Jake Matthews Bio
Jacob Thomas Matthews, known professionally as Jake Matthews, is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). Born on February 11, 1992, in Missouri City, Texas, Matthews has been a fixture at left tackle for the Falcons since entering the league as the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft. He is a member of the well-known Matthews family of football players, a lineage that includes multiple Pro Football Hall of Famers and longtime NFL veterans across generations.
Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and playing at around 141 kilograms, Matthews has built a reputation as one of the most durable and reliable offensive linemen in the league. Across more than a decade of professional play, he has earned a Pro Bowl nod and recognition as a cornerstone of the Atlanta offensive line, helping anchor the team through deep playoff runs and rebuilding years alike.
Early Life and Background
Jake Matthews was born in Missouri City, Texas, and grew up in the Houston area. He attended Elkins High School, where he played offensive line for the Elkins Knights high school football team. As a senior, Matthews was named a first-team all-district and all-greater Houston honoree, helping lead his team to a 9-3 record that season. His high school play earned him invitations to prestigious showcase events, including the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, as well as 2009 High School All-American honors from USA Today, Parade, and SuperPrep.
Rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Matthews was listed as the No. 7 offensive tackle prospect in the class of 2010. He received scholarship offers from a long list of top college programs, including Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas, Oregon, Texas, Texas Tech, Southern California, and Stanford, before choosing to continue his career at Texas A&M. His commitment to the Aggies set the stage for a college career that would soon put him on national radars.
Path to Professional Football
At Texas A&M, Matthews developed into one of the most decorated offensive linemen in college football. As a junior in 2012, he earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) honors and was recognized as a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America. During his senior season in 2013, Matthews made the move from right tackle to left tackle, a transition that showcased his versatility and prepared him for the demands of the NFL game. He repeated as a first-team All-SEC selection that year and added the Jacobs Blocking Trophy to his list of accolades.
His combination of size, technique, and football pedigree made him an obvious target at the next level. When the 2014 NFL draft arrived, Matthews was selected sixth overall by the Atlanta Falcons, joining a franchise in need of stability along the offensive line. His selection also placed him alongside his brother Luke Joeckel as one of two consecutive top-10 selected offensive linemen from Texas A&M, a distinction that highlighted the program’s strength in developing pro-caliber trench players.
Jake Matthews Career
Early Career (2014-2015)
Jake Matthews began his NFL career in 2014 with a difficult test, suffering a high ankle sprain in the season-opening victory over the New Orleans Saints. Despite the injury, he started all but one game during his rookie season, demonstrating the toughness and durability that would become a hallmark of his professional career. By his second season in 2015, Matthews had made significant strides in pass protection, allowing only 38 quarterback pressures compared to 51 the year before. That improvement earned him recognition as the third most improved player of 2015 by Pro Football Focus.
NFL Breakthrough and Pro Bowl Recognition (2016-2019)
The 2016 season marked the high point of the Falcons’ recent championship push. Matthews helped the team win the NFC Championship against the Green Bay Packers, 44-21, a game that carried extra meaning as he faced off against his cousin, linebacker Clay Matthews III. Matthews then played every offensive snap in Super Bowl LI against the New England Patriots, though Atlanta ultimately fell in overtime, 34-28, after surrendering a historic 28-3 lead. Despite the heartbreaking ending, Matthews established himself as a foundational piece of the franchise.
In 2017, the Falcons picked up Matthews’ fifth-year option, and he started all 16 games at left tackle for the third consecutive year. On July 27, 2018, he signed a five-year, $75 million contract extension with Atlanta, cementing his long-term future with the team. That investment paid off when, on January 23, 2019, Matthews was named to his first Pro Bowl as a replacement for Washington offensive tackle Trent Williams, earning the first major individual honor of his career.
Atlanta Falcons Era (2020-Present)
Matthews continued to anchor the Falcons’ offensive line through the 2020 season, playing all 16 games and allowing only three sacks, six quarterback hits, and three total penalties across 1,113 offensive snaps. His pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus that year ranked ninth among all NFL tackles, reinforcing his standing as one of the league’s most dependable pass protectors. On March 14, 2022, Matthews signed a three-year, $52.5 million extension with Atlanta, further locking in his role as the team’s franchise left tackle.
By the end of November 2022, Matthews had started 138 consecutive regular season games, the longest active streak for a left tackle in the NFL at that time. His durability reached another milestone by the end of the 2024 season, when 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, securing his place in Atlanta through the 2027 season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Matthews is widely recognized for his elite pass-blocking technique and exceptional durability at the left tackle position. His footwork, hand placement, and ability to mirror edge rushers have made him a trusted blind-side protector throughout his career. While his run-blocking grades have varied from season to season, his consistency in pass protection and his ability to log over 1,000 snaps every year since 2015 have been central to his value as a franchise cornerstone.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Matthews’ career came during Super Bowl LI, when he played every offensive snap in Atlanta’s overtime loss to the New England Patriots. His selection to the 2018 Pro Bowl marked his first individual league honor, and his consecutive starts streak places him among the most durable linemen of his era. Each contract extension, including his 2018 and 2022 deals along with the 2025 agreement, has reflected his importance to the Falcons organization.
Jake Matthews Career Wins
Jake Matthews’ career wins are best measured in individual accolades, durability milestones, and team accomplishments rather than traditional statistical totals for an offensive lineman. He has earned one Pro Bowl selection, unanimous All-American honors in 2013, and first-team All-American recognition in 2012, along with two first-team All-SEC selections and the Jacobs Blocking Trophy.
NFL Highlights
Matthews’ most significant NFL highlight came in the 2016 postseason, when he helped lead the Falcons to an NFC Championship victory over the Green Bay Packers before playing every offensive snap in Super Bowl LI. He has continued to add to his consecutive starts streak, reaching 174 regular season games at left tackle for Atlanta by the end of the 2024 season, the longest active streak among professional football players at his position.
Jake Matthews Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Jake Matthews comes from one of the most storied football families in American sports history. He is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews, a longtime Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans offensive lineman. Jake is the younger brother of Kevin Matthews, a center who played for the Aggies and last appeared in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers in 2015, as well as Mike Matthews, who last played center for the Miami Dolphins, and Luke Matthews, who played only at the college level for the Aggies.
Personal Life
Beyond his immediate family, Matthews is a cousin of former linebacker Clay Matthews III, who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers, and Casey Matthews, a linebacker who last played for the Minnesota Vikings. He is also the nephew of NFL veteran Clay Matthews Jr., the grandson of Clay Matthews Sr., and the great-grandson of H. L. Matthews, giving the family a documented presence in professional football that spans four generations.
2025 Season Performance
Jake Matthews enters the 2025 season coming off a major contractual commitment from the Atlanta Falcons, agreeing to a two-year, $45 million extension on March 9, 2025. The deal underscores the organization’s confidence in the veteran left tackle as a stabilizing force along the offensive line. With Matthews under contract through 2027, the Falcons have built their front line around a player who has been remarkably consistent for more than a decade.
His 174 consecutive regular season starts at left tackle entering 2025 set the standard for durability across the NFL, and he will look to extend that streak while continuing to anchor Atlanta’s pass protection. As the Falcons navigate the 2025 campaign, Matthews’ leadership, technique, and presence on the blind side remain central to the team’s offensive identity and long-term plans.