Finished strong!!!

Hey everyone,

Yesterday we wrapped up our 2 day mini camp and the end of our off season program. We have the next 5 weeks off for vacation, family time, traning and just plain relaxing until we report back for training camp on July 30th. We finished with a great mini camp and personally I finished very strong. We also had a family BBQ following practice, so it was nice having a lot of my family there. I love sharing this experience with them. It is truly a blessing! Below are some photos from yesterdays mini camp and family BBQ.

The past few months have been great. We have made tremendous progress in the weight room and out on the field. A lot of emphasis was put on making this the best off season ever and I believe we accomplished that. Everytime we stepped into the weight room or out onto the field, we tapped "I'm in." When you tap in, you are expected to give it your all. Above every door in our facility is the "I'm in!" board. It is a constant reminder of what we need to do.

We do have the next 5 weeks off which is not a lot of time compared to many other teams in the NFL. With the arrival of new head coach, Pete Carroll, we are given more time in the off season to work. We took advantage of that time and had our OTA's and 3 mini camp sessions. With our time off the hard work continues and our strength coach, Chris Carlisle, put together a great off season program for us while we are gone. We are expected to come into training camp in great shape and ready to hit the ground running!

I am ready to work hard this summer!!! I am ready to prepare to have a great training camp and pre season!!! and I am ready to make this team!!!

Tracy NFL meet and greet.

As I mentioned in the last post, I am working on a community event in my home town of Tracy, CA. I will be hosting a meet and greet at Tracy high school on July 24th. When more finalized information becomes available I will be sure to inform everyone! If you have an interest in helping out with this event or even become a sponsor please get in touch with me.

Thank you all once again for your love, motivation and support through everything. It is such a blessing and honor to be out here working towards my dream. It truly means a lot to have all of the support. Look forward to seeing all my family and friends back home soon.

GODbless,

Matt Overton #48

Off season closing...Season looming! Special events

Good morning everyone!

We completed our last OTA yesterday and it was a great day! Next week we will close out the off season program with a team mini camp. Pretty crazy how quickly these past 2 months have gone and even more crazy to think of how close the season is. It has been a blessed two months and I am really looking forward to the future. When we break next week, we will be given the next 5 weeks off and then report for training camp at the end of July. In the meantime Im ready and focused to finish the off season on a high note and use the 5 weeks to train hard and just relax until the grind really begins!!!

Comedy relief!

Yesterday coach Carroll suprised the team with a special guest. It was Rob Riggle who is a comedian and was most recently in the hit movies The Hangover and Step Brothers. Rob was introduced to us in our team meeting and then he gave a hilarious 15 min stand up performance. He had the room "rolling" the entire time. It was nice to start the day off with that. Rob also dressed in uniform for practice and participated in some drills. Coach Carroll has been known for bringing in special guests throughout the season and play pranks on coaches and players. Looking forward to the next suprise we get!!!

This is a picture of Rob in the movie Step Brothers....."Pow!"



Bryce Fisher's cancer awareness golf tournament.

Earlier this week I had the priviledge of playing in Bryce Fisher's 5th annual golf tournament. The tournament was for cancer awareness and it was a wonderful event and for a great cause. Bryce is a former Seahawk and is a great guy. He is very passionate about the event and helping out people and families with cancer. We will all be directly or indirectly impacted by cancer in our lifetime so it is important to create awareness and help.

I played in a 4-some group and met some great people. I also met some WWU alumni which was great! About 10 of us Seahawks played in the tournament and it was a great way to get involved and meet people in the community. I love going to these events and it is a blessing that I am able to go as often as I have been. Looking forward to the next one. Below is a picture of WR Golden Tate, DB Jame Brindley, and myself at the event as well as some other photos from the day.







N.ew F.ound L.ife football camp.

I am currently working on putting together my own camp/community event for kids back in my hometown of Tracy, CA. I have always wanted to start a foundation of my own or put together an event that will help support a program or cause. I also want to give back to the community and kids. I have been very fortunate and blessed with opportunities that I have gotten with football and I want to help provide kids with those kinds of opportunities. Giving back to the community is also very important to me. Right now I am working with friends in Tracy on this event. A day is being planned for July 24th at Tracy High School. More information will be available soon. I truly hope we can get this kicked off!!!


