{"id":3440,"date":"2023-11-08T20:07:32","date_gmt":"2023-11-08T20:07:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/foreverinourhearts\/?p=3440"},"modified":"2023-11-08T20:17:16","modified_gmt":"2023-11-08T20:17:16","slug":"remembering-the-life-of-ex-nfl-player-and-super-bowl-champ-matt-ulrich","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/foreverinourhearts\/2023\/11\/remembering-the-life-of-ex-nfl-player-and-super-bowl-champ-matt-ulrich.html","title":{"rendered":"Remembering the Life of Ex-NFL Player and Super Bowl Champ Matt Ulrich"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"matt<\/a>
Montana Sports\/YouTube.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Matt Ulrich, a former Indianapolis Colts offensive lineman who was on the team\u2019s Super Bowl championship team during the 2006 season, died at 41. A cause of death wasn\u2019t given. Colts team owner Jim Irsay announced his death on X.<\/p>\n

He wrote, \u201cI am heartbroken to hear of the passing of Matt Ulrich. Matt was with us only two seasons but left his mark on many. Great guy; I hear he was a great dad, and he was a Super Bowl champ. My prayers to his family.\u201d Ulrich attended Northwestern and signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Colts over the Bears in Super Bowl XLI.<\/p>\n

In 2019, he told Montanasports.com, \u201cAgain, seeing the confetti come down Colts colors and be able to hold the Lombardi Trophy, everyone being on the field, I had to remind myself to take one moment for myself. It was good advice I got from someone that if you do win it, take that last moment to look back at the tunnel and just look at the scoreboard, look at the field, and just know you\u2019re at the pinnacle of sports. And that\u2019s quite an awesome feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ulrich played 10 games across two seasons with the Colts, five in each season, which marked only two seasons in the NFL. He told Montanasports.com, \u201cI\u2019d love to tell you that I could have played for another decade. But the fact of the matter is, and I\u2019ve probably said this to you before, that the NFL stands for \u2018Not For Long.\u2019 I was a guy who had to beat out a draft pick in 2005 and beat out another draft pick in 2006.\u201d<\/p>\n

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I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of Matt Ulrich. Matt was with us only two seasons, but left his mark on many. Great guy, I hear he was a great dad—and he was a Super Bowl champ. My prayers to his family. ? pic.twitter.com\/Cb21IkP1XT<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) November 8, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n