Excellence is defined in many ways, and the Falcons haven’t had many examples of such in their franchise history.
Matt Ryan‘s MVP campaign, Julio Jones‘ first-ballot Hall of Fame career, Younghoe Koo‘s NFL-leading field goal percentage, or “The Kick” where Morten Andersen nailed a game-winning 38-yard field goal in overtime against the Vikings, lifting the club to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance.Â
Moments or a collection of moments can be described as greatness. Durability isn’t generally thought of in this conversation, but there are exceptions for a few. Cal Ripken and LeBron James are the most recent examples of that, and Jake Matthews could one day join them.
The stalwart left tackle hasn’t missed a game since his rookie season in 2014, and he played in 15 games that year. He’s started every single game since joining the team except for one. That kind of consistency in an offensive lineman is unheard of.
And now, he’s finally the franchise record holder for most consecutive starts, breaking former center Jeff Van Note‘s franchise record for consecutive games played (155)
Matthews has been an iron man for the Falcons since he was drafted. He almost missed a game last year due to the birth of his child, but he ended up making it by the skin of his teeth.
The Falcons haven’t had to worry about one of the most important positions in the sport for nearly a decade. Describing Jake Matthews as an ironman is an understatement.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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