WWU viking alumni golf tournament.

On July 9th the WWU viking football alumni golf tournament will kick off at Avalon golf course in Skagit Valley, WA. I am very excited to attend this great event and reunite with the WWU family. A lot of people are working very hard to keep the Viking football tradition alive and well in hopes of getting our team back! Visit www.savewwufootball.com for more information.

Finish strong!!!

Next week we close out the off season. Monday will be a lift followed by mini camp Tuesday-Thursday. Like I mentioned before it is very important to finish strong! I am focused to do just that and take everything I have learned and put it all together. The team looks great, the enthusiasm is great, and our chemistry is even better. Thank you all again for the tremendous love and support. Go Hawks and GODbless!!!

Love,

Matt Overton #48

Time for a break

Good morning everyone!

We are half way through OTA's and we have been given the week off. It has been nice to spend some time at home with the family and friends and to just relax. Can't believe it is already June and before we know it, training camp will be in full swing come August. Over the past month we have been going through OTA's and off season strength and conditioning. The team looks great and there is a lot of enthusiasm. We are putting in some good work! Im having a great time and taking it day-by-day. It is truly a blessing to be there each and every moment. I am looking forward to getting back at it and finishing the off season strong and on a high note!!!
Check out the "Give them a break" blog segment.

Also check out a blog segment that I was featured in "Putting in overtime", pretty cool, and some photos from OTA sessions





Seahawkers Dinner:




Two weekends ago I attended the annual Seahawkers dinner. It was a tremendous event and a great opportunity to meet some great people. Fans from all over flew in to attend the event. About 10 of us players were in attendance along with some alumni players and seagals. Visit the Seahawkers web page for more information. http://www.seahawkers.org/

The photo above includes LB Will Herring, WR Patrick Carter, WR Ben Obomanu, and myself. The Volume 12 fan is Jenni Eaton.

Side notes:

The Seahawks announced they have waived RB Lendale White. White was acquired from the Titans and he was a former player for coach Carroll at USC. I wish the best for Lendale.

The Seahawks picked up WR Isaiah Stanback off waivers from New England. Stanback is from Seattle and played at the University of Washington.

Here is our schedule for the remaining 3 weeks of the offseason:

A look ahead


Thank you all again for the love and support. It is such an amazing blessing and I am glad to share this with you. I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful memorial weekend. GODbless and take care!

Matt Overton #48

OTA's, off season program, events and roster moves.

Hey everyone,

The past couple weeks have been going by very quickly with the addition of OTA's (organized team activites aka practice) incorporated within the off season program. Each week we go through at least 2 OTA sessions. It is nice to get out on the field with the enitre team and all of the coaches and go to work. Each session is about two hours with offensive, defensive and special teams installations. Competition is at every position and it really brings the best out of each of us. The enthusiasm and intensity is very high out there and the chemistry amongst the team is tremendous.

This week the rookies arrived which added a lot more bodies to the team and it seemed as though we did not take a step back to get them up to pace with the rest of the team. It is crazy how fast you must catch on with the scheme of things! Next week we will have 3 OTA sessions and then take a week off.

The off season training program is still underway and we are in our 10th week. We get after it in the weight room and out on the field. Coach Carlisle, coach Jamie, and coach Gee are great strength coaches and the program is great. I think it is safe to say that every player can see positive outcomes from the program and it not only shows in the wieght room but out on the field. I love going to work everyday! It is such a blessing.

