BELLINGHAM, Wash. --- It has been quite a journey, full of ups and downs, for football long snapper Matt Overton, who completed his eighth season playing in the National Football League (NFL) on Sunday, Jan. 10. His Tennessee Titans fell to the Baltimore Ravens, 20-13, in a Wild Card playoff game at Nashville.

Tennessee, the 2020 American Football Conference South division champion, had reached the playoffs with an 11-5 season record. Incredibly, it was Overton's fourth career playoff appearance and first after three in a row with the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2014.

With perseverance, patience, faith and generosity, the 35-year-old Overton has realized his NFL dream and traversed eight campaigns. That ranks second among just eight former Western Washington University (WWU) athletes who have seen regular-season NFL action.

Overton's 110 games played, which includes seven playoff contests, also rank second among NFL Vikings. Both records of 10 and 160, respectively, are held by punter/placekicker Michael Koenen.

"This year has been really special," said Overton four days before the Ravens' game in a Viking Voices podcast interview with WWU Director of Athletic Communications Jeff Evans. "I could have ended up anywhere and lo and behold God presented the opportunity with the Titans where I didn't have to leave home, I didn't have to leave my wife … especially this year with COVID … We're just so blessed to be here in Nashville where we call home now and playing for the Titans and going back to the playoffs. This year in particular I've been pinching myself because it does seem a little surreal that I'm back on a winning team, playing for my home team now, and going into the playoffs. It truly is special."

Overton competed at Western in 2005 and 2006. He was a team captain for the Vikings and a two-year starter at defensive end and long snapper. A graduate of Tracy (Calif.) High School, he also competed two seasons at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California, playing on a team that appeared in the East County Growers Bowl as a sophomore.

Overton was originally signed as a rookie free agent by the Seattle Seahawks in 2007 before being released prior to the season. He credits Koenen for putting him on the NFL radar as a long snapper. When Koenen was training for a pre-draft workout following his senior campaign, Overton served as his long snapper.

"When I came out of Western and had my first taste of the NFL, I got cut pretty quickly," Overton said. "You know the acronym 'Not For Long' stands true for a lot of people and that was me. But I just never gave up."

"I just tell a lot of guys that are in my position coming out of school, especially coming from a small school, the odds are going to be stacked against you, but there's no right or wrong way to get to where you want to go and sometimes you've just got to take the long road around the mountain. Just take advantage of every opportunity that comes. I learned if I didn't believe in myself that nobody else would. So I continued to keep working and I was fortunate enough to get my foot in the door and just kept plugging away, and never taking no for an answer."

A determined and undeterred Overton played for the Tri-Cities (Washington) Fever of the Arena Football League's developmental league in 2008 and the Florida Huskers of the United Football League (UFL) in 2009, helping Florida to an undefeated season and an appearance in the first UFL championship game.

During this time Overton put up numerous videos on YouTube of him long snapping, hoping they would attract attention from a team or coach.

In 2010, Overton was twice signed and waived by Seattle before seeing action with the UFL Omaha (Nebraska) Nighthawks, being named the league's top long snapper and ranked among the circuit's top 10 players.

A year later his NFL dream was nearly over. Cut by a UFL team, collecting unemployment checks and contemplating a career in law enforcement, the 6-foot-1, 243-pound Overton attended a kicking and long snapping combine in Arizona. There he caught the eye of Indianapolis Colts assistant special teams coach Brant Boyer.

Overton was signed as a free agent by Indianapolis on Apr. 2, 2012. For the next five seasons, he appeared in all 16 games for the Colts (80 straight), being named to play in the Pro Bowl following the 2013 season.

In 2014, Overton snapped for Colts' punter Pat McAfee and kicker Adam Vinatieri. Both were named All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl.

In 2015, Overton helped Vinatieri record his 18th career 100-point season and become just the third player in NFL history to convert 300 career field goals.

"Coming into the Colts as a rookie and snapping for future Hall of Famer Adam Vinatieri was a little daunting at first because he had such a high standard and I knew that my game and my ability had to rise too," Overton recalled.

