New England Patriots offensive lineman Matt Pryor warms up prior to an NFL game against the New York Jets in Foxboro on Sunday, Oct. 18. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)
New England Patriots offensive lineman Matt Pryor warms up prior to an NFL game against the New York Jets in Foxboro on Sunday, Oct. 18. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)
FOXBORO — The Patriots have started six different guards this season, but it seems like they’ve found their answer on the right side in Matt Pryor.
The Patriots signed Pryor off of the Cardinals’ practice squad on Oct. 1, and now he’s started the last two weeks at right guard.
He currently ranks as PFF’s top-graded pass-blocking guard this season with an 86.3 mark.
Starting right guard Mike Onwenu is out long-term with an ankle injury, so Pryor might need to fill in for the rest of the season. He’s outplayed the Patriots’ other backup guards Ben Brown, Greg Van Roten and Walter Rouse while Onwenu and left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker have been out with injuries.
“Matt’s done a nice job,” head coach Mike Vrabel said last month. “Matt’s come in, he’s protected well. I think that he’s still getting comfortable, but he’s big in there. He’s tough to get around. He’s got heavy hands, and he gives us a chance most of the time. I really like his attitude, the way that he’s come in and just tried to learn everything pretty quickly. We’re talking about guys that have been here from April on, and he’s been here for three weeks and tried to be ready to go.”
Learn more about Pryor on and off the field in the latest installment of our New Patriots series.
What is your first football memory?
First football memory would have to be freshman year high school, showing up to watch my cousin try out, and having the coach come across the field and be like, ‘Hey, you want to you want to try out?’ And I was like, ‘Nah.’ And sure enough, went out there, no cleats, and started knocking mother(expletives) on they ass. That’s that was my first introduction to football.
What’s your top high school football memory?
I don’t really remember much from high school. We did a nice little run my junior year. Just chilling with the guys, man. I mean, my first high school, we used to do this jogathon, and we’d go down to the coast. And it’d be like a five-mile jog for varsity. Like, so this is your introduction to getting to varsity, and before you get your equipment, you got to do this jogathon. So you’d have all the people who had just graduated, they’d come by trying to throw frozen eggs at people. So that was a cool situation, chilling with the guys.
What’s your top college football number?
College, does getting drafted count? Getting drafted. Obviously, you put all that work in, and then you get to eat the fruits of your labor, but probably our comeback victory at the Alamo Bowl against Oregon. I think we’re tied for biggest college comeback in the playoffs. So that was surreal. I’d probably say that.
Honestly, the culture. We had the same staff basically my whole career there. Real tight knit. I mean, obviously, when you transition to the league, everybody’s kind of — O-line’s always cool, but some locker rooms are different than others, so it’s really hard to come across that camaraderie that you get from a locker room. You get it here. Everybody’s cool. I mean, luckily from teams I’ve been to, I haven’t had that kind of issue, but I’ve heard stories though. So, but obviously, the camaraderie, man, is wonderful.
New England Patriots offensive lineman Matt Pryor walks off the field after the first half of an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Oct. 4 in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
New England Patriots offensive lineman Matt Pryor walks off the field after the first half of an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Oct. 4 in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
What would you be doing if you weren’t a football player?
Honestly, I almost wasn’t. Yeah, almost. I almost didn’t even get picked up. So, where I’m from, you’re either gang banging or you’re working at the docks if you’re not playing ball. So probably working at the docks.
Did you have a favorite athlete growing up?
Mike Iupati, out of San Francisco. I did a camp for him my senior year, I believe. I went out on whatever they had out going out there. I mean, I don’t know what kind of prize we give to an offensive lineman at a camp for that, but great being over there. Obviously, him, he did a lot for the Samoan culture, Poly culture.
Do you have a favorite movie?
I’m a real big fan of the Avatar series. Either that or Pirates of the Caribbean.
Favorite musical artist?
Lil Wayne, Drake, J. Cole’s up there. But I listen to everything, man. I’m not a one-trick pony. I listen to anything to hip hop, R&B, to some rock music. So yeah, I’m very well-rounded with that.
Who have you been closest with on the team so far?
I mean everybody in the room, really. I chop it up with Mo (Morgan Moses) a lot since we’re on the same side. Everybody, man. Everybody was real welcoming when I got here, so I have no complaints.
Who’s the funniest player on the team?
I don’t know. That’s a good one. Probably Will (Campbell). Will’s up there. Will’s up there, man.
What do you like the most about the New England region so far?
I mean the weather surprisingly. When I got here, I expected it to be cold already. But it’s really nice out here. Like scenery is real nice. You get all four seasons, and obviously up in Foxboro, it’s real nice. Only time I go to Boston is just for O-line dinner.
Do you have a hidden talent?
I play a little bit of piano. Outside of that, nah.
Is there a topic you feel like you know more about than anyone else in the locker room?
Probably on Pokémon cards. Yeah, I collect, man. I played it since I was younger. Collected when I was younger. I just got back into it maybe like three years ago.
Yeah, what? But I do it for the sport, not for the game.