Video from Seahawks.com: OTA's day 3

C.A.S.T for Kids Foundation. Seahawks Fish and Feast

Last weekend I had the priviledge to participate in the annual C.A.S.T for Kids event held at the VMAC. There was about 10 of us players who participated and we each got paired up with a kid who had a disability and we took them fishing on Lake Washington. We were also paired with a pro fishing guide and a couple of sponsors and went out on the lake for about 2 hours. This was such an awesome experience. I was with a young teenager by the name of Andrew. Andrew was born with a leg defect which ultimately led to him losing his leg at a young age. Andrew and his mother came over from Bremerton to join us in the event. It was a very humbling experience to be with Andrew and to see how he views his life. This kid lives life with no holding back. He is still very active with a swim team and enjoys mountain biking. He is also a car enthusiast and plans on studying engineering in college. I wish Andrew the best of luck in everything he does and I know his positive attitude will take him far in anything he does.

After being skunked on the Lake with no fish or even a bite, we returned to the VMAC facility and went to the BBQ. The Seahawks drum line team was there as well as some cute Seagals. I was able to take Andrew and the rest of the group on a tour of the facility. I showed the the locker room, weight room and indoor field. Andrew and I spent some time throwing the ball around, that kid has an arm! After the tour we enjoyed a nice BBQ, auction, little autograph session and took some photos.

The C.A.S.T for Kids program is amazing. I really hope that I can participate next year. This weekend I will be going to the Seahawks boosters auction dinner. This will be another opportunity to meet some great people in the community and to involve myself in another off the field activity. It is truly a blessing!

Video from Seahawks.com: Seahawks fish and feast!

Roster moves

This week has been very busy with transactions. Every time a new player arrives, that usually means someone is gone. When this happens it really brings you back to the reality of the business and just how quickly things can change. I just have to keep the focused mind set and remember that I can only control what I can control. Everyday I must come in ready to work hard and have the mindset that "I WILL get better!"

Central Washington quarterback Mike Reilly was waived along with a few other players. Mike and I got to spend some time together and I was very greatful for that. He is a great player but most importantly a tremendous person and I wish him nothing but the best and I have no doubt he will be with another team shortly.

With the departure of Reilly brought wide reciever Marcus Maxwell and quarterback J.P. Losman. Maxwell and I played together last season for the Florida Tuskers in the UFL and we are also from the same junior college Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA. Marcus and I spent a lot of time together while in Florida and now its great to have him here in Seattle. J.P. Losman is also from the UFL playing for the Las Vegas Locomotives.

Article from Seahawks.com: Rotating the roster

The OTA's have been going really good and its such a blessing to be here. Im really looking forward to next weeks OTA's and getting some more great work in with the team and my coaches. At the end of the week I will be going back home to visit my family and friends and spending some time relaxing. I thank you all for following the blogs and the out pour of love and support has been and continues to be tremendous.

Thank you all and GODbless,

Matt Overton #48

With God, all things are possible! Matthew 27:57-61

Former Central Washington QB Mike Reilly joins Seahawks

Hey everyone!

Some really cool news. Former Central Washington quarterback Mike Reilly was claimed off of waivers from the St. Louis Rams. Mike began his NFL career with the Steelers last year and has bounced around a bit spending time on the practice squads of the Packers and Rams. Now he is a Seahawk!
Press release: Life of Reilly

Central Washington was our rival and I played against Mike for 2 years. Unfortunately they beat us every year in the big rival Battle in Seattle game. It was always a close game and Mike always seemed to make the big time plays. Ive always admired his poise on the field and how he carried himself. He is a great guy and its great to have him here in Seattle.

Side note: I did sack him twice the last time I played him : ) haha

Video highlights: WWU
Video highlights: Battle in Seattle

Seahawks mini camp

Good morning family and friends!



Over the weekend we had our rookie-team mini camp and it was great. It was truly a blessing to be back on the field with the team competing and putting in some hard work. The weekend was full of physicals, team meetings, film, walk-throughs and practice. It was a long weekend but it was the best! I got the chance to get to know my fellow teammates and coaches a bit better as well as some of the in coming rookies and vets. Our special teams unit is a great group. Led by veteran kicker Olindo Mare, who was tagged franchise this season, punter Jon Ryan and Tom Malone and long snapper Pat MacDonald. Our coaches Brian Schneider and Jeff Ulbrich are full of energy, enthusiasm, and passion. We all learn from eachother and really gelled over these past 3 days, and will continue to do so. This unit will be very competetive this season.



