Matt Breida carries more than just the load for the Niners. He carries a devotion to family and work ethic that has made him a surprise—and grateful—star.
It’s 2011 in Hernando county, Florida, and Rob Kazmier is crafting impassioned, personalized pleas to college coaches on behalf of a running back who is south of 160 pounds and several inches shy of 6 feet.
“I don’t want this kid flying under the radar!!!” Kazmier writes one December day. “He is the whole package—great kid, great student.”
The notes are about Matt Breida, a record-setting junior at Nature Coast Technical High School, and they are largely met with indifference. Florida and Florida State aren’t interested. Neither is UCF or USF. SEC schools can’t be bothered. Kazmier, an assistant at Nature Coast at the time, keeps up the marketing. “People get stuck on the cookie-cutter size,” says Kazmier, now the head coach at a nearby high school. “Purdue … they never responded.”
Georgia Southern does—and signs Breida in February 2013.
Five years later, Kazmier looks especially prescient. Breida, now listed at 5-11, 190 pounds and built like a world-class sprinter, with a chiseled jaw and lean muscles, is one of the NFL’s leading rushers and biggest surprises in his second year with the 49ers. Through Week 9, he ranked third in rushing yards per carry (5.5) among players averaging 10 or more carries and was ninth in total rushing yards (531) despite being slowed by an ankle injury in recent weeks.
Breida is a bright spot in an otherwise lost year for the 49ers, who entered the fall with modest playoff hopes that were quickly extinguished when quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo—5–0 in five starts to close out 2017—went down with a season-ending knee injury in September.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 2018 من ESPN The Magazine.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 2018 من ESPN The Magazine.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
The Rape Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Fame's Protective Shield
To be the world’s most famous athlete means Cristiano Ronaldo can appear on screens everywhere yet somehow elude the fallout from a rape allegation.
Michelle Waterson Reps More Than Herself In The Cage
MMA is a violent and unforgiving sport. But instead of shielding her young daughter from her career, Michelle Waterson is bringing her along every step of the way.
Kyler Murray Owns His Future In A Way No Other Rookie Has
As Kyler Murray decides which sport will win his talents, at least one thing is clear: He owns his future in a way no other rookie has.
Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity
No eight-figure shoe deal? No problem. The Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma walked his own path to sneaker supremacy.
Bryce Harper Is One Very Big Deal
He’s baseball’s best-known face and now its richest player. In this exclusive interview, the All-Star talks rejecting $300 million, recruiting Mike Trout and becoming a Phillie for life.
Kyler Murray - Will Past Be Prologue For The Possible Top NFL Draft Pick?
Sizable expectations? Kyler Murray’s got a few: go No. 1 in the draft, become a franchise player and—oh yeah— completely blow up decades of doctrine about short quarterbacks.
Eternal Champions
Seven months ago, Brazilian underdogs Chapecoense boarded a plane to play in the game of their lives. Instead, their biggest moment turned into a tragedy no one can forget.
What's In A Name?
With the founder of Bikram yoga facing assault allegations, it seems simple: Studios should distance themselves from his name. But it’s not so easy.
One Formula For Change
To inject excitement back into its races, Formula One needs more than a tweak or new twist—it needs to correct its course.
All About The Goals
U.S. national team hero and Chicago Red Stars defensive midfielder Julie Ertz shares her secrets for keeping her world-champion mindset.
