Matthew (Matt) Robert Birk (aka Matty B)

(born July 23, 1976 in St. Paul, Minnesota) center for the Minnesota Vikings from 1998 to 2008.

He played college football at Harvard.

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.

Has started at C for 4 of the 5 highest single-season rushing totals in Vikings history - Robert Smith’s 1,521 in 2000, Adrian Peterson’s 1,324 in 2007, Michael Bennett’s 1,296 in 2002, and Chester Taylor’s 1,216 in 2006...Vikings RBs have gone over the 100-yard mark 35 times in Birk’s 107 career starts (Robert Smith-8, Michael Bennett-8, Chester Taylor-6, Adrian Peterson-6, Moe Williams-2, Onterrio Smith-2, Mewelde Moore-2, Artose Pinner-1)….Named to NFL’s All- Interview team in 2005 and 2006 by NFL.com for being cooperative with and providing insight to the media…Had never played center before the Vikings moved him to the position.
NFL History

2007
Earned Pro Bowl honors for the 6th time in his career, matching Mick Tingelhoff’s 6 Pro Bowls for most by a Vikings center…Trails only Tingelhoff (240) for most starts by a Vikings center…Started all 16 games for the 6th time in his career…Paved the way for the Vikings running game to rank #1 in the NFL and the offense ranked #13 overall, a 10-spot jump from 2006…Key element of the Vikings running game that set a team record with 2,634 yards on the ground and tied a team record with 8 games featuring a 100-yard rusher…Helped set a team record for rushing average at 5.33 yards per carry...Paved the way for Adrian Peterson to set a new NFL record with 296 rushing yards in a game vs. San Diego (11/4) and ran for 224 yards at Chicago (10/14), a team record before he broke his own mark with his performance against San Diego…Peterson became the 1st NFL rookie to break the 200-yard rushing mark twice in their debut season…Helped Peterson and Chester Taylor set a Vikings record for combined rushing yards by a tandem.

2006
Started all 16 games for the 5th time in his career and earned his 5th Pro Bowl selection…Helped Chester Taylor rush for 1,216 yards, the 4th-best single-season performance in franchise history…Paved the way for Taylor to rush for 100+ yards 4 times during the season…Helped write Vikings history as Taylor ran for a team-record 95- yard TD run at Seattle (10/22) and tied the 6th-best rushing day in team history with 169 yards on the ground…Blocked for Taylor as he went over the 1,000-yard mark on the season at Chicago (12/3) and as the Vikings rushed for 192 yards as a team against the Bears…Part of a line that paved the way for Artose Pinner as he posted his 1st career 100-yard rushing day with 125 yards at Detroit (12/10) in his 1st start as a Viking.

2005
Placed on injured reserve due to hip and sports hernia injuries following training camp, forcing him to miss the entire season.

2004
Earned his 4th berth in the Pro Bowl...Named the Vikings Man of theYear for his work in the Twin Cities community...Started 11 of the 12 games he played and both playoff contests…Missed 4 games during regular season while battling back from hernia surgery, missing games vs. Jacksonville (11/28), at Chicago (12/5), vs. Seattle (12/12) and at Detroit (12/19)…Vikings ranked 4th in the NFL in total offense, the 4th finish in the NFL’s top 5 in his 5 seasons as a starter…Key element to the Vikings offense setting a new team record for total net yards (6,339) and average yards per game (396.2)...Provided time for QB Daunte Culpepper to enjoy the best season by a Vikings QB in team history as he set records for passing TDs (39), passing yards (4,717), completion percentage (69.2) and passer rating (110.9)...Had consecutive games started streak snapped at 67 when he did not start game at Houston (10/10), but came off the bench to replace starter Cory Withrow in OT and helped Vikings to the dramatic win on a 50-yard pass to Marcus Robinson…Helped pave the way for both of rookie Mewelde Moore’s 100-yard rushing games at New Orleans (10/17) and vs. Tennessee (10/24)…Helped the Vikings post 605 yards of offense at New Orleans (10/17), the 2nd-highest total in Vikings history… Missed time during training camp and the opening 3 preseason games as he recovered from hernia surgery.