Coach Carroll was on fire! He is such a motivator. He knows how to get the attention of the entire team and staff. On the field the entire coaching staff is running around like a wild pack of wolves, yelling, and sweating more than the players it seems. These coaches are so full of passion and determination and really know how to coach and get the best out of every single player no matter how long they've been playing the game. The structure of practice is geared towards non-stop action and teaching. Competition is everywhere and the team practices very hard and very fast. It is nearly game speed without pads and knocking people to the ground. A very noticable thing is the chemistry and positive attitude of the entire team.



I had a very solid camp. The coaches threw me into the scheme of things on day one. It wasnt anything I wasnt used to but it was still a big learning experience and Ive learned a lot over the past 3 days. The biggest thing is being able to progress each day, I believe I did that and yet there is still a lot of room for improvement. The feed back I recieved from my coaches was very positive. I am truly blessed to be back and given the opportunity to compete for the job.

Mini camp re-cap videos:
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

Over the next couple of weeks, we will continue with the off season lifting and conditioning program. The off season program runs until the end of June. OTA's (organized team activity) will happen in the next couple of weeks and will be spread out throughout the months of May and June. I am really excited to get into the program. I have heard nothing but positive things about coach Carlisle's program and everyone has seen great results. Time to work hard, prepare and progress to become the best player I can be!!! Thank you all for your continued love and support! GODbless



USC reunion:



Since the arrival of coach Carroll, the Seattle Seahawks have welcomed many former USC players and coaches into this new era of Seahawk football. Coach Carroll built a coaching staff which includes former USC coaches Ken Norton Jr, (linebackers), Brian Schneider (special teams), Jeremy Bates (offensive coordinator), and Rocky Seto (defensive quality control). Fromer players include, Lofa Tatupu (linebacker), Tom Malone (punter), Ryan Powdrell (fullback), Mike Williams (wide receiver), LenDale White, (running back), Anthony McCoy (tight end), Jeff Byers (offensive line), Will Harris (safety), and Josh Pinkard (corner back).



California connection:



As I sit in my locker I glace around the room at all the names of my teammates. Some I have known from my first time with Seattle in 2007 and some Ive known for a couple of years from the UFL and working out at free agent camps.

One very cool connection is with running back Louis Rankin. Louis is from Stockton, CA, about 15 mins from my home town of Tracy and he played high school ball at Lincoln high then moved onto the University of Washington. Louis and I played against eachother in high school and I still remember him running all over us at our homecoming. I believe they whopped us 50-something to nothing. It is so cool to think that far back and to see how far we have come! Louis's locker is to the right of mine.

To my left is running back Quinton Ganther. QG and I have the same agent Dave Canter. This is his first year with the Seahawks too and he is from Richmond, CA and played high school ball at Fairfield high. We faced Fairfield high at the University of Nevada-Reno football camp every summer. He was another back who easily ran all over us!

Tom Malone who is a punter played in the UFL with me last year, but he played for New York. Tom and I actually got signed to the UFL on the same day and we sat next to eachother on our connecting flight from Denver to Orlando. Tom is from Orange County and played at USC. He has had NFL stints with the New England Patriots. Again a cool connection. Small world huh?

There are several Californians on the team and I met a few rookies who flew in with me that hail from Northern California. Full back Mike Morales (UD-Davis), tight end Patrick Devenny (Colorado), and safety James Bradley (Utah State).

GOD works in amazing ways! Re-sign with Seattle and another WWU Vik signed.

Good morning!

As the saying goes, "God works in mysterious ways," this has been the case this week. As I mentioned in the last blog, the Seahawks contacted me during the draft last weekend and offered a spot in this weekends 3 day mini camp. I accepted the invite and began preparing for my trip back up to Seattle. On Monday morning coach Joe Marciano of the Houston Texans called and wanted to fly me out the next day for a tryout. I hopped on a plane early Tuesday morning in route for Houston.

The opportunity with Houston was tremendous. They currently have no long snappers on roster and are really looking for someone. I was very excited for the opportunity. On my way to Houston, I received a call from Seattle, it was my coach checking in on me. In the mean time my agent, Dave Canter, was updating Seattle with my workout with Houston.

