Matt Birk

Birk during the Ravens' training camp in August 2009
No. 77     Baltimore Ravens
Center
Personal information
Date of birth: July 23, 1976 (1976-07-23) (age 33)
Place of birth: St. Paul, Minnesota
Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	Weight: 309 lb (140 kg)
Career information
College: Harvard
NFL Draft: 1998 / Round: 6 / Pick: 173
Debuted in 1998 for the Minnesota Vikings
Career history
As player: Minnesota Vikings (1998–2008) Baltimore Ravens (2009–present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
2× All-Pro selection (2000, 2003) 6× Pro Bowl selection (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007)
Stats at NFL.com

Matthew Robert Birk (born July 23, 1976 in St. Paul, Minnesota) is an American football center for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Harvard.^[1]

Birk is a two-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowl selection.

Contents 1 Early years 2 College career 3 Professional career 3.1 Minnesota Vikings 3.2 Baltimore Ravens 4 Personal 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Early years

Birk attended Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, MN and was an excellent student-athlete, letterman and a standout in football, basketball, and track & field. He was an All-St. Paul Conference honoree, an Academic All-State honoree, and an All-State honoree in both football and basketball. Matt Birk graduated from Cretin-Derham High School in 1994.

[edit] College career

Birk graduated from Harvard University in 1998 with a degree in Economics.^[1] While playing for the Harvard Crimson, he attained All-Ivy League, All-New England and Division I-AA All-ECAC first team football honors.

[edit] Professional career

[edit] Minnesota Vikings

Birk was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 6th round (173rd overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft. During his first two seasons with the Vikings, he appeared in 22 games as a back-up offensive lineman. In 2000, he took over the starting center position for the Vikings, starting all 16 games and was named to his first Pro Bowl team. Birk started every game for the Vikings at center from 2000-2003.

In 2004, Birk missed the last 4 games of the season due to surgery to treat a sports hernia. He missed the entire 2005 season with a hip injury that required surgery.

Birk returned to form in 2006, again anchoring the Vikings offensive line from the center spot, and earning his fifth career Pro Bowl selection. In 2007, Birk was named Minnesota Vikings Man of the Year for the sixth year in a row. He also earned his sixth Pro Bowl selection, tying Mick Tinglehoff for most Pro Bowl appearances by a Vikings center.

[edit] Baltimore Ravens

An unrestricted free agent in the 2009 offseason, Birk signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens on March 4. The deal included $6 million guaranteed.^[2]

[edit] Personal

Birk founded a charity organization that provides educational opportunities for at-risk children, Matt Birk’s HIKE Foundation.

Birk has four children: daughters Madison, Sydney, Ava and a son, Grant with his wife Adrianna.

Birk has promised to donate his brain to science once he is deceased. This will help scientists study the long-term effects of concussions sustained by football players.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Matt Birk’s HIKE Foundation
• Matty B's Supper Club
• Matty B's Urban Bar & Restaurant