By Mia Fishman
If you’re a Dawg fan through and through, you’ve heard Matt Stinchcomb’s name pop up in conversation before. Stinchcomb played offensive tackle for the University of Georgia from 1995 to 1998, dominating both on and off the field. During his time in Athens, he earned a myriad of honorable awards and was consistently recognized across the nation for his devotion, leadership and talent.
Stinchcomb’s final season at Georgia emphasized this merit even further after he was named the 1998 Academic All-American, Burger King Scholar Athlete of the Year and secured himself a spot on the 1990s SEC First-Team All-Decade Team. Stinchcomb was a two-time honoree of the AFCA National Good Works Team alongside his recognition as the 1998 Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Male Athlete of the Year.
Aside from being a two-time All-American, he also received the William V. Campbell Trophy, the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, the NCAA Top Eight Award and the Wall Street Journal National Student Achievement Award.
Following his groundbreaking collegiate career, Stinchcomb was selected 18th overall in the 1999 National Football League Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He was an extremely versatile professional player, starting at guard, tackle, tight end and center during his five seasons in Oakland. Stinchcomb also played for the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII. In 2004, he briefly played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but after a surplus of injuries, Stinchcomb retired and hung up his cleats in 2006.
The University of Georgia inducted Stinchcomb into the Circle of Honor, the highest level of student-athlete recognition, in 2009 after he was named an SEC “Living Legend.” He was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
As for his life after football, Stinchcomb and former UGA quarterback David Greene co-operate Sterling Seacrest Partners, an insurance and brokerage firm in Atlanta. He also possesses a deeply rooted passion for philanthropy work. Stinchcomb strives to support the goodwill of his community as the co-founder and president of the Stinchcomb Family Foundation, a private, non-profit organization. Alongside his younger brother, Jon, a long time Georgia-great, and Greene, Stinchcomb and company host annual children’s charity events to support various public charities.
Now a father of three, Stinchcomb spends his football seasons working as an analyst for ESPNU and SEC Network. With an extended love for all those around him, Stinchcomb is the epitome of a Damn Good Dawg.