I touched down in Houston after a long day of traveling. Houston really reminded me of Orlando, flat, marshy trees, and humidity. I got to the hotel, checked in, relaxed and headed to grab some dinner. Before I could enjoy the much needed meal, my agent was calling me. The Seahawks wanted to re-sign me right then and there. At this point my mind was on a roller coaster, I had just gotten pumped up for the mornings workout with the Texans and now I had to shift and make a decision. It wasn't a hard one to make. I was in Houston for no more than 3 hours before I became a Seattle Seahawk again. I was truly blessed and couldn't believe what had just taken place. I went back into the restaurant and enjoyed the meal with a smile.

Early the next morning I boarded a plane back home to the bay area. Last night I packed up some bags and now leave for Seattle this afternoon. What a couple days it has been! The 3 day mini camp begins Friday and goes through Sunday. This is a re-start to an amazing journey. I thank all my loving family and friends for their support! I also thank the Lord for blessing me with this opportunity and may I walk in the Lords light this weekend and enjoy every moment of it. God has a plan and I have a my full faith and trust in it. GODbless!

Link to press release

Another former WWU Viking signs with the NFL.

WR Jordyn Jackson of Eastern Oregon signed with the San Diego Chargers. Jackson started his collegiate career at WWU at running back and made the transfer to Eastern Oregon. Congrats to him and his achievements. Good luck Jordyn! Here is the press release.

Junior Aumavae reports to Dallas mini camp today as well. What a week for WWU football, may the program be restored very soon!


The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. PSALM 28:7

Back to Seattle, Aumavae signs with Cowboys

Hey everyone,

The 2010 NFL draft is now over and the free agent signings begin. What an amazing weekend it was. Yesterday I received the phone call I was expecting. Coach Brian Schneider, special teams coach for the Seahawks, called me during the 7th round of the draft. After some small talk, coach informed me that I would be coming to mini camp the following week. The opportunity has presented itself and prayers have been answered. I will be reporting to the teams 3 day mini camp this Thursday 4/29. I am very excited for the opportunity and feel very prepared. I want to thank everyone who has been there supporting me through the entire process! I love you all.

Some more great news came when my close friend and former WWU teammate Junior Aumavae was signed by the Dallas Cowboys shortly after the draft concluded. Junior signed a 3 year contract with Americas team and will also report to the teams mini camp this week. Good luck Big June and I am so very proud of you and excited for all of your family. GODbless. Here is the news link from the Cowboys official site.

I will continue to update the blog as mini camp arrives. I cannot wait to get back to Seattle and work hard. The hard work, determination and preparation continues. PPPPP

2010 NFL draft week

Hey everyone!

Sorry it has been such a long time since my last blog. Ive dedicated this past month to rehab and training. Everything has been coming along great. I was medically cleared by Dr. Warren King 3 weeks ago and since then my training has picked up where I have left off. I have also been able to spend a lot of time with my family and friends who have helped me stay positive and patient throughout this process. Their love, motivation, and support has been quite the blessing that I've needed. The Seattle Seahawks have also been in contact with me this week. Prayers have been answered. A special thank you to the Coury family and Pastor Gerry Brown and his wife Peggy. I'm back and ready for the next opportunity. Take a look at a couple videos pre-draft videos I've made. (1) and (2)

Today is the start of the 2010 NFL draft. A very exciting time for many players and their families. Lives will be changed forever within these next 3-4 days. I look back at my experiences during the 2007 NFL draft and cant believe it has been 3 years! The last day of the 2007 draft was a day I will never forget. I was at at team BBQ with several of my teammates and coaches from WWU when I received the phone call from the Seattle Seahawks. It was a blessing to be able to share that day with all of them and to be able to call all of my family and friends back home to share the great news! Here is the link to the article from the WWU Athletics.

