Matt Feiler

Matt Feiler's Biography

Matthew “Matt” Feiler, born on July 7, 1992, is an eminent American football guard, celebrated for his versatility and stellar game finesse. Feiler originally hails from Strasburg, Pennsylvania, where he was born to Mark and Beth Feiler. Widely known for his prowess in American football, the powerful athlete also juggled baseball during his high school years. However, he ultimately chose to pursue football in college at Bloomsburg University, Pennsylvania, due to preferable scholarship opportunities.

At his alma mater, Feiler kick-started his football career around 2010 as an offensive guard. His freshman year saw him hit the field in 11 games, demonstrating a promising start to his university-level football journey. By 2012, he had evolved into playing the role of an offensive tackle, expanding his breadth of positions and enriching his skill set. Consistency and dedication have always been key pillars of Feiler’s career as he managed to start every game during his time at Bloomsburg. His college career culminated with him playing in the 2014 East/West Shrine Game, a showcase of his talent and his promising prospects as a professional football player.

Despite his illustrious college football stint, Feiler went undrafted in the 2014 NFL draft; however, undeterred, he accepted a rookie minicamp invite from the Houston Texans. On May 16, 2014, the Texans officially signed Feiler, offering him a three-year charge amounting to $1.54 million, inclusive of a $5,000 signing bonus. This instigated an intense competition among players Tyson Clabo, Anthony Dima, Bryan Witzmann, and Will Yeatman, all vying for a roster spot as a backup offensive tackle.

Unfortunately, Feiler was waived by the Texans as part of their final roster cuts by the end of August 2014, but his continuation on their practice squad reassured his relevance to the team. The team re-signed him on December 31, 2014, for a two-year $1.11 million contract, showing their faith in his potential. Despite being released by the Texans in September 2015, Feiler’s resilient spirit landed him in the grasp of the Pittsburgh Steelers just a few days later.

During his tenure with the Steelers, Feiler consistently battled against formidable players like Ryan Harris and Jerald Hawkins for a roster spot as a backup offensive tackle. Although he was released in September 2016, he quickly found his way back to the practice squad the next day. Feiler persevered and eventually promoted to the Steelers’ active roster in October 2016, when Harris was rendered inactive owing to an injury. However, he was waived shortly after but was successfully re-signed to the practice squad, reflecting his resilience and staying power.

Feiler’s major breakthrough came in 2017 when, despite losing the backup offensive tackle positions to Jerald Hawkins and Chris Hubbard, he became David DeCastro’s backup right guard. His first professional regular season debut was marked with a narrow 23-17 loss against the Chicago Bears in Week 3. Feiler secured his first career start with a victorious 28-24 match against the Cleveland Browns in Week 17. Feiler played and started in five games in total for the season, cementing his first NFL start in Week 17 at right guard.

Recognizing his immense contribution and potential, the Steelers signed a one-year contract extension with Feiler in 2018, who would have otherwise become an exclusive-rights free agent. Following the departure of Chris Hubbard in free agency, Feiler bagged the role of the primary backup offensive tackle, competing against BJ Finney and Jerald Hawkins. He eventually made his mark as the first-choice backup, stepping into action against an injured Marcus Gilbert during Week 3. By Week 8, he was named the starter at right tackle, starting nine of the final ten games.

Feiler’s giant leap in his career came in March 2019 when the Steelers traded Marcus Gilbert to the Arizona Cardinals. This carved out an opportunity for Feiler, who emerged victorious in a training camp battle against Chukwuma Okorafor, Zach Banner, and Jerald Hawkins for the empty right tackle spot. He made good use of the opportunity, starting in all 16 games during the 2019 season.

In March 2020, the Steelers very tactically placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on Feiler, which he signed in June 2020. As a testament to his impact in the team, Feiler was named the Steelers’ starting left guard. His successful run was unfortunately cut short due to a pectoral injury in Week 14, leading to his placement on injured reserve in December 2020. After his recovery, Feiler rejoined the team in January 2021.

The adept footballer then signed a three-year contract deal for $15 million with the Los Angeles Chargers in March 2021. Feiler was designated as the starting left guard, a role he ably handled for two seasons before he was released by the Chargers in 2023. He did not stay unclaimed for long as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him just a month later. As their new starting left guard, Feiler had played six games before he was forced to take a break due to injury. However, upon his return, he found his position taken over by Aaron Stinnie.

Apart from being an impressive athlete, Feiler also holds a degree in history from Bloomsburg University, from where he graduated in 2014. Balancing his sports career with his personal life, Feiler married Julie Carpenter of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, on March 17, 2018. These chapters of his journey constitute the successful life of Matt Feiler, the robust American football guard with a relentless spirit and a promising career in American football.