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06-24-2009, 09:53 AM
Publish Date: 6/23/2009
http://www.timescall.com/Assets/newspics/062309s1a.jpg
Matt McChesney takes part in drills
during the Broncos’ minicamp June 14
in Englewood. David Zalubowski/AP
Former Niwot, CU star McChesney stoked to have
opportunity with Broncos
By Brian Howell
© 2009 Longmont Times-Call
ENGLEWOOD — Like a lot of kids who grow up in Colorado, Matt McChesney
bled orange and blue and dreamed of playing for the Denver Broncos.
“I grew up sitting in the south stands when I was a little kid, screaming my
face off for these guys,” he said.
McChesney is now a member of the Broncos. The former Niwot High School
and University of Colorado star still has a way to go to make the team, but
doing so would have a lot more to do with life than football.
“It would be answers to all these prayers,” said Lynn McChesney, Matt’s
mother.
McChesney grew up on the family ranch in Longmont with his parents, David
and Lynn, his two younger brothers, Nick and Zack, and Reid Brown, who has
lived with the family for years and is considered to be a member of the family.
(Matt, in fact, refers to Reid as his “brother.”)
“We’re a very tight family, very hard-working,” Matt said.
Hard work has paid off for Matt in being able to live his dream of playing
professional football. Even as a kid, Lynn said, Matt said he always wanted to
play for CU and the Broncos.
He took care of the CU portion of that early, earning a scholarship after a
stellar career at Niwot. He went on to star for the Buffs as a defensive
lineman, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention.
Undrafted out of college, McChesney has been with the St. Louis Rams, New
York Jets and Miami Dolphins. He even played for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL
Europa, earning All-NFL Europa honors.
He also went through a position change. The Jets moved him to offense, and
he’s now a 6-foot-4, 307-pound guard/center.
“I like to think of myself as very aggressive, so it helps on offense to a point,”
said Matt, who signed with the Broncos on Feb. 12. “But, it can also hurt you,
so I’ve had to idle it down over the years.”
Although Matt has not had the star-studded career that many hope to have,
he feels very fortunate to be heading into his fifth NFL season. By playing four
years, he’s already qualified for a pension when his career is completed. He
doesn’t appear anywhere near close to done, however.
“It’s a blessing,” he said of playing in the NFL. “For as much work and hours
and time it takes — it’s a very demanding job, but it’s an honor to play in this
league.
“When it comes down to it, you’re not going to play forever. If I have three
more years in me, I’d be the happiest person on Earth.”
Signing with the Broncos was not just a dream come true for Matt. It’s been a
dream come true for a family that very much needed him home.
“It’s been very, very warming to have him here,” Lynn said. “It certainly has
helped to ease the pain.”
The pain was caused nearly a year ago. On June 29, 2008, Nick, then 22, died
in a drowning accident at a hole called the “Punchbowl” on the Roaring Fork
River. Nick worked as an assistant manager at a ranch in Aspen and was
having fun with friends on a day off when he drowned.
“It’s been really bad,” Matt said of the past year. “It’s been really bad on my
folks and my family.
“I think about him all the time. I think everyone has accepted what happened,
but it doesn’t take away anything from it. He’s still not there anymore.”
On Monday, the family will honor Nick on the anniversary of his death.
“We’re going to do a wonderful ceremony and a bonfire,” Lynn said. “It’s more
of a celebration of his life, and life (in general).
“It’s a chain that has been broken, but it’s a chain that is even closer linked.”
At the time of Nick’s death, Matt was home in Colorado on a break from the
NFL. The next month, he had to report to Jets camp.
“That whole break they get with the NFL ... he spent dealing with burying his
brother,” Lynn said.
Since then, Matt has celebrated two of the best moments of his life. In
February, he was married to Michelle, a New York native he met during his
time with the Jets. Also that month, he signed with the Broncos.
“When I had the opportunity to sign here in the offseason, it was a no-
brainer,” he said.
It was a blessing, too.
“Any loss of any type, you go back to your roots, you go back to your family,”
Lynn said. “It would be such great healing to know he’s home and he gets to
stay home.”
Matt, of course, is not guaranteed to be home for long, and he knows that.
The starting five offensive linemen for the Broncos are set. There’s very few
backup spots available, and he’s one of 10 backup linemen on the current
roster.
There may not be another player in the Broncos’ locker room who wants to be
a Bronco more than Matt McChesney, however.
“It would be a dream come true,” he said. “I don’t even think words could
describe the way I’d feel.”
Should times get tough during camp, Matt knows all he has to do is think of
Nick to get himself motivated. Nick idolized Matt, Lynn said, and Matt knows
his brother wouldn’t let him give up.
“I can’t let him down like that,” Matt said.
In his quest to make the final roster, Matt has versatility on his side. Like a
couple of others he’s competing with, Matt can play guard or center, and
Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels is a big fan of versatile players.
“There’s always a place for guys that can do more than one thing,” Matt said.
Whether that place is Denver, well, Matt doesn’t know. He’s just happy for
the opportunity.
“The chain of events throughout my NFL career has brought me back here to
the team that I grew up watching and loving and always wanted to play for,”
he said. “I’ll be damned if I let anything slip through my fingers. You can’t
control a lot of things, but the things I can control I’m going to make sure
they’re done right so I give myself the best opportunity.”
Should he make the team, there’s a whole host of McChesneys who’ll be
cheering in Denver on Sundays. And, you can bet Matt will be smiling from the
best seat in the house.
