on five punts in his lone preseason game with Seattle.
# Was released Aug. 31 and spent the fall out of football.
# Signed to the Cowboys practice squad Dec. 24.

COLLEGE:

# Punted three years at Hawaii, averaging 42.2 yards on 131 career punts, including 32 that were downed inside the 20-yard line.
# Earned All-Western Athletic Conference honors as a senior after averaging 44.8 yards on 48 punts (2,148 yards) with 12 downed inside the 20-yard line.
# As a junior, earned second-team All-WAC honors after averaging 43.4 yards on 40 punts, with 10 that were downed inside the 20-yard line.
# Began his college football career in 2000, punting 43 times for 1,647 yards (38.3 yards-per-punt), including 10 punts that were downed inside the 20.
# Attended Deakin University in Australia for three semesters before moving to Hawaii.

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