Matt Lee Bio
Matthew Lee, born on June 6, 2001, is an American professional football center for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 141 kilograms, Lee plays a physical position in the trenches and has built his reputation through steady development at the college level. He played college football for the UCF Knights and the Miami Hurricanes before entering the professional ranks. Drafted by the Bengals in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft, he has already made considerable contributions on the field despite a knee injury that placed him on injured reserve.
Lee is widely regarded as a hardworking and technically refined interior lineman whose journey from a Florida high school standout to an NFL offensive lineman reflects years of steady dedication. His path through two major college programs and into one of the league’s most recognizable franchises has shaped his professional profile.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Lee was born in Oviedo, Florida, on June 6, 2001. Oviedo, a city in Seminole County northeast of Orlando, provided the setting for his childhood and formative athletic years. Growing up in central Florida, Lee was exposed to football at a young age, and the region has long produced a steady stream of collegiate and professional talent.
Lee attended Paul J. Hagerty High School in Oviedo, where he developed into a promising offensive lineman. His size and athleticism drew attention from college recruiters, and following his high school career he initially committed to play college football for the South Florida Bulls. He later changed direction in his recruitment.
Rather than joining South Florida, Lee decided to flip his commitment and signed with the UCF Knights, the in-state program located in Orlando. The decision allowed him to remain close to home while competing in the American Athletic Conference at a high level.
Path to American Football
Lee’s path to professional football began in earnest when he enrolled at the University of Central Florida in 2019. As a true freshman, he appeared in four games and used the season to redshirt, preserving a year of eligibility while adjusting to the speed and physical demands of major college football. The redshirt year allowed him to add strength and refine his technique.
During the 2020 season, Lee played in ten games and started all ten, an impressive jump that demonstrated his readiness for a full-time role. For his performance that year, he was named first-team All-AAC, marking his first major conference honor and signaling his emergence as one of the conference’s top interior linemen.
He continued to progress at UCF across the 2021 and 2022 seasons, earning third-team All-AAC honors in 2021 and second-team All-AAC honors in 2022. After the 2022 season, Lee entered the NCAA transfer portal and was rated as a four-star transfer. According to On3’s Transfer Portal Rankings, he was ranked as the second-best interior lineman and the highest-ranked center available, which underscored his stature as a premier prospect.
Lee transferred to the University of Miami for the 2023 season to play for the Miami Hurricanes. He graded out as a top-15 center that year and finished with a 76.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. After the 2023 season, he declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Matt Lee Career
Early Career (2019–2022)
Matt Lee’s early career at UCF featured steady growth across four seasons. He transitioned from a redshirt freshman in 2019 into a full-time starter, eventually anchoring the Knights’ offensive line and collecting All-AAC recognition in three consecutive years.
His first-team All-AAC selection in 2020 stood as the defining moment of his UCF years, and his later second-team All-AAC honors in 2022 confirmed his consistency. By the end of his time in Orlando, he had established himself as one of the most reliable centers in the American Athletic Conference.
Miami Hurricanes Era (2023)
Lee’s single season with the Miami Hurricanes in 2023 represented a significant step up in competition. He earned second-team All-AAC honors for his play that year, although as a Miami player the award recognized his performance against a different slate of opponents. He graded out as a top-15 center nationally and finished with a 76.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, validating his decision to transfer.
His year in Coral Gables prepared him for the next stage of his career. After the conclusion of the 2023 season, Lee declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, confident that his combination of size, technique, and conference-level accolades would translate to the professional level.
Cincinnati Bengals Era (2024–Present)
Lee was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round with the 237th overall selection of the 2024 NFL Draft. As a late-round pick, he entered a crowded offensive line room but quickly demonstrated that he belonged. He appeared in all 17 games for Cincinnati during his rookie campaign and made one start, an unusual workload for a seventh-round selection.
In 2025, Lee made five appearances for the Bengals and compiled 16 special teams snaps while continuing to develop within the offensive line rotation. On October 28, 2025, however, Lee was placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury he suffered in Week 8 against the New York Jets. The placement interrupted his momentum but did not diminish the contributions he had already made to the team.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining early milestones of Lee’s career came in 2020, when his first-team All-AAC selection announced him as a player to watch at the collegiate level. Another came in 2023, when his top-15 center grade from Pro Football Focus confirmed his readiness for the NFL. Being drafted by the Bengals in 2024 and appearing in all 17 games as a rookie stands as his most significant professional milestone to date, alongside his start in the Cincinnati lineup.
Matt Lee Career Wins
As an offensive lineman, Matt Lee’s career is measured less by individual victory counts and more by durability, conference recognition, and reliability on the field. Across his college and early professional years, he has accumulated consistent playing time and earned multiple All-AAC selections.
Conference and College Highlights
Lee’s college highlights are anchored by his three All-AAC selections, including a first-team honor in 2020, a third-team nod in 2021, and second-team recognition in 2022. He added another second-team All-AAC selection in 2023 while playing for the Miami Hurricanes, capping his college career with four seasons of conference-level distinction.
Professional Performances
In his professional career, Lee’s most notable performance came during the 2024 season, when he appeared in all 17 games for the Cincinnati Bengals and made one start. He followed that with five appearances in 2025 before a knee injury in Week 8 against the New York Jets landed him on injured reserve.
Matt Lee Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public details about Matt Lee’s family background are limited. He was raised in Oviedo, Florida, and attended Paul J. Hagerty High School, where he developed into a college-level offensive lineman.
Personal Life
Lee maintains an active presence on social media, where fans can follow his professional updates. Beyond his football career, he is known for his disciplined approach to training and his commitment to his craft as an interior offensive lineman.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented a challenging year for Matt Lee and the Cincinnati Bengals. He entered the year looking to build on a rookie campaign in which he appeared in all 17 games, and he continued to feature in the team’s offensive line rotation early in the season.
Through the early portion of the 2025 schedule, Lee made five appearances and compiled 16 special teams snaps, contributing in a depth role while competing for additional playing time on offense. His versatility allowed the Bengals to use him in multiple spots along the interior line.
Lee’s season was interrupted on October 28, 2025, when he was placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury suffered in Week 8 against the New York Jets. The placement ended his on-field contribution for the remainder of the regular season and shifted his focus to recovery, with the Bengals hopeful that he would return to full strength in the following campaign.