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Owner Jim Irsay of the Indianapolis Colts has announced the passing of offensive guard and Super Bowl winner Matt Ulrich. Ulrich was forty-one.
With a picture of Ulrich with the Vince Lombardi trophy in 2007, Irsay posted on X Wednesday, saying, “I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of Matt Ulrich.” In his brief two seasons with us, Matt made a lasting impression on many. Super Bowl champion and a lovely guy, I’ve heard. He was also a great dad. My condolences to his family.
Throughout his two seasons with the Colts, the former Northwestern University captain Ulrich won an NFL championship. The Colts, led by Peyton Manning, defeated the Chicago Bears 29–17 in Super Bowl XLI.
When Manning retired in 2016, he reflected on the occasion and gave gratitude to Ulrich and his colleagues.
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“We had gotten close, we were knocking on the door, and we had some disappointing losses. That 2006 team was a special team,” Manning remarked.
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“One thing we never ever did was give up; we kept fighting,” he continued.
Ulrich cofounded DexaFit LLC, a body fat and metabolic testing business with sites across the US, after retiring from football.
On September 17, 2006, in Indianapolis, Indiana, offensive lineman Matt Ulrich #69 of the Indianapolis Colts watches during the team’s game versus the Houston Texans at the RCA Dome. Colts victory vs Texans, 43-24
GETTY/DILIP VISHWANAT
Ulrich also held certificates from Harvard Business School and served as a player advisor for the Harvard Football Players Health Study.
The former athlete most recently worked as a partner and chief growth officer for Profitable Ideas Exchange, a consulting firm for professional services firms based in Bozeman, Montana.
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Ulrich talked about his love for Montana and his second-act career on the bio page of the company.
“It was always my wife and I’s dream to raise our family in Bozeman, Montana, but there weren’t nearly as many professional jobs available 20 years ago,” he wrote. “It makes me happy to know that as we expand and please our customers, we provide new jobs in Montana for families who share my aspirations.”
Ulrich made time for his family and other sportsmen who aspired to be as successful as he was in the NFL during his free time.
He added, “The highlight of my life and what keeps me on my toes is keeping up with my four preteen sons.” “One of my genuine hobbies is coaching and developing young athletes in our community to help them realize their greatest potential. I devote a lot of time to this endeavor. I also frequently visit the gym, where I just achieved a 40-year-old record of 505 pounds bench press. Goal-setting never ends!
