Matt Cole
{{Short description|American football player (born 1996)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Matt Cole
| image = Matt Cole (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Cole with the New York Giants in 2021
| current_team = Panthers Wrocław
| number =
| position = Wide receiver
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|11|7}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 197
| high_school = Curie Metropolitan (Chicago)
| college = McKendree
| undraftedyear = 2020
| pastteams =
- Miami Dolphins ({{NFL Year|2020}})*
- San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|2020}})
- New York Jets ({{NFL Year|2021}})*
- New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2021}})*
- Carolina Panthers ({{NFL Year|2021}})
- Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|2021|2022}})*
- Washington Commanders ({{NFL Year|2022}})*
- Winnipeg Blue Bombers ({{CFL Year|2023}})*
- Wrocław Panthers (2024-present)
| status =
| highlights =
| statleague = NFL
| statseason =
| statweek =
| statlabel1 =
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}}
Matt Cole (born November 7, 1996) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Wrocław Panthers of the European League of Football (ELF). He played college football for the McKendree Bearcats.
College career
After graduating from Chicago's Curie Metropolitan High School, Cole played for the McKendree Bearcats as a wide receiver and return specialist. As a senior, he was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Special Teams Player of the Year and first-team All-GLVC after catching 43 passes for 939 yards and 12 touchdowns while also returning 23 kickoffs for 625 yards and one touchdown and eight punts for 208 yards and one touchdown.{{cite web|url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/20200429/how-brian-flores-moved-lsquoprospect-xrsquo-to-tears-then-moved-him-to-join-miami-dolphins|title=How Brian Flores moved 'Prospect X' to tears, then moved him to join Miami Dolphins|first=Hal|last=Habib|work=The Palm Beach Post|date=April 29, 2020|access-date=September 2, 2021}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 9 5/8
| weight = 197
| dash = 4.48
| ten split = 1.46
| twenty split = 2.57
| shuttle = 4.65
| cone drill = 7.14
| vertical = 37.5
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 7
| bench = 11
| arm span = 30 7/8
| hand span = 8 5/8
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1022576&DraftYear=2020 |title=Matt Cole, McKendree, WR, 2020 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |website=draftscout.com |access-date=February 21, 2022}}
}}
=Miami Dolphins=
Cole was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Miami Dolphins on April 29, 2020.{{Cite web |date=April 29, 2020 |title=Dolphins Sign 10 Undrafted College Free Agents |url=https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/dolphins-sign-10-undrafted-college-free-agents-2020-nfl-draft |access-date=January 9, 2021 |website=MiamiDolphins.com}} He was waived on September 5, 2020, during final roster cuts, and signed to the team's practice squad the next day.{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Barry |date=September 5, 2020 |title=Miami Dolphins cut guard Danny Isidora, several others |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/barry-jackson/article245495320.html |access-date=January 9, 2021 |website=Miami Herald}}{{Cite web |last=Crabbs |first=Kyle |date=September 7, 2020 |title=Meet the Miami Dolphins' initial 2020 practice squad |url=https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/lists/meet-the-miami-dolphins-initial-2020-practice-squad/ |access-date=January 9, 2021 |website=Dolphins Wire |publisher=USA Today}} He was placed on the practice squad/COVID-19 list by the team on November 12, 2020,{{Cite news |date=November 12, 2020 |title=Lynn Bowden Jr. Activated, Three Others Placed on Reserve/COVID List |work=MiamiDolphins.com |url=https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/lynn-bowden-jr-activated-three-others-placed-on-reserve-covid-list |access-date=February 8, 2021 |archive-date=December 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202180738/https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/lynn-bowden-jr-activated-three-others-placed-on-reserve-covid-list |url-status=dead }} and restored to the practice squad on November 26.{{Cite news |date=November 26, 2020 |title=Activated Jesse Davis Off Reserve/COVID-19 List |work=MiamiDolphins.com |url=https://www.miamidolphins.com/news/activated-jesse-davis-off-reserve-covid-19-list |access-date=February 8, 2021}}
=San Francisco 49ers=