"It's like I don't want to screw up a snap for the best kicker of all-time. So that pressure was heavy on me early on. But I learned from him to just trust your hard work and you really don't add any more pressure … because the game itself already brings a lot of pressure. You just have to find a way to trust your technique, trust your skills and ability, and when you go out there it's just like second nature. It's like riding a bike because we do so many reps that it really just becomes natural. And when you do have a bad play, you find a way to fight through mentally and get back on track and you forget about it."

While being a stellar member of what was known as the Colts' "4th Down Army," Overton also became an Indianapolis fan and community favorite as the Colts reached the playoffs in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

He accomplished that by making himself a conduit between the team and the fans. From hanging out with kids at a local hospital to opening tailgating lots south of Lucas Oil Stadium. He also supported law enforcement, even going on ride-a-longs with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Indiana State Police.

Overton's father, Tom, who had played football at Cal State Hayward, spent 31 years in law enforcement. In fact, they had a father-son "heart-to-heart" about Matt joining the police academy in 2011 when it appeared that his football career was going nowhere. His father worked in SWAT, vice and narcotics, moving up the ranks to lieutenant and eventually a captain at the San Leandro California police department.

During his five years at Indianapolis, Overton also showed his athleticism and aggressiveness. He was credited with 26 special teams tackles, a 5.2 average per season.
On March 3, 2015, Overton signed a four-year, $4-million extension with the Colts.

Waived by Indianapolis in May of 2017, he was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars three months later and played in their first nine games before being placed on injured reserve.

In week six of 2018, Overton was again signed by Jacksonville and played in the club's remaining 11 games. He spent a portion of 2019 with the Los Angeles Chargers, but did not appear in a game and was waived in November.

While moving to Nashville, possibly to begin a career in real estate, Overton caught a break from an unlikely source, COVID-19. He was signed to Tennessee's practice squad in October of 2020 and was activated as a Titans' active roster COVID-19 replacement on Nov. 21.

He saw action in the Titans' last nine regular-season games, including their division clinching 41-38 victory over Houston on Jan. 3 with the winning points coming on a successful last-second 37-yard field goal that took a fortuitous bounce off the goal post.

"I could see the trajectory of the ball when I lifted my head up and it was looking like it was going to be good, so I celebrated early, like I was celebrating," said Overton. "I turned around to go celebrate with him (kicker Sam Sloman who was making his NFL debut), but then there was this eerie silence. I didn't realize that it was gonna doink off the upright and I saw the reaction and I was like I could have sworn that ball was going in and then it was that delayed reaction waiting for the referees to give the signal that it was good and then we just had an awesome celebration with everybody running on the field."

"I mean, I've been a part of some pretty big kicks with Vinatieri in the past, but this one was pretty significant in the fact that it was for a championship. We had a good chance of making it to the playoffs if we didn't win, but the fact that we were able to host a home game is pretty meaningful and just being a part of a play that helps your team win is always special. As a specialist we are not on the field too much, but you know these are the types of plays that you dream about and prepare for."

Overton's passion for the game of football goes back to his grandfather Paul Wallrof with whom he spent many summers in Vashon Island, Washington. Wallrof was a starting tackle at the University of Washington and served 19 years, seven as head coach, in the football program at the University of Puget Sound (UPS).

Wallrof, who was named to the UPS Athletic Hall of Fame, is credited by Overton as the main reason he attended Western.

"I had an opportunity to walk on at Washington State, but my grandfather knew (then Viking head coach) Rob Smith as he had tried to recruit Rob to come to UPS," said Overton. "And at the time I had two teammates at my junior college the year before who transferred to Western, so I had some familiar faces to talk with about the program. I went on an unofficial visit to see the campus and honestly just fell in love with everything that Bellingham had to offer."

With his success, Overton has found ways to generously give back. He is co-owner of a youth charity foundation called Led by Pros Youth Academy in Omaha, Nebraska, with former Ohio State Buckeye running back Maurice Clarett. It offers a youth football academy and helps young athletes to succeed in life and in sport. And he also is the founder and president of Pros 2 Youth, a non-profit organization based in his hometown of Tracy.

In the now familiar position of not knowing what next year will bring as far as football, Overton will do what has always worked for him in the past. Stay patient and stay ready. He already knows something special will be happening around the third week in March as he and wife Breanna (formerly Fonner, Colts' cheerleader for six years) await the birth of their first child.