“The old Mile High south stands were rowdy. You’ve got to love those,” he
said. “But, the sideline, it might be a little bit better.”
http://www.timescall.com/sports_story.asp?id=16725
-----
http://www.timescall.com/Assets/newspics/062309s1a.jpg
Matt McChesney takes part in drills
during the Broncos’ minicamp June 14
in Englewood. David Zalubowski/AP
Former Niwot, CU star McChesney stoked to have
opportunity with Broncos
By Brian Howell
© 2009 Longmont Times-Call
ENGLEWOOD — Like a lot of kids who grow up in Colorado, Matt McChesney
bled orange and blue and dreamed of playing for the Denver Broncos.
“I grew up sitting in the south stands when I was a little kid, screaming my
face off for these guys,” he said.
McChesney is now a member of the Broncos. The former Niwot High School
and University of Colorado star still has a way to go to make the team, but
doing so would have a lot more to do with life than football.
“It would be answers to all these prayers,” said Lynn McChesney, Matt’s
mother.
McChesney grew up on the family ranch in Longmont with his parents, David
and Lynn, his two younger brothers, Nick and Zack, and Reid Brown, who has
lived with the family for years and is considered to be a member of the family.
(Matt, in fact, refers to Reid as his “brother.”)
“We’re a very tight family, very hard-working,” Matt said.
Hard work has paid off for Matt in being able to live his dream of playing
professional football. Even as a kid, Lynn said, Matt said he always wanted to
play for CU and the Broncos.
He took care of the CU portion of that early, earning a scholarship after a
stellar career at Niwot. He went on to star for the Buffs as a defensive
lineman, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention.
Undrafted out of college, McChesney has been with the St. Louis Rams, New
York Jets and Miami Dolphins. He even played for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL
Europa, earning All-NFL Europa honors.
He also went through a position change. The Jets moved him to offense, and
he’s now a 6-foot-4, 307-pound guard/center.
“I like to think of myself as very aggressive, so it helps on offense to a point,”
said Matt, who signed with the Broncos on Feb. 12. “But, it can also hurt you,
so I’ve had to idle it down over the years.”
Although Matt has not had the star-studded career that many hope to have,
he feels very fortunate to be heading into his fifth NFL season. By playing four
years, he’s already qualified for a pension when his career is completed. He
doesn’t appear anywhere near close to done, however.
“It’s a blessing,” he said of playing in the NFL. “For as much work and hours
and time it takes — it’s a very demanding job, but it’s an honor to play in this
league.
“When it comes down to it, you’re not going to play forever. If I have three
more years in me, I’d be the happiest person on Earth.”
Signing with the Broncos was not just a dream come true for Matt. It’s been a
dream come true for a family that very much needed him home.
“It’s been very, very warming to have him here,” Lynn said. “It certainly has
helped to ease the pain.”
The pain was caused nearly a year ago. On June 29, 2008, Nick, then 22, died
in a drowning accident at a hole called the “Punchbowl” on the Roaring Fork
River. Nick worked as an assistant manager at a ranch in Aspen and was
having fun with friends on a day off when he drowned.
“It’s been really bad,” Matt said of the past year. “It’s been really bad on my
folks and my family.
“I think about him all the time. I think everyone has accepted what happened,
but it doesn’t take away anything from it. He’s still not there anymore.”
On Monday, the family will honor Nick on the anniversary of his death.
“We’re going to do a wonderful ceremony and a bonfire,” Lynn said. “It’s more
of a celebration of his life, and life (in general).
“It’s a chain that has been broken, but it’s a chain that is even closer linked.”
At the time of Nick’s death, Matt was home in Colorado on a break from the
NFL. The next month, he had to report to Jets camp.
“That whole break they get with the NFL ... he spent dealing with burying his
brother,” Lynn said.
Since then, Matt has celebrated two of the best moments of his life. In
February, he was married to Michelle, a New York native he met during his
time with the Jets. Also that month, he signed with the Broncos.
“When I had the opportunity to sign here in the offseason, it was a no-
brainer,” he said.
It was a blessing, too.
“Any loss of any type, you go back to your roots, you go back to your family,”
Lynn said. “It would be such great healing to know he’s home and he gets to
stay home.”
Matt, of course, is not guaranteed to be home for long, and he knows that.
The starting five offensive linemen for the Broncos are set. There’s very few
backup spots available, and he’s one of 10 backup linemen on the current
roster.
There may not be another player in the Broncos’ locker room who wants to be
a Bronco more than Matt McChesney, however.
“It would be a dream come true,” he said. “I don’t even think words could
describe the way I’d feel.”
Should times get tough during camp, Matt knows all he has to do is think of
Nick to get himself motivated. Nick idolized Matt, Lynn said, and Matt knows
his brother wouldn’t let him give up.
“I can’t let him down like that,” Matt said.
In his quest to make the final roster, Matt has versatility on his side. Like a
couple of others he’s competing with, Matt can play guard or center, and
Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels is a big fan of versatile players.
“There’s always a place for guys that can do more than one thing,” Matt said.
Whether that place is Denver, well, Matt doesn’t know. He’s just happy for
the opportunity.
“The chain of events throughout my NFL career has brought me back here to
the team that I grew up watching and loving and always wanted to play for,”
he said. “I’ll be damned if I let anything slip through my fingers. You can’t
control a lot of things, but the things I can control I’m going to make sure
they’re done right so I give myself the best opportunity.”
Should he make the team, there’s a whole host of McChesneys who’ll be
cheering in Denver on Sundays. And, you can bet Matt will be smiling from the
best seat in the house.
“The old Mile High south stands were rowdy. You’ve got to love those,” he
said. “But, the sideline, it might be a little bit better.”
http://www.timescall.com/sports_story.asp?id=16725
-----