Frank Mattiace
{{short description|American football player (born 1961)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
|name=Frank Mattiace
|image=
|caption=
|current_team=
|position=Nose tackle
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1961|1|20}}
|birth_place=Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
|height_ft=6
|height_in=1
|weight_lbs=264
|high_school=Montville Township {{nowrap|(Montville, New Jersey)}}
|college=Holy Cross
|undraftedyear=1983
|pastteams=
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|1983}})*
- New Jersey Generals ({{USFL Year|1984}}–{{USFL Year|1985}})
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1987}})*
- Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|1987}})
|pastcoaching=
- New Jersey Red Dogs ({{AFL Year|1999|2000}})
Head coach
|highlights=
- All-ECAC (1982)
|pfr=MattFr21
}}
Frank Louis Mattiace (born January 20, 1961) is an American former professional football nose tackle and coach. He played college football at Holy Cross, and professionally for the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL) and the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He was also the head coach of the New Jersey Red Dogs of the Arena Football League (AFL).
Early life and college
Mattiace was born in Paterson, New Jersey and attended Montville Township High School in Montville, New Jersey.
He played college football for the Holy Cross Crusaders.{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/m/matt03800.html | title=Frank Mattiace | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=11 September 2024}} He earned All-ECAC and honorable mention All-American honors his senior year in 1982.{{cite web | url=https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/football/yearbooks/FDETLMG-1987-detroit-lions-media-guide.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwim5PiwkryIAxXMrokEHQ3uCMkQFnoECB8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw3zfTgE6qar3BOMF_W5zSTF | title=1987 Detroit Lions Media Guide | publisher=Detroit Lions | date=1987 | accessdate=11 September 2024 | pages=94}}
Professional career
After going undrafted in the 1983 NFL draft, Mattiace signed with the Green Bay Packers on July 19, 1983. He was waived by the Packers on August 29, 1983.{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/m/matt03800.html | title=Frank Mattiace NFL Transactions | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=11 September 2024}}
Mattiace played for the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL) from 1984 to 1985. Mattiace appeared in 17 games, starting two, for the Generals in 1984 and recorded three sacks. He played in 17 games again during the 1985 season, totaling three sacks. Mattiace re-signed with the Generals in June 1986 but the 1986 USFL season was later cancelled.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/501920727/?match=1&terms=%22Frank%20Mattiace%22%20 | title=Transactions | work=The Province | date=June 24, 1986 | accessdate=12 September 2024 | pages=48}}
He was signed by the Detroit Lions of the NFL on March 4, 1987. He was waived by the team on August 26, 1987.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/208664769/?match=1&terms=%22Frank%20Mattiace%22 | title=Lions not interested in Carter | work=Lansing State Journal | date=August 27, 1987 | accessdate=11 September 2024 | pages=5C}}
On September 23, 1987, Mattiace signed with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts as a replacement player during the 1987 NFL players strike. He played in three games for the Colts and made one sack before being waived on October 19, 1987.
Coaching career
Mattiace began his coaching career in 1987, coaching at several high schools and also serving a stint as an assistanct coach at Montclair State, before joining the New Jersey Red Dogs of the Arena Football League (AFL) as offensive line coach in 1997.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/498890080/?match=1&terms=%22Frank%20Mattiace%22%20%22montclair%20state%22 | title=Mattiace joins Mustangs football staff | work=Clifton Journal | date=August 10, 2000 | accessdate=12 September 2024 | pages=17}} He returned to high school coaching in 1998.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/478522978/?match=1&terms=%22Frank%20Mattiace%22%20 | title=Mucci lifts St. Peters | work=Daily News | date=September 28, 1998 | accessdate=12 September 2024 | author=Rubin, Roger | pages=80}}
In 1999, Mattiace was hired as the head coach and general manager of the New Jersey Red Dogs.{{cite news |last=Idec |first=Keith A.|title=Red Dogs' New Pack Leader Has No-Nonsense Approach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-news-red-dogs-new-pack-leade/160086957/ |newspaper=The Herald-News |date=May 2, 1999 |page=C2 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=12 September 2024}} The Red Dogs had a 6–8 regular season record in 1999. He was fired in 2000 after beginning the season with a 3–7 record.{{cite web | url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/stats/c-mattifra003 | title=Frank Mattiace | publisher=statscrew.com | accessdate=11 September 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/28/sports/transactions-974820.html | title=Transactions | publisher=The New York Times | date=June 28, 2000 | accessdate=12 September 2024}}
=Head coaching record=
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;" | |||||||
| rowspan=2|Team | rowspan=2|Year | colspan=4|Regular season | colspan=4|Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result |
| New Jersey || 1999
|| 6|| 8|| {{winpct|6|8}} || 2nd in NC Eastern || -|| -|| - || | |||||||
| ! New Jersey || 2000
|| 3|| 7|| {{winpct|3|7}} || (Fired) || -|| - || - || | |||||||
| colspan=2|Total || 9|| 15|| {{winpct|9|15}} || || -|| -|| - || |
Personal life
A resident of Montville, New Jersey, Mattiace has spent time as a substance abuse counselor and the executive director of the New Pathway Counseling Service in New Jersey. He has counseled former NFL players who had painkiller addictions.{{Cite news |last=Fensom |first=Michael J. |date=January 31, 2014 |title=Super Bowl pomp countered by retired NFL players' painkiller abuse |url=https://www.nj.com/super-bowl/2014/01/super_bowl_pomp_countered_by_painkiller_abuse_that_can_follow_nfl_players_well_after_careers_end.html |access-date=11 September 2024 |work=NJ.com}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Cleveland Gladiators}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mattiace, Frank}}
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Holy Cross Crusaders football players
Category:Green Bay Packers players
Category:New Jersey Generals players
Category:Detroit Lions players
Category:Indianapolis Colts players
Category:High school football coaches in New Jersey
Category:Montclair State Red Hawks football coaches
Category:Cleveland Gladiators coaches
Category:Arena Football League executives
Category:Montville Township High School alumni
Category:Sportspeople from Montville, New Jersey
Category:Players of American football from Paterson, New Jersey