It's been quite a ride for Overton and he's looking forward to the next chapter. And he enjoys communicating what has already taken place to motivate and inspire others.

"Like just having that hard work mentality and dedication and keeping my faith at the forefront all the time. I like to share my story because it's different, it's unique and I like to say that I've come from a smaller school where it's not common for guys to make it to the NFL from Division II. I pride myself on being a Vik and hope my story can inspire not just football players, but anybody that plays basketball or volleyball or whatever it may be."
 
Written by Paul Madison who served 48 years as sports information director at WWU from 1966 to 2015. He is now in his sixth year as the school's Athletics Historian.
 

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Viking Voices Podcast interview with former WWU football player Matt Overton, who recently completed his eighth year as a long snapper in the National Football League, conducted on Jan. 6, 2021 by WWU Director of Athletic Communications Jeff Evans.
 
Evans: Welcome to another edition of Viking Voices! We've got a special NFL Viking football edition of Viking Voices today with special guest Matt Overton. Matt thanks for joining us from Nashville. You're getting ready for a big Wild Card playoff game this weekend against the (Baltimore) Ravens at home and man we are excited to talk to you.
 
We've got a list of things to go over, but how are things going in Nashville for you and how exciting is it to be in the playoffs?
 
Overton: Man, it's beyond words how excited I am. You know just a year ago I was at home sitting on the couch hoping to get a call to be on a team and here I am preparing to go into the playoffs again after a six-year drought … I've been fortunate enough to experience the feeling and excitement of what the playoffs really mean. It's really special to be on my third team and experiencing something new with a new group of guys. It's a lot of fun. I'm definitely not taking it for granted because I know how hard it is to get to the postseason and especially winning a division. You know nothing is ever guaranteed and it's been a thrill being here. Just the way the year has gone for me personally and to be a part of this team has been exciting and there's a lot of joy playing football again.
 
Evans: A little bit of background for our listeners Matt. You were a long-time long snapper for the Indianapolis Colts, then you got on with the Jacksonville Jaguars and I believe you had a little bit of a training camp or a tryout with the (Los Angeles) Chargers, but in week six of this season you're living in Nashville ... Kind of run us through how the Titans needed some depth at long snapper and they called you and now you're in the AFC Wildcard Game.
 
Overton: Going into this year with COVID and everything being kind of pushed back and everything on ZOOM, the NFL really had to follow the model that baseball did a little bit and the NBA and how they had their bubble system. Well, it's a little more difficult when you have a 60-man roster as opposed to 20 to 25 guys or whatever it is and we knew realistically going into it that football wasn't going to work with the bubble idea or the players just weren't going to agree to do that. So there was a lot of discussion going into the season, like how is it going to work. Part of that was talking about how to expand rosters and with the COVID protocols how to get players ready to go if teams need guys due to injury or guys testing positive for COVID.
 
Even though I wasn't signed earlier this year going into the off-season, I had a pretty strong feeling that I'd get an opportunity because they'd expanded practice squad rosters and expanded them to include veteran players like myself. Typically, in a normal season, I wouldn't be practice squad eligible just because I have too much experience. But I was confident that with the restrictions of COVID if you tested positive that you would have to potentially sit out a game or two. So teams would then have to cover their bases by assigning more specialists, more quarterbacks, whatever.
 
It just so happened that the Titans were one of the first teams that really started covering their bases. They got hit with several positive tests earlier in the year. My wife and I lived in Indy (Indianapolis) at the time, but we were in the process of moving to Nashville. And the Titans called, and they wanted to bring me in for a workout, so I had to enter the COVID protocol … For me to even step foot on the field to do a workout for the team I had to pass six negative tests. And since I was already here they felt comfortable with me living at home, they didn't need to house me anywhere in a hotel or anything like that. So I just stayed patient ... and I stayed in shape. In week six they signed me to their practice squad.

 
That was a completely new role for me because I'd never been on the practice squad and now I'm in my ninth year in the league and serving the team in a different way … But I was away from the team and on my own schedule. I was on the team, but it really didn't feel like it because I was practicing literally by myself or with a couple other guys. Like they kept me, the practice squad kicker, the practice squad punter and the practice squad quarterback all on the same schedule. The four of us would go out and practice and stay away from the team because if we tested positive it might be traced to the team. It was very strange, very weird for me to adjust to, but I was so blessed just to be on a team and in a city I considered home.
 
