Six years into retirement, Matt Light is enjoying life after football while still keeping up with the Patriots
Former offensive tackle Matt Light played a crucial role on the Patriots’ line of scrimmage for 11 seasons before retiring in 2011. The Ohio native is on to other projects now, like leading the Light Foundation and endorsing KEEL vodka, but believes many of the principles he learned under head coach Bill Belichick apply to his current endeavors.
The 39-year-old spoke with Boston.com about his time in New England, post-football life, and what he thinks about this year’s team.
What have you learned about yourself since retiring from football?
ML: Oh boy, more than I ever wanted to know. I’ve learned that being self-employed versus being told what to do is much more difficult than I hoped. I’ve learned that the real world is not as competitive as the professional sports world. And I’ve learned that, there’s a lot of fun to be had where you’re not sitting in a locker room all day. All good stuff. I’ve actually had a lot of fun in retirement.
Have you found any unexpected hobbies?
ML: I brought a lot of hobbies with me into retirement, so I wouldn’t say I’ve found any that I wouldn’t expect, but I’ve definitely been very busy. I’ve been able to do a lot of the things I didn’t have time to do when I played.
What type of things have you been up to?
ML: A lot of work with the Light Foundation and the work that we do, really expanding on all of our programs and developing our camp. You know, all the things required on a weekly and monthly basis to keep things going, so that’s been a lot of fun.
We also launched KEEL vodka. I’ve got two partners, and we’re based here in the Northeast. We got a number of states that we’ve gone into so far, and we’ll open up a bunch in 2018, so we’re aggressively growing that company and that brand. We’re the first to introduce a light vodka, a premium light spirit, so it’s been fun. Very busy.
Do you see any parallels between Bill Belichick’s system and post-football life?
ML: I’ve definitely taken a lot of the things that made us successful in New England with me in retirement. Look, there’s no substitute for hard work. Everybody’s looking for it, but there’s just not one, so it hasn’t happened yet. So the good news is I’m accustomed to working hard. I’m not afraid of that end of it.
I think just the ability to surround yourself with good people and have a good team and hold everybody accountable… All the things that we did on an hourly basis in New England, as far as the accountability and just everybody pulling in the same direction and having a team mentality, those are all things that I look for in my day-to-day routine as well.
Have you been keeping up with the team lately?
ML: Yeah. I mean, I’m not the kind of the guy who’s going to get online and check it out every day and see what’s happening. But the overall building blocks that make up the team and the look of feel of this year versus last year, I definitely keep up with those things.
I was at the game on Thursday, and it’s going to be interesting to see what happens after Saturday and the final cuts. Shaping up for the kickoff game is going to be really interesting to hear what the story lines are.
There’s been a lot of talk about the possibility of this year’s team going 19-0, and you were a part of the group that went 18-1, can you talk about how you manage the pressure and those expectations?
ML: First off, I think the expectation is that you’re going to go in and win every game, regardless of what the season is. So you know, there’s really not pressure on a player to go 19-0. The only time I remember feeling, or even acknowledging, that we were undefeated was going into the last regular-season game against the Giants and just thinking about the fact, ‘This is our opportunity to go undefeated in the regular season. That’s pretty cool.’ I remember having that thought.
After that happened, it was like, ‘Alright, we’re on to the playoffs.’ Not only that but a Super Bowl. You’re not thinking about anything other than winning the Super Bowl. It pales in comparison to going undefeated.
How would you say the NFL has changed since you first played?
I think overall the league is pretty similar today from when I started in ’01. The social media side of the game has probably been, in my opinion, the biggest change. The ability for guys to get distracted with their own brand or their own messaging via Twitter and things like that.
I think that in some ways it’s been great for the players. In other ways, it’s been a distraction and been tough for teams to deal with things. For fans, it’s the same thing. For some fans, it’s a great thing. They get to follow their players more and this, that, and the other. But in other ways, fans are free to say whatever they want, and they get into these social media arguments that I find ridiculous, so it’s a plus and a minus at the same time.
It’s a lot on some of the younger players, trying to deal with everything, all the pressures that come with the media and social networking sites in general.
Have you ever had a crazy encounter with a fan?
ML: Yeah, but in real time. I don’t do social media, so I’m the dinosaur that never really knows that I’m extinct. I don’t have to worry about a lot of that stuff. My wife or a business will inform me, so we do a lot on that end. But personally, I don’t get into social media, so most of my awkward interactions come face to face.
What was the most awkward experience you’ve had with a fan?
ML: I’ve had a lot. I’ve had a lot of interesting requests. But I think that any time that somebody you’ve met once in your life expects you and calls you out on, ‘Do you know who I am? Do you remember me?’ And there’s the obvious look of ‘No, I don’t.’ I mean, those are never fun. That’s a basic ‘I don’t really like going down that road.’