Cole was signed to a two-year contract off of the Dolphins' practice squad by the San Francisco 49ers on December 24, 2020.{{Cite web |last=Maiocco |first=Matt |date=December 24, 2020 |title=49ers sign rookie receiver Cole off Dolphins' practice squad |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/49ers/49ers-sign-rookie-receiver-matt-cole-dolphins-practice-squad |access-date=January 9, 2021 |website=NBC Sports Bay Area}} Cole made his NFL debut in the 49ers' final game of the season, making two tackles on special teams in a 23–26 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.{{Cite web |last=Barrows |first=Matt |date=January 3, 2021 |title=How the 49ers will spend the coming months after 'longest year ever' |url=https://theathletic.com/2299940/2021/01/03/how-the-49ers-will-spend-the-coming-months-after-longest-year-ever/ |access-date=January 9, 2021 |website=The Athletic}} Cole was waived on May 4, 2021.{{Cite news |date=May 4, 2021 |title=49ers Waive Three Players |work=49ers.com |url=https://www.49ers.com/news/49ers-waive-adonis-alexander-matt-cole-chris-edwards |access-date=May 5, 2021 |archive-date=May 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519160318/https://www.49ers.com/news/49ers-waive-adonis-alexander-matt-cole-chris-edwards |url-status=dead }}
=New York Jets=
On May 5, 2021, Cole was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets.{{Cite news |last=Greenberg, Ethan |date=May 5, 2021 |title=Jets Claim WR Matt Cole |work=NewYorkJets.com |url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-claim-wr-matt-cole |access-date=May 5, 2021}} He was waived on August 6, 2021.{{Cite web |last=Greenberg, Ethan |date=August 6, 2021 |title=Jets Sign LB Edmond Robinson, Waive WR Matt Cole |url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-sign-lb-edmond-robinson-waive-wr-matt-cole |website=NewYorkJets.com}}
=New York Giants=
On August 8, 2021, Cole was claimed off waivers by the New York Giants.{{Cite web |last=Eisen, Michael |date=August 8, 2021 |title=Giants claim WR Matt Cole off waivers; WR Andy Jones waived |url=https://www.giants.com/news/giants-claim-wr-matt-cole-off-waivers-wr-andy-jones-waived |website=Giants.com}} He was waived on August 31, 2021 and re-signed to the practice squad the next day.{{cite web|title=New York Giants announce 53-man roster|url=https://www.giants.com/news/new-york-giants-final-53-man-roster-2021-nfl-season-joe-judge|author=Eisen, Michael|website=Giants.com|date=September 1, 2021}}{{cite web|title=Giants establish practice squad amid roster moves|url=https://www.giants.com/news/giants-establish-practice-squad-amid-roster-moves-casey-kreiter-david-sills|author=Eisen, Michael|website=Giants.com|date=September 1, 2021}} On September 28, 2021, he was released from the practice squad.{{cite web|title=Giants sign LB Omari Cobb, OL Sam Jones to practice squad|url=https://www.giants.com/news/omari-cobb-sam-jones-to-practice-squad-matt-cole-foster-sarell-willie-henry|author=Eisen, Michael|website=Giants.com|date=September 29, 2021}}
=Carolina Panthers=
On October 4, 2021, Cole was signed to the Carolina Panthers practice squad. He was released on December 7.{{cite web|title=Panthers activate defensive end Darryl Johnson|url=https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-activate-defensive-end-darryl-johnson|author=Gantt, Darin|website=Panthers.com|date=December 7, 2021}}
=Seattle Seahawks=
On December 14, 2021, Cole was signed to the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.{{cite web|title=Seahawks Sign WR Matt Cole To Practice Squad|url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-sign-wr-matt-cole-to-practice-squad|author=Boyle, John|website=Seahawks.com|date=December 14, 2021}} He signed a reserve/future contract with the Seahawks on January 10, 2022.{{cite web|title=Seahawks Sign 12 To 2022 Future Contracts|url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-sign-12-to-2022-future-contracts|author=Boyle, John|website=Seahawks.com|date=January 10, 2022}} He was waived on May 13, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-sign-wr-deontez-alexander-wr-kevin-kassis|title=Seahawks Sign WR Deontez Alexander & WR Kevin Kassis|first=John|last=Boyle|website=Seahawks.com|date=May 13, 2022|access-date=May 17, 2022}}
=Washington Commanders=
On August 8, 2022, Cole signed with the Washington Commanders.{{cite web |url=https://www.commanders.com/news/commanders-sign-wr-matt-cole|work=Commanders.com|title=Commanders sign WR Matt Cole|first=Zach|last=Selby|date=August 8, 2022|accessdate=August 8, 2022}} He was released on August 30.{{cite web |author1=Washington Commanders Public Relations |title=Commanders cut 25 players, place 3 on IR |url=https://www.commanders.com/news/commanders-final-roster-cuts |website=Commanders.com |access-date=August 31, 2022 |date=August 30, 2022 |archive-date=September 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901115031/https://www.commanders.com/news/commanders-final-roster-cuts |url-status=dead }}
=Winnipeg Blue Bombers=
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://mckbearcats.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11535 McKendree Bearcats bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, Matt}}
Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:Players of American football from Chicago
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Carolina Panthers players
Category:McKendree Bearcats football players
Category:New York Giants players
Category:New York Jets players
Category:San Francisco 49ers players
Category:Seattle Seahawks players