Going into this year, my wife and I were talking about if we had our way what would football be like. And I said it'd be great to either be on the Colts again, the Titans or go back to either Seattle or the (San Francisco) 49ers, or something like that, because that would be home for me as well. And then God blesses us with this opportunity. I worked out for the Colts and I worked out for the Titans and got on the practice squad here in Tennessee. And then … I get activated to the active roster and have been playing since.
 
It has been great to be a part of this team. I'm familiar with a few guys - Stephen Gostkowski our kicker, I've had some experience with him, and there's a few guys that I played with that were either on the Jaguars or on the Colts, or even when I played in the United Football League 10 years ago. Jim Haslett, our linebackers coach here, he was my head coach for that team. It's crazy how small the football fraternity really is and it has just been awesome being back on the field, being a part of a winning team, and winning a third AFC South championship with a different team. It's been pretty cool and pretty special to be playing in January when half the league is already packed up and going home and we're still preparing and ready to play this weekend.
 
Evans: You had 100 games under your belt when you entered this year and now you have 109. You were a true veteran and stepping into a new scenario where you're out on your own and then you finally get the call. Because I imagine a lot of long snappers are not on practice squads in a normal year.
 
Overton: Correct. On a normal year maybe one team would have that, but typically none.
 
Evans: Well it's awesome that you got that opportunity. I have got to talk to you about Sunday's game. I saw all the highlights and the game-winning field goal as the Titans clinched the division. You were a big part of that. It was an interesting back story that you were working with a kicker who was making his NFL debut and he went 5-for-5 on PATs and 2-for-2 on field goals. You were a big part of that and what was the feeling like when you delivered that snap perfectly and you kind of pushed ahead and you saw that ball clank off the upright and in ... It had to be one of the coolest moments of your career and you've been a part of a lot of cool things.
 
Overton: It was definitely special. To kind of dive into the scenario a little bit deeper. Sam Sloman our kicker was with the Rams earlier this year and then was on the street and he got put on our practice squad. So when Gostkowski our starting kicker got a positive test for COVID, that's an automatic 10-day quarantine … If you bring a guy in as a free agent, it takes him six days to get through the protocol and onto the team. So if you lose a guy mid-week, you don't have anybody to fill in unless you have a practice squad guy. And making it even weirder, after our kicker tested positive our punter was traced as a close contact, so he was sent home for the week just to be safe. So I'm working with the practice squad punter, Trevor Daniels, who I have some history with, and Sloman the kicker. This is my first time working with Sam but we're working with a different holder. We are not able to work with Brett Kern, the regular holder, until walk through Saturday morning and then pre-game on Sunday.  
Most people might think it's just a hold, but there's a lot to it, timing, where the ball is spotted, how it's held and the lean of the ball. There's a lot that goes into the dynamics of the operation of a field goal, a snap, kick, and hold. So, the main work we got was pre-game when you get the juices going and you're trying to get your timing right. But throughout the game we just kept working on the sideline together keeping each other encouraged and there was a moment in time late in that game where we were down and we just kept telling Sam, 'Hey man stay ready, stay ready, stay in this game, it's far from over,' and they kick a tying 50-yard field goal with like less than 20 seconds left in the game and then our offense takes a deep shot downfield and AJ Brown, our Pro Bowl receiver, caught it at around the 19-yard line. And that's where we ended up kicking our field goal with just a few seconds remaining.
 
We went out there for the game-winning kick and, of course, they iced the kicker with a timeout, but we still snapped it and he kicked it and he made it, so that was a good confidence booster. Then we go again and the snap felt good. I could see the trajectory of the ball when I lifted my head up and it was looking like it was going to be good, so I celebrated early, like I was celebrating. I turned around to go celebrate with him, but then there was this eerie silence. I didn't realize that it was gonna doink off the upright and I saw the reaction and I was like I could have sworn that ball was going in and then it was that delayed reaction waiting for the referees to give the signal that it was good and then we just had an awesome celebration with everybody running on the field. I mean I've been a part of some pretty big kicks with Vinatieri in the past, but this one was pretty significant in the fact that it was for a championship. We had a good chance of making it to the playoffs if we didn't win, but the fact that we were able to host a home game is pretty meaningful and just being a part of a play that helps your team win is always special. As a specialist we are not on the field too much, but you know these are the types of plays that you dream about and prepare for.
 
