Matt Sokol

BIOGRAPHY

Matthew Ryan Sokol, an American professional football player, was born on November 9, 1995. As an undrafted free agent, Sokol embarked upon his professional sports journey as a tight end, successfully landing his first spot on a roster in 2020 with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Previously, Sokol honed his gridiron skills while playing football at Michigan State. After concluding his collegiate career, Sokol prepared for the uncertain path of an undrafted free agent. However, shortly following the 2019 NFL draft on April 27, 2019, the Los Angeles Chargers signed Sokol. Unfortunately, he was waived during final roster cuts on August 31, 2019, landing a place in the team’s practice squad just a day later. A series of releases and re-signings had Sokol oscillating in and out of the roster until he was finally released on October 9, 2019.

Unfazed by this setback, Sokol continued in the professional circuit, signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad on November 18, 2019. He later inked a reserve/future contract with the Detroit Lions on December 31, 2019, hoping for a more stable position. The roller-coaster year continued for Sokol as he faced roster cuts on September 5, 2020, only to be reinstated in the team’s practice squad on October 21, 2020. However, a mere three days later, he was released yet again.

Undeterred, Sokol re-signed with the Chargers’ practice squad on October 31, 2020. This presented a ray of optimism in a challenging period. An elevation to the active roster on December 26, aligned with the team’s week 16 game against the Denver Broncos. Following the game, Sokol reverted to the practice squad and was promoted to the active roster on January 1, 2021.

However, this isn’t the end of Matthew Ryan Sokol’s perseverance filled career trajectory. On August 31, 2021, the Chargers waived Sokol. Swiftly bouncing back, he re-signed with the Jaguars’ practice squad on September 2, 2021. Sokol marked his incredible journey’s first weeks of 2022 by signing a reserve/future contract with the Lions on January 12. Unfortunately, he was waived again on May 10, 2022.

The very next day, May 11, 2022, the New England Patriots claimed Sokol off waivers. Though waived on August 30, 2022, he returned to scoop up another reserve/future contract on January 10, 2023.

August 29, 2023, saw Sokol’s association with the Patriots end when he was released, only to be swiftly re-signed to the practice squad. Despite his notable stint with the team, Sokol was not among the players who signed reserve/future contracts with the club in 2024. Consequently, he became a free agent with the expiration of his contract.

Hoping to continue with his professional gridiron journey, Sokol entered a new phase of his career, signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers on July 30, 2024. Unfortunately, less than a month later, on August 27, his stint with the Steelers seemed to end when he was waived, but he was later re-signed to the practice squad. A month later, on September 24, 2024, Sokol was once again released, punctuating a decade of determination and resilience. His journey exemplifies the grueling realities professional football players often face, battling frequent setbacks yet constantly striving to accomplish their career objectives.