Jake Matthews

Jake Matthews Bio

Jacob Thomas Matthews (born February 11, 1992) is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 ft 5 in and listed at 310 lb, Matthews wears jersey number 70 and plays left tackle, one of the most demanding positions on the offensive line. He was drafted by the Falcons with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft and has spent his entire professional career with the franchise. Matthews is also a member of the prominent Matthews family of football players, one of the most recognized sporting lineages in American football history.

Early Life and Background

Matthews was born on February 11, 1992, in Missouri City, Texas, and grew up in the Houston metropolitan area. He attended Elkins High School in Missouri City, where he played offensive line for the Elkins Knights football team. As a senior, he earned first-team all-district and all-greater Houston honors while his team posted a 9–3 record, and he was invited to play in the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He was also recognized as a 2009 High School All-American by USA Today, Parade, and SuperPrep, confirming his status as one of the top line prospects in the country.

Regarded as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Matthews was listed as the No. 7 offensive tackle prospect in the class of 2010. He chose Texas A&M over scholarship offers from Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, Oregon, Texas, Texas Tech, Southern California, and Stanford. The choice kept him close to home and allowed him to follow in the footsteps of his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews.

Path to American Football

Matthews joined the Texas A&M Aggies in 2010 and quickly developed into one of the top collegiate offensive linemen in the country. After spending his first three seasons at right tackle, he moved to left tackle as a senior, a switch that helped him refine his pass-protection skills. His development path was accelerated by the family football tradition, as his father Bruce Matthews spent 19 seasons in the NFL and became a Hall of Fame mentor figure for the young lineman.

Matthews earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) honors in both 2012 and 2013, and he received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy in 2013 in recognition of his dominant senior campaign. He was named a first-team All-American in 2012 by the Football Writers Association of America and a unanimous All-American in 2013. By the time he declared for the NFL draft, he was widely regarded as one of the most NFL-ready tackles in his class.

Jake Matthews Career

Early Career (2014–2015)

Matthews was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft, immediately becoming a building block for the franchise. In his very first NFL game, a season-opening victory over the New Orleans Saints, Matthews suffered a high ankle sprain, yet he started all but one contest during his rookie year, demonstrating the durability that would become a hallmark of his career.

In 2015, Matthews showed steady improvement, allowing only 38 quarterback pressures compared with 51 in his rookie season. Pro Football Focus recognized his development by naming him the third most improved player of 2015. Those first two seasons established him as the Falcons’ left tackle of the future.

Atlanta Falcons Breakthrough (2016–2018)

Matthews’ career reached new heights during the 2016 season, when he helped the Falcons capture the NFC Championship with a 44-21 victory over the Green Bay Packers. In that title game he faced off against his cousin, linebacker Clay Matthews III, a memorable family moment on the NFL’s biggest stage. Matthews then played every offensive snap in Super Bowl LI against the New England Patriots, where the Falcons famously squandered a 28–3 lead and lost 34–28 in overtime.

On April 25, 2017, the Falcons picked up the fifth-year option on Matthews’ rookie contract, locking him in through 2018. He started all 16 games at left tackle for the third consecutive season, and on July 27, 2018, he signed a five-year, $75 million contract extension, cementing his role as a long-term cornerstone of the offensive line. On January 23, 2019, Matthews was named to his first Pro Bowl as a replacement for Washington offensive tackle Trent Williams, capping his ascent into the league’s elite tier of tackles.

Atlanta Falcons Era (2019–Present)

Matthews remained a steady presence at left tackle throughout the late 2010s and into the 2020s. During the 2020 season, he played all 16 games, allowed only three sacks and six quarterback hits, and earned a 75.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, including an 84.0 mark in pass blocking that ranked ninth among all NFL tackles. On March 14, 2022, he signed a three-year, $52.5 million extension with the Falcons, reinforcing his status as the franchise’s blindside protector.

By the end of November 2022, Matthews had started 138 consecutive regular-season games, the longest active streak at left tackle in the NFL. That durability streak continued to grow, and by the end of the 2024 season he had started 174 consecutive regular-season games at left tackle for the Falcons, easily the longest active streak in professional football. On March 9, 2025, Matthews and the Falcons agreed to a two-year, $45 million contract extension, keeping him in Atlanta through 2027.

Driving Style and Strengths

Matthews is widely respected for his pass-protection skills, footwork, and technique at left tackle, where he has consistently graded among the league’s best. His run blocking has been more inconsistent over the years, though his 2020 pass-blocking grade ranked ninth among all NFL tackles. He is known for his intelligence, communication along the line, and the steady leadership he has brought to a Falcons offensive line that has relied on him for more than a decade.

Notable Events and Milestones

Matthews’ signature moment came in Super Bowl LI, where he played every offensive snap against the New England Patriots in one of the most dramatic games in NFL history. He has also authored one of the longest consecutive starts streaks among active NFL linemen, surpassing 170 straight regular-season appearances at left tackle by the close of 2024. His selection to the 2018 Pro Bowl and his place in the Matthews football family further define his legacy.

Jake Matthews Career Wins

Jake Matthews’ career has been measured more in durability and consistency than in win totals, and his verified milestones reflect steady All-Pro-caliber play rather than seasonal win counts. Through the 2024 season, he had appeared in 196 regular-season games and started all 196, a remarkable mark of availability for a left tackle.

Atlanta Falcons Highlights

Matthews has been a central figure in the Falcons’ offensive line since 2014, helping the team reach the NFC Championship and Super Bowl LI during the 2016 season. He signed a five-year, $75 million extension in 2018, a three-year, $52.5 million extension in 2022, and a two-year, $45 million extension in 2025, deals that rank among the richest at his position.

Other Wins & Performances

His most celebrated individual honors include a Pro Bowl selection in 2018, unanimous All-American honors in 2013, first-team All-American honors in 2012, and two first-team All-SEC selections in 2012 and 2013. He also won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy in 2013.

Jake Matthews Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Matthews comes from one of the most storied families in professional football. He is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bruce Matthews and the younger brother of Kevin Matthews, a center who played for the Carolina Panthers in 2015. Another brother, Mike, has played center for the Miami Dolphins, and a third brother, Luke, played only at the college level for the Aggies.

Personal Life

Matthews is the cousin of former NFL linebackers Clay Matthews III, who spent most of his career with the Green Bay Packers, and Casey Matthews, who last played for the Minnesota Vikings. He is also the nephew of Clay Matthews Jr., the grandson of Clay Matthews Sr., and the great-grandson of H. L. Matthews, making football a multi-generational family tradition. He continues to reside in the United States, where he plays for the Atlanta Falcons.

2025 Season Performance

Matthews entered 2025 coming off a two-year, $45 million extension signed on March 9, 2025, a deal that keeps him under contract with the Falcons through 2027. The agreement underscored the franchise’s continued confidence in his ability to anchor the offensive line and protect the blind side of the quarterback. Heading into the new season, he remained the longest-tenured member of the Falcons’ offensive front.

Through his career, Matthews had started 174 consecutive regular-season games at left tackle by the end of 2024, the longest active streak in professional football, a mark he extended in 2025. His 2020 performance, when he allowed only three sacks across 1,113 snaps, remained a benchmark for his pass-protection consistency. With the offensive line largely built around him, the Falcons leaned on Matthews to set the protection standard and provide veteran leadership to younger teammates.

Looking ahead, Matthews’ combination of durability, technique, and football pedigree gives him a clear path toward surpassing 200 career games started and possibly earning additional Pro Bowl recognition. The 2025 campaign offered him a chance to further cement his standing among the most reliable left tackles of his era while continuing to extend his historic consecutive-start streak.