2003
Named 2nd-Team All-Pro by Associated Press...Earned starting spot in Pro Bowl…Started all 16 games, part of a starting line that opened all 16 games as a unit (McKinnie, Liwienski, Birk, Dixon, Rosenthal)...Helped pave the way for the Vikings offense to rank #1 in the NFL for the 1st time in franchise history… Opened holes for Moe Williams, Michael Bennett and Onterrio Smith to each break the 100-yard rushing mark in games during ’03...Helped the Vikings boast 4 players who rushed for 400+ yards on the season.

2002
Key element of the Vikings leading the NFL in rushing for the 1st time in franchise history with a team-record 2,507 rushing yards, breaking the old mark of 2,278 set in 1965...Set a team record with 26 rushing TDs, breaking the old mark of 22 set in 1988...Helped set a new Vikings record by averaging 5.3 yards per carry, breaking the mark of 5.0 set in 2000, Birk’s 1st season as a starter...Paved the way for Michael Bennett to run for 1,296 yards, the 2ndbest by a Viking...Helped Daunte Culpepper and Moe Williams to run for 10 and 11 TDs respectively, only the 3rd tandem in NFL history to rush for 10+ TDs each in a season.

2001
Earned a berth in 2nd straight Pro Bowl...Helped pave the way for rookie Michael Bennett to rush for 682 yards and average 4.0 yards per carry…Bennett ranked 3rd in the NFC among rookie runners and his 682 yards are the 3rd-most in Vikings history by a rookie.

2000
Joined QB Daunte Culpepper as players making their 1st NFL starts in 2000 but neither missed a beat, each earning Pro Bowl honors and helping the Vikings offense average 372.6 yards per game on the season…Named to the 2000 All-Madden Team…In his 16 starts, RB Robert Smith went over the 100-yard mark 8 times…Helped Smith set a new Vikings single-season rushing record (1,521 yards) and set the team’s new career rushing record (6,818)…In 1st career NFL start in opener he opened the way for Smith to run for 109 yards vs. Chicago (9/3).

1999
Saw time on special teams in season opener at Atlanta (9/12)…Replaced an injured Korey Stringer at RT vs. Oakland (9/19)…Suffered fractured right thumb vs. San Francisco (10/24)…Played at Denver (10/31) with a soft cast and played on special teams and OT on goal-line situations… Went into game as an eligible receiver in goalline situations vs. NY Giants (12/26)…Saw playoff action vs. Dallas (1/9/00) and at St. Louis (1/16/00).

1998
Played on special teams in Divisional Playoff vs. Arizona (1/10/99) and NFC Championship Game vs. Atlanta (1/17/99)…Replaced injured Everett Lindsay at RT in regular-season finale at Tennessee (12/26) and played rest of game…Played at RT in 50-10 win over Jacksonville (12/20)…Saw 1st NFL action at RG at Tampa Bay (11/1) when David Dixon left the game with a shoulder injury…Drafted by in the 6th round (#173l).
College Information

1997 All-American second team selection by the NFL Draft Report...All-Ivy League, All-New England and Division 1-AA All-ECAC first team choice...Led the way as the Harvard offense ranked 5th in the nation in rushing (207.7 ypg) and in passing efficiency (86.3 rating) as a senior in 1997...Harvard went 7-0 in league play, and 9-1 overall during his senior season and won the Ivy League crown.
Personal Biography

Six-time Vikings Man of the Year is one of the most involved Vikings players in the Twin Cities community… Named the Vikings Ed Block Courage Award winner by his teammates in 2006…Received degree in economics from Harvard in 1998...Brother, Ben, was a pitcher in the Florida Marlins organization…Has been involved with Viking Victory hospital visits as well as the Oak Park Neighborhood Center for youth…Married, wife’s name is Adrianna...Couple has 3 daughters, Madison, Sydney, Ava and a son, Grant...Did not play in 2002 Pro Bowl due to his wedding falling on the same weekend…Started the Matt Birk H.I.K.E. Foundation in 2002 (Hope Inspiration Knowledge Education) to benefit deserving and highachieving students...Named to Dick Butkus Football Network’s All-American Sportsmanship Team for 2002…Served as spokesperson for the Vikings/Star Tribune Gridiron Geography program...Participated in 2007 Red Lake Safety Camp in northern Minnesota...Opened a supper club in native St. Paul in spring 2006, Matty B’s, and Matty B’s Urban Bar and Grill in Minneapolis in fall 2006.

Matty B... you will not be forgotten. Thanks for the Vikings Gold Memories!!!

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