Matthew Rice
Encyclopedia
Matthew Nathaniel Rice is an American football
player, best known for playing the defensive end
position. He played collegiately at Penn State University and attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School
in Greenbelt, Maryland
.
with the Buffalo Bills
shortly after the 2006 NFL draft
. He was released from the team June 9, 2006, and signed with the St. Louis Rams
2 weeks later http://www.stlouisrams.com/article/55016, only to be released despite a productive preseason. He worked out for several teams during the 2006 season, and was eventually signed mid-season by the New York Giants
. The start of the 2007 preseason found Rice with the Detroit Lions
organization, allocated to the Rhein Fire
of NFL Europa.http://www.nfleurope.com/news/story/10017103
The 6'4", 256-pound Rice was a three-year starter and a second team All-Big Ten
selection at Penn State. He helped the Nittany Lions rank as the conference's top defense in 2005, and made 9 sack
s and 147 tackle
s. He was chosen to play in the 2006 Hula Bowl
. An accomplished painter and illustrator, Rice earned dual degrees from Penn State University in 2005: a Bachelor of Arts
in integrative arts, along with a Bachelor of Arts
in African-American studies.
, Jacksonville Jaguars
, and New York Giants
, Rice concentrated on establishing a new business, Mateo Blu. The company publishes limited-edition art prints with proceeds going to charitable causes.http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=uwire-pennstatesricereturnsasphi&prov=uwire&type=lgns
Rice began having seizure
s in August 2007. CAT
scans and MRI
s identified a tumor
on the right frontal lobe
of his brain—ironically, the section from which artistic abilities are derived. The tumor was determined to be benign, but surgery became necessary following a second seizure.
The surgery, performed at Johns Hopkins University
, was successful. The tumor was limited to the surface of the brain, and was removed without damage to Rice's brain. Afterward, Rice was told, instead of a potential loss of his artistic talents, the removal of the tumor might actually allow his talents to develop more fully. During the surgery, reinforcements were placed in Rice's skull, allowing for the possibility of playing football again.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, best known for playing the defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
position. He played collegiately at Penn State University and attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Eleanor Roosevelt High School (Greenbelt, Maryland)
Eleanor Roosevelt High School , is a Maryland public magnet high school specializing in science, mathematics, technology, and engineering. The school was established in 1978 at its current location in Greenbelt, Maryland and is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system...
in Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...
.
Football
Rice signed as a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
with the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
shortly after the 2006 NFL draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. He was released from the team June 9, 2006, and signed with the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
2 weeks later http://www.stlouisrams.com/article/55016, only to be released despite a productive preseason. He worked out for several teams during the 2006 season, and was eventually signed mid-season by the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The start of the 2007 preseason found Rice with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
organization, allocated to the Rhein Fire
Rhein Fire
The Rhein Fire was a professional American football team in NFL Europe, formerly the World League of American Football. Established in Germany in 1995, the franchise resurrected the name of the former Birmingham Fire team which was active during the 1991-1992 WLAF seasons.-History:The team was...
of NFL Europa.http://www.nfleurope.com/news/story/10017103
The 6'4", 256-pound Rice was a three-year starter and a second team All-Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
selection at Penn State. He helped the Nittany Lions rank as the conference's top defense in 2005, and made 9 sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s and 147 tackle
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
s. He was chosen to play in the 2006 Hula Bowl
Hula Bowl
The Hula Bowl was an independently administered post-season invitational college football game held each year in Hawaii from 1947 to 2008. The game was last played at Aloha Stadium in the Hālawa district of Honolulu, Hawaii. At one point the longest-running sporting event in Hawaii, it had been...
. An accomplished painter and illustrator, Rice earned dual degrees from Penn State University in 2005: a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in integrative arts, along with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in African-American studies.
Personal
Between workouts as out as a possible 2006 mid-season replacement for the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Rice concentrated on establishing a new business, Mateo Blu. The company publishes limited-edition art prints with proceeds going to charitable causes.http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=uwire-pennstatesricereturnsasphi&prov=uwire&type=lgns
Rice began having seizure
Seizure
An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain". The outward effect can be as dramatic as a wild thrashing movement or as mild as a brief loss of awareness...
s in August 2007. CAT
Computed tomography
X-ray computed tomography or Computer tomography , is a medical imaging method employing tomography created by computer processing...
scans and MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
s identified a tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
on the right frontal lobe
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobe is an area in the brain of humans and other mammals, located at the front of each cerebral hemisphere and positioned anterior to the parietal lobe and superior and anterior to the temporal lobes...
of his brain—ironically, the section from which artistic abilities are derived. The tumor was determined to be benign, but surgery became necessary following a second seizure.
The surgery, performed at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, was successful. The tumor was limited to the surface of the brain, and was removed without damage to Rice's brain. Afterward, Rice was told, instead of a potential loss of his artistic talents, the removal of the tumor might actually allow his talents to develop more fully. During the surgery, reinforcements were placed in Rice's skull, allowing for the possibility of playing football again.
External links
- Player biography, buffalobills.com
- "Penn State's Rice returns as philanthropist, artist", The Daily Collegian, October 20, 2006
- Player portrait at Rhein Fire