Matt Prater

Matt Prater's Biography

Matthew Phillip Prater, born on the 10th of August, 1984, is a commendable figure in American professional football. He plays the crucial role of place kicker for the notable National Football League’s (NFL) resident team, the Arizona Cardinals. His unmatched prowess in long distance kicking has earned him a prominent place in NFL’s history. From 2013 to 2021, he held the unbeatable record for the longest field goal standing at 64 yards. As of 2024, he held yet another NFL record for most successful field goals of over 50 yards in a career, at a remarkable 81 conversions.

Prater’s intriguing journey in football can be traced back to his college days in the UCF Knights. It was here that the Detroit Lions recognized his potential, signing him as an undrafted free agent in 2006. Following a regrettable suspension on grounds of violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, he was unfortunately cut by the Denver Broncos.

During the 2016 and 2017 seasons, with the Lions once again, he further proved his commendable accuracy in kicking, setting further NFL records. He successfully completed 14 straight conversions of 50+ yard field goals and seven conversions at 55+ yards.

Rewind to Prater’s high school days at Estero High School in Florida, his football career was already promising. With the Wildcats, he converted an impressive 56 out of 58 extra point attempts and managed 14 field goals, one of which was a notable long kick of 49 yards. He skillfully converted 84% of his kickoffs into touchbacks. His incredible performance didn’t go unnoticed and earned him an array of accolades including second-team All-State, first-team all-conference, and All-Southwest Florida. What’s more, he secured a spot in the second-team “Dream Team”. In 2002, Prater, then at Cypress Lake High School, transferred to Estero High School where he graduated from.

Following high school, he proceeded to play college football for UCF from 2002 to 2005. Even at the dawn of his collegiate career, he displayed an undeniable talent on his debut kick – an impressive 53 yards. In his maiden season, he had a remarkable 44-of-47 extra points and 14-of-21 converted field goals.

As a sophomore in 2003, Prater showcased remarkable improvement, leading the nation in punting, and attaining school and Mid American Conference records with an average of 47.9 yards per punt. As a kicker, he achieved 10-of-13 attempts while making a flawless 4-for-4 on attempts over 40 yards. Perhaps the icing on the cake was his extraordinary performance against Virginia Tech on August 31, earning a 55.7-yard average with six punts, punctuated by incredible kicks of 71 and 67 yards. In total, that season saw him convert 23-of-24 extra points, 10-of-13 field goals and achieve 2,781 net yards from 58 punts, averaging 47.9 yards per punt.

In 2004, despite suffering a leg injury that forced him out of the season after appearing in nine games, he managed to creatively etch his name in the UCF records with 11 consecutively successful field goals. As a senior in 2005, Prater managed 17-of-26 field goal attempts, with the longest standing at 49 yards. This was accompanied by a solid 29-for-32 performance on point-after attempts.

Apart from his professional life, Prater endured a personal struggle which led to a four-game suspension for breaching the NFL’s substance abuse regulations. Despite this, he resumed his soccer career on October 3, 2014, joining the Lions on a one-year contract deal. He ended the same year converting 21 field goals on 26 attempts. He further extended his contract with the Lions on March 6, 2015, signing a three-year, $9 million contract extension.

Prater’s story emphasizes resilience, despite the numerous challenges and obstacles that stood in his path. His achievements, records, and dedication to the sport remain an inspiring tale to upcoming athletes, proving that setbacks can be turned into comebacks. His journey in football is characterized by hard work, determination, prowess, and a clear understanding that success does not come cheaply.