Evans: You've been front and center for a lot of this year watching Derrick Henry in his special season. Talk a little bit about the 2000-yard rusher MVP candidate ... There's a lot of good NFL football players but he's right up there. What's it been like to watch him do his job and be a professional and to see one of those performances in person? I know you've seen a lot, like I said 109 games in the NFL, but what's it been like to watch him do his thing every Sunday?

 
Overton: I mean he's just special. It's a passing league nowadays, you don't have the Walter Paytons, you don't have the Barry Sanders, you don't have those guys anymore because, not to say that the run game isn't important, but it's just a passing league. I mean we're seeing quarterbacks passing over 5,000 yards. It's pretty common now. But for somebody to rush and carry the ball 350 times and stay healthy and do it consistently, it's been pretty incredible to watch.
 
And I've been on the other end where I'm on the other team. The most memorable was when I was on the Jaguars and we were playing the Titans and you see him stiff-arming three or four guys, breaking a 98-yard run, and I was on the sideline watching what that guy just did to half our defense. And then to see him doing it while on his team, I mean it's cool because you know he may only gain a yard or two here and there but like you just have that confidence that as long as you keep giving him the ball and the offensive line just keeps doing what they're doing, he's gonna break one eventually and it's been proven and it's pretty incredible. And he does it with so much humility, he's not a flashy guy and he works his butt off.
 
In the game Sunday, he had a fumble that really gave the momentum to the Texans, and he doesn't fumble very often. And in the same game he went over 2,000 yards for the season and rushed for like 250 yards. Celebrating in the locker room, he was pretty upset that he let his team down with that fumble when he could have been celebrating the accolades of breaking 2,000 yards. I think he's the eighth player in history to ever do that. But it just goes to show how much it means to him and it was pretty cool.
 
Evans: Well we look forward to watching you guys on Sunday. Big game, we'll be watching out here on the West Coast! We're going to pivot a little bit and I just want to talk to you about some other things that I've found out about you and getting to know you when you came to Western a few years ago and talked to some of our student-athletes. One of the things that I remember most about you is how much of a self-starter you are and how much of a motivator you are. You talked about putting YouTube videos out on long snapping. Also, you're much more than just a football player... You're a man of faith, you've had a lot of success with some community activities that you've sponsored, you're a successful business person and a realtor I believe, but you're also a husband and a soon to be father. That's a long list of amazing things. What makes Matt so successful? I'm going to say successful in so many areas. An NFL football player alone is amazing, but you're just so well-rounded. What goes into that?
 
Overton: You've touched on it a little bit, but my faith has always been something I've always leaned on, just trusting in a greater plan than I could ever have myself. And it stems from my family and my grandfather, who is pretty much the reason why I came to Western. He was the head football coach at Puget Sound (UPS) for nearly 20 years and he played football at University of Washington. While being born and raised in California, I spent every summer up on Vashon Island near Seattle and I bled Purple and Gold forever, and then when my grandfather got sick of UW football, we were Cougar fans, especially when Mike Price was there because my grandfather coached at UPS with Mike Price. And I would go to the Cougar camps every summer and honestly my dream at the time was either Notre Dame, UW or Wazzu.
 
And then I remember when I was in junior college and contemplating where to go next. I had an opportunity to walk on at Wazzu, but my grandfather knew Rob Smith because when my grandfather was coaching at UPS he tried to recruit Rob to come to UPS and Rob went to UW, so he called Rob and said, 'Hey my grandson is a long snapper, d-end, linebacker and wants to come check out the campus and the program.' And I had two teammates at my junior college the year before transfer to Western, so I had some familiar faces to talk with about the program. So I went on an unofficial visit to see the campus and honestly just fell in love with everything that Bellingham had to offer and I felt right at home with my connection with my grandfather and Coach Smith and the guys that I knew from my junior college.
 