And for the most part, I have a hard time remembering my own people and my own network, so it’s not a shock that I don’t remember some folks I’ve met one time in my life.
What can fans expect the night of the kickoff game?
Light is raffling off four tickets to attend the NFL kickoff game between the Patriots and the Chiefs at Gillette Stadium. The winner will get to watch the game from the Energi’s VIP luxury suite with the three-time Super Bowl champion. Proceeds from the raffle with benefit both the Light Foundation and Boston Children’s Hospital.
ML: Every season is fun, every season is exciting. But the season opener is always a big deal. And beyond that, a season opener that’s literally the kickoff to the season, where they’re going to be dropping a banner and the whole nine. I mean, that’s just something… It’s almost like going to the Super Bowl. It’s one of those things that doesn’t happen very often. There’s going to be a heck of a buzz in the stadium, and it truly is a special time.
What do you hope to see from the Patriots this season?
ML: I want to see this offense—obviously minus Edelman, which is a huge deal—with a healthy Gronk, with a backfield that’s doing great things, and a line that played really well last year together, and hopefully the same unit will be back out there on the field. Just to see the full potential of this offense.
With Tommy at the helm, it’s always going to be good, but I think everybody’s excited to see how good. Then I’m excited to see how this defense really shapes up, how good can this secondary be, who’s going to step up on the defensive line and become you know, the playmaker, the guy when they got to have it is going to show up to fill the role of a Ninkovich, who provided year after year after year of consistent performances.
I think there’s a lot more question marks on the defensive side, but that also comes with a lot of opportunity. Guys have a really good opportunity to do something for themselves and for their career.
How have you seen Julian Edelman grow from when you were first playing with him to where he’s come to now?
ML: I told everybody when he got to the Pats, I told a lot of people that he was going to have an interesting career. He was a guy that I had high hopes for, and he’s delivered on that. He’s always been a guy that fit the system, meaning that he’s selfless, he’s humble, he works his tail off, he does whatever he’s asked to do, he’s a total team player.
Guys like that, that are given the opportunity and continue to show up each and every day, those are hard to find. It’s been awesome watching his career. It’s been great to see him go from a bubble guy to a backup to a little bit of everything that comes with the game of football and just continue to get better and perform at a high level.
I was bummed for his injury, but when you go through and you have as long as seasons as those guys have had… It’s no different for me. In my 11-year career, I played in five Super Bowls and lost an AFC Championship game, so almost every year of my career, we went into overtime and that takes a toll on a player. A guy in New England is almost dog years, it’s New England years. You might have only been in the league for six years, but for the rest of the league, that’s an eight-year career.
It’s a tough loss, but he’s a great guy. He’ll work his tail off and be ready for next season with a good attitude and a healthy frame and be ready to roll.
Pivoting a bit here, you also were a bit of jokester as a Patriot. How does Bill Belichick react to those types of things?
ML: Bill is like 90% work: what do we have to do to get better, what’s the thought process, I mean, it’s all about winning. But the 10% of him that is a little bit more human, I mean, he really enjoys being able to have a laugh here and there. He enjoys hearing about some of the shenanigans that take place in the locker room between guys, like rookie skits. Sometimes the rookies would get up and sing a song or do whatever, I mean, he enjoys that kind of stuff.
It’s definitely not his first thought of the day, but he gets a kick out of it until things start going a little too far, and he has to step in and get guys to knock off on the practical jokes and focus in the game plan. But for the most part, it’s managed pretty well in that locker room.
Did you ever play a prank on him?
ML: Several times, yes. And every time, my wife thought I was going to be released shortly after. Luckily, he found a little humor in it. But yeah, we had a lot of laughs together, and maybe I was the only one laughing at times, but I definitely got a few good ones over on the head man.
I’ve shared this one in the past. I put a shocking remote mouse on his desk. So I replaced his mouse with one that sent quite a few volts of electricity through him when he went to click on it. I found that one as entertaining as could be. Again, he didn’t quite see it that way, I don’t believe. But he and I have had some moments.
I used to mess with all the coaches. We’d borrow somebody’s car for awhile, steal their keys, whatever it may have been. It always created some good moments in the locker room.
What would you say is your goofiest memory of Tom Brady?
ML: I always gave him a hard time for the fact that he has a locker next to his locker for his wardrobe. While most of us neanderthals sauntered into the locker room wearing yesterday’s sweatpants and a wrinkled t-shirt, you know he showed up in a cardigan sweater with handmade wooden buttons and skinny jeans and designer shoes. He’s the fashionista, as most quarterbacks are.
When he came in sporting his… Oh, what’s that guys’ name, I used to watch him all the time… Mr. Rogers. When he came in sporting the Mr. Rogers cardigan, that was one of my all-time moments for him.