People ask if I will be drafted. The answer is no. The draft process is only for those college seniors or underclassmen. Now, following the draft is when teams fill the remaining roster spots with free agent players like myself. This is the first year that the NFL has spread the draft out into 3 days. Today 4/22 will be the 1st round, tomorrow 4/23 will be the 2nd and 3rd round and Saturday 4/24 will be the remaining 4th through 7th rounds. Here is the NFL draft schedule.

I would like to give my very good friend Junior Aumavae a shout out. Junior aka June is draft eligible this year and is a highly touted defensive tackle. Junior and I played at WWU together for two years and have shared many great memories together both on and off the field. When WWU had their football program stripped from them, he found himself at Minnesota State-Mankato. This past season he was an all-league selection as well as voted the newcomer of the league. June impressed many NFL scouts throughout his collegiate career and at his pro day earlier this year at the University of Minnesota. This week he has been receiving a lot of attention from teams so be ready to hear his name called on Saturday, if not he will quickly be signed! It is an exciting time for him and his family and Im very proud of him. What a day it will be if 2 Vikings get signed to the NFL on the same day. We may have to call WWU's president Bruce Shepard, who cut the football program last year, and get his opinion on the news! Good luck Big June, much love bro! Here are a couple photos of June and I.
Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3

Thank you all for your love, support and motivation. It means a lot and I am looking forward to posting a new blog shortly with great news. PPPPP

GODbless
PSALM 37:4

One step back, but two steps forward

Hey everyone,

Well, by now most of you who have been following my path may have heard about my set back. For those who arent aware, I sustained a foot injury last month while working out for the Seahawks before I got signed. I recently moved up to the Seattle area to begin the off season program with the team. I was evaluated by team trainers and doctors and was not cleared to perform in the off season program due to not being healed of the injury. I was put on injury waivers and sent home for rehabilitation. The news was devestating to me as my entire world seemed to crash in an instant. The news was also very tough on my family and friends. Before I left I met with the GM, player personel, and my position coaches. All had positive things to say to me and all mentioned the possibility of coming back.

Within a 48 hour time period, I had drove up to Washington from California, moved into my apartment, moved out of my apartment, and drove back to California. It was like a bad dream and I was in shock by what had just happened. The only thing that I could do was to think positively and go get healthy.

The Seahawks referred me to Dr. Warren King. Dr. King is the head doctor for the Oakland Raiders and is considered one of the best in the game. I met with him on March 18 for an evaluation. To my suprise I was given some very positive feedback and light had been shed on my darkness. Dr. King suggested no surgery was necessary and that the healing process was going real well. Just a few days before I was under the impression that I needed surgery and that the time frame of me being out would be somewhere between 2-4 months. The new timeframe had been narrowed to 3-4 weeks. Keep in mind the injury occured 5 weeks before I saw Dr. King, so I was close to being healed. I will meet with Dr. King again on April 1st for further evaltuations and hope to get even more great news.

I have also been working close with Dr. Todd Frigard, who is from a well known Chiropractic family. I was referred to him because of some treatment options he had available. I met with Dr. Frigard the day after I met with Dr. King and once again recieved great news about my foot. We discussed some possible treatment plans that may aid in my rehabilitation. For the next two weeks I will be going through cold laser and ultra sound therapy. These techniques have been proven to aid in the recovery of injuries. So far ive responded well and have continued to feel results.

When you feel that you have hit the bottom, the only thing that you can do is go up! This has been very tough on me, but I know everything will workout and that I will be back! God's tests only make us stronger and this could have very well been a blessing in disguise. I want to thank all of my Family and Friends for their support and encouragement throughout this process. Everyone who has sent words of encouragement THANK YOU! It means a lot. This experience is very humbling and it shows you how quickly something you've worked so hard for can be stripped from you in an instant.

Stay Positive, Patient, Persevere, Practice hard, and Prepare yourself for opportunities!!! GODbless. I will keep you all updated!

Matt Overton

Welcome to my daily blogs "Road to the NFL."

Welcome!

Thank you again for viewing my daily blog. Every day I will post live blogs that will describe my experiences in pursuit of playing in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks.

I will be moving up to Bellevue, WA, which is just east of Seattle, this weekend. We will begin our offseason training program on March 15th. For the next 4 months I will be going through OTA's(optional training), mini camps, and the strength and conditioning program. I will be working closely with coach Brian Schneider (Special Teams coach), coach Jeff Ulbrich (Special Teams assistant), and coach Chris Carlisle (Strength and Conditioning coach).

What has happened....

For those who aren't familiar with the path that I have been on, here is a quick story.

I began playing football at the age of 8 in the central valley of Northern California. My career began with me being cut by the Tracy Raiders, I quickly experienced the adversity that football brings. I still remember that very day, but soon after I went and played for the Delta Rebels. The following year I made the Tracy Raiders and continued to play for the dominating pop warner team for the next 5 years until reaching high school.

I attended Tracy High school and played all four years for the Bulldogs, earning most valuable lineman, team captain, and all-league recognition. This is where I was introduced to the long snapping position. Who would have though that this would lead me to the NFL? After my senior year of high school, I was left with very few college options. I was not recruited by any schools and really didnt know what I wanted to do. All I knew is that I wanted to pursue football.

Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA is where I landed and it was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made. I was coached by some of the best coaches I have ever had, played with/against some tremndous athletes, and made lifelong friends. At DVC I was named captain and special teams MVP for long snapping. During this time I began to take my long snapping skills very seriously. Those two solid years at DVC helped me earn a scholarship to Western Washington University.

WWU was no different. A perfect fit and a decision that changed my life. I had the priviledge to play under coach Rob Smith and the following year under Robin Ross, along with great position coaches. I was a 2 year starter at defensive end and also handled all snapping duties (stats).

After my senior season at WWU in 2006, I participated in 3 NFL pro days (San Jose State, Cal Poly, and WWU). Pro days are workouts for NFL teams showcasing the skills of all college seniors who are draft eligible for the upcoming NFL season. After having very strong performances at these pro days, the Seahawks brought me into their rookie mini camp in May of 2007. I was not offered a contract at the conclusion of the 3 day camp. From there I pursued the arena league and signed with the Tri Cities Fever as a LB/FB of the Arena 2 Football League. I played in 3 games for the Fever before being released. With no other interests from NFL teams or playing options within the arena league, I went back to WWU to finish my degree.

Completing my degree was the most important thing for me to do at the time. While finishing my degree I was able to play ball for the local semi-pro team, the Whatcom County Raiders, and helped them win a championship. Playing with that team was a very humbling experience. I graduated from WWU with a bachelors in general studies in December of 2008. Shortly after I signed with the Milwaukee Iron of the AF2 league. The Iron ended up releasing me before the season even began. It seemed as though my chances of playing somewhere were slim, especially in the NFL. I still continued to train hard and maintain a positive attitude. I attended several NFL free agent camps to showcase my long snapping skills to the NFL scouts. Ive worked with coach/scout Paul Assad for the past 3 years. His camps helped gain exposure and experience.

In the summer of 2009 I had been in contact with coaches from the United Football League. The UFL was a new upstart league with strong NFL ties. I knew that this league would be the perfect opportunity for me if I got one. I finally caught a break with the Florida Tuskers. Their long snapper had endured an injury in camp and they quickly brought me in for a workout and signed me the next day. Long story short, I played the entire season with the Tuskers under coach Jim Haslett and coach Al Roberts. We had a very successful season going 6-1 and playing in the first UFL Championship game. I also had the honor to snap to former NFL pro bowler punter, Todd Sauerbrun, and kicker Matt Bryant, who currently holds the second longest field goal in NFL history. By the end of my UFL experience, I signed on with a big time agency DEC management.

My experience with the UFL helped me get another opportunity within the NFL. On February 8, 2010, the Seattle Seahawks brought me in for a free agent workout. After a very solid workout for the coaches and staff I was offered a contract. I officially signed with them on February 10, 2010 making me one of the first signees of Pete Carroll's reign of the Seahawk's. Pretty cool!!!

Now the hard work continues!!!! Stay tuned for my next blog coming soon. Thank you again and GODbless

-Matt Overton

www.seahawks.com