It just felt like the right opportunity for me even though I had a desire to go Division I, but I really learned a lot in Division II. It's not a glamorous thing by any means. The athletics there are competitive but when you have an ambition to go beyond that the odds are always stacked against you just because you're a Division II player, you're not Division I. You were overlooked or you weren't big enough, or fast enough, or whatever the case may be and so I knew that from the get-go. I knew my dream was always to make it to the NFL, but I pride myself on being a Division II athlete and a junior college athlete. I've learned a lot from those phases of my life and really when I look back, if it wasn't for Michael Koenen coming out of Western as an All-American, who knows if I would have gotten an opportunity because it really was him who gave me a little bit of hope and put me in a position where I helped him prepare for his pre-draft workout on campus. So, I mean I got my name on the radar.
 
But I think it just comes from ... My parents were divorced, so I was living with my mom for most of my life. She was a single parent, seeing her hard work and dedication. My dad's a police officer, seeing his hard work and dedication to his craft. My grandfather as a college football coach and just having good mentors in my life and great supporters and then when I got to Western just having some great coaches who believed in my ability and believed in my dreams and I was able to get some opportunities and take advantage of them.
 
But at the end of the day when I first came out of Western and had my first taste of the NFL I got cut pretty quickly. You know the acronym 'Not For Long,' stands true for a lot of people and that was me, but I just never gave up. I just tell a lot of guys that are in my position coming out of school, especially coming from a small school, the odds are going to be stacked against you, but there's no right or wrong way to get to where you want to go and sometimes you just have to take the long road around the mountain. Just take advantage of every opportunity that comes. I learned if I didn't believe in myself that nobody else would. So I continued to keep working and I was fortunate enough to get my foot in the door, just kept plugging away and never taking no for an answer. What you say about the YouTube thing, I was honestly posting my snapping videos on YouTube as much as I could and emailing them to as many scouts and coaches as I could find and I was pesky and persistent I guess you can say. It paid off in many ways. I guess I have just taken that mentality into whatever I've tried to do whether it's creating a youth foundation or now into real estate, and kind of set myself up for what life looks like post career. Or being a husband, being a dad soon. Like just having that hard work mentality and dedication and keeping my faith at the forefront all the time. I like to share my story because it's different, it's unique and I like to say that I've come from a smaller school where it's not common for guys to make it to the NFL from Division II. I pride myself on being a Vik and hope my story can inspire not just football players, but anybody that plays basketball or volleyball or whatever it may be.
 
Evans: You shared a lot of that with some of our student-athletes when you were back on campus and I know I enjoyed that and looking back on it ... You're a Pro Bowler and like I said before you have played over 100 football games in the NFL. It's amazing, you were the long snapper for probably one of the best kickers of all-time, Adam Vinatieri. You're going to the playoffs again this year, now with the Titans. Does some of this seem a little bit like a dream? You mentioned that your dream was maybe to go to Wazzu or UW, or something like that, and now you're 109 games into an NFL career and you're a success in so many areas. Sometimes, do you have to pinch yourself?
 
Overton: Yeah, I mean I kind of relate this season to one of my first or early years with the Colts because coming into the Colts as a rookie and snapping for future Hall of Famer Adam Vinatieri was a little daunting at first because he had such a high standard and I knew that my game and my ability had to rise too. It's like I don't want to screw up a snap for the best kicker of all-time. So that pressure was heavy on me early on, but I learned from him to just trust your hard work and you really don't add any more pressure … because the game itself already brings a lot of pressure. You just have to find a way to trust your technique, trust your skills and ability, and when you go out there it's just like second nature. It's like riding a bike because we do so many reps that it really just becomes natural. And when you do have a bad play, you find a way to fight through mentally and get back on track and you forget about it. That was special because I remember being at home in high school watching Vinatieri kicking game-winning field goals in the Super Bowl and then here I come several years later and now I'm playing with him. So, there were definitely moments early in my career where I had to pinch myself.

And I think this year as I've told my wife pretty often, I just feel like it has been really special because I could have ended up anywhere and lo-and-behold God presented the opportunity with the Titans where I didn't have to leave home, I didn't have to leave my wife. Because it does get hard on relationships and your family, and especially this year with COVID. A lot of guys are living away from families, a lot of coaches are living away from families. We're just so blessed to be here in Nashville where we call home now and playing for the Titans and going back to the playoffs. This year, in particular, I've been pinching myself because it does seem a little surreal that I'm back on a winning team, playing for my home team now, and going into the playoffs. It truly is special.
 
Evans: A member of the Vikings in 2005 and 2006, do you have any special memories of Bellingham and playing for Coach Smith? … Tell us a little bit about some of your favorite memories of being a Viking and going to battle with your teammates and maybe a favorite spot on campus that sticks out in your mind.
 
Overton: Yeah, like I said, the moment I stepped foot on Western's campus, my first time visiting Bellingham, I mean the place is just beautiful right and so I just fell in love with it. For the most part it's a pretty big school, it just doesn't feel like it. It just feels very comfortable. You can find your way around pretty easily so I think naturally when I got to Western for my first spring quarter, I gravitated to Red Square and that's where everyone kind of congregated before they dispersed to class, or at Carver (Gym) a lot. I know the landscape of the campus has changed quite a bit since I was there, but for the most part I think it just felt very natural to me, very welcoming. My fondest memories related to football, but I enjoyed my days at (Lake) Padden. I went to Padden quite a bit. We did Fairhaven a lot... I am pretty upset because I never did make it up to Mount Baker and I know that's a huge thing. I never made it up there which is weird because I grew up snowboarding and skiing … But going to Canada for the first time. I remember just going up there quite a bit and all that kind of stuff and I was 19 at the time and I think the legal drinking age was 19 up in Canada, so we made our way up there a couple times.
 
But I mean the friendships I made and I still have a lot of friends to this day. Junior Aumavae in particular, he lives in Indiana too, so it's crazy when I moved to Indy that I had a Viking alum with me right there in Indianapolis who was a good friend at the time when we played. I have very fond memories of Coach Smith and the Battle in Seattle, which was really cool because it was played in Seahawks Stadium against Central ... and I never beat Central which is something that still stings, but played in some really cool games. And then when Coach Robin Ross came and we went to the NCC (North Central Conference) for a couple years. That was a lot of fun playing some top tier Division II football and traveling to North Dakota and St. Cloud (Minnesota) and all that kind of stuff. So that was really cool.
 
But you know I think the coolest thing really is seeing what some of my former teammates are doing now. Pat McCann is the wide receivers coach at Eastern Washington and doing a great job. I still stay in touch with Legi Suiaunoa and Kefense Hynson, who are at Oregon State. I still talk to Robin Ross. I still talk to Eric Tripp, I think he's still at Ferndale as the athletic director. Rob Smith occasionally ... But it's just cool to see what guys are doing nowadays and keeping in touch through Facebook or something like that. But the memories of my time at Western are incredible and it's a special place, and every time I visit the Pacific Northwest I try to make a point to go to campus just because it really was a special time for me and my family still enjoys going there when they can and they loved coming up to games and visiting. I can't speak highly enough about Bellingham and what Western did for me.
 
Evans: I didn't want to ask this question, but it's a big part of who you are … Western cut the football program after the 2008 season. I was not here at the time, but the stories I hear from people who have been part of the athletic department for so long, the Paul Madison's, Steve Card, the Steve Brummel's, Lynda Goodrich, it was a really tough time to go through … I know there's a strong group of alumni who believe that football was what made them who they are.  So I want to give you a chance to talk about that. Jason Stiles has talked about it, a Hall of Famer of ours, but I'd like to give you a chance to kind of say what Western football meant to you and how that decision affected you because it is a big part of who you are.
 
Overton: I just kind of echo what a lot of guys say. It was tough, it was very unfortunate how it went down and I feel for the guys that were there during that time. I know Junior (Aumavae) was one of those guys and ended up transferring to Minnesota State. And I talked to other guys that had to go to other schools and with some guys it was honestly the last time they ever played football. They stayed at Western and finished their degree and that was it.
 
But I think the biggest thing I feel that was so unfortunate goes beyond the sport itself. A sport like football brings so many different people together for a common goal and that's to win games and become a team. And football, especially at the college level, is a big number, like 80 to 90 to 100 guys not including staff and coaches. It's a big operation. In the midst of that, you bring a lot of different people from all different walks of life together and that's what athletics really is all about.
 
But football is on a bigger scale because you have so many more people involved. And I believe Western football was on the rise and winning games … When I was there we had a round-robin schedule playing Central, Western Oregon and Humboldt State twice a year … If Western was in the midwest where Division II football is pretty big, it would still be thriving, and it'd still be there today, but for whatever reason the West Coast has really decimated Division II football and it makes travel hard, and, for lack of opportunities, kids end up going elsewhere … My dad's college, Cal State Hayward, no longer has football and you know back a few years Division II football in California was big time. I mean it's just like the JUCO thing now, which is so sad to see. I'm sure Central Washington struggles trying to schedule games. I still hope that football comes back to Western's campus because it's a great tradition and there's a lot of rich history and a lot of people who care about it … Western could be extremely successful because it's a great academic school and it's just a very cool place to live.
 
So, I'm hopeful. I have a lot of pride being the only Western guy in the league right now and it is really cool to be on that short list of Vikings who've made it. Early on I was a little bitter and a little upset, but you know as time goes on I've sat down with (Steve) Card a lot and I've had those discussions with him, and I've let bygones be bygones. I'm still a Viking regardless of whether football is there or not because I have so many great memories beyond football on that campus and I am proud to be a Vik because it provided me with an opportunity. I got my degree there and the three years that I was there mean a lot to me … I miss the fact that we could all get together and go to a game and you could gather the alumni and reconnect and that kind of stuff. Maybe one day it'll come back. Who knows?  Crazier things have happened. I don't think it's far-fetched to believe that it's a possibility down the road that it could happen. And, if there is ever an opportunity to support that, I'll be there in the forefront with those guys and 'The Valhalla Boys' and help bring football back to Western.
 
Evans: Well you're always so supportive especially on social media of all of our programs and I know I appreciate it since I run a lot of those channels, but overall I see a lot of our student-athletes and we're very proud of you and we're just blessed to know you. It's been really cool to follow your career and to follow your posts on social media and how you're trying out, and all of a sudden in the Jaguars' locker room and you're showing your pair of cleats. There's a lot of pride that goes into that for the people who work in Carver Gym. Kevin Fenwick often talks about you ... There's a lot of good people and we appreciate you, so I want to say that from me and from our department, thanks for carrying the flag. Thanks for being so supportive and thanks for approaching a lot of this in such a great way. Right, positivity and kindness matters and you are a torchbearer for all that. I do have one last question for you though ... how's the grass coming along at your house?
 
Overton: Oh geez man yeah, so I mean most people aren't gonna know what you're talking about.
 
Evans: That's the beauty of this. I was gonna end on some fun off-the-wall question.
 
Overton: I live in a townhome duplex and I have a neighbor next to me and we share a wall and both have our own little front yard parcel. Here in Tennessee they don't have irrigation systems because they don't need it because the weather is so mild and you get a lot of rain and you get a lot of sunshine so you just plant your sod and you kind of let Mother Nature handle the rest right.
 
We had used this place like an AirBNB rental for most of the time we had it, so now we're transitioning into living here full time. I noticed my grass wasn't looking quite like my neighbors because my neighbor lives here full time and he's out there every couple days doing his little manicure on it and has the little trimmers out there. I'm like, 'dang your grass looks good,' and the soil here is really hard dirt, so you've got to know what you're doing to have good grass. So, I hired a guy to take care of my grass and told him you need to re-seed, whatever you need to do, so it looks like my neighbors right there. Because mine is an embarrassment right now and when guests come to rent I want them to not see this nasty dead front lawn as that's the first thing they see.
 
So, we re-sodded and it looked good for a while and then, I'm not kidding, within 24 hours it's back to what it was. It was just too hot or there wasn't enough water or whatever and again you have to stay on top of it and I didn't realize that this is a serious thing. So, we tilled it up and then re-seeded it and it looks great now. I was kind of jokingly sharing my lawn updates on Instagram for a while there. I mean I got excited when I saw little sprouts coming out of the dirt and I was like man this is a new day, it's a good day, I got some grass coming in. And I was watering it twice a day and it looks great now. It's winter here now so a lot of people's grass has gone dormant and won't come back until the spring, but mine's still green. So, I have a lot of pride in that and the lawn update is pretty strong right now. It's looking good man.
 
Evans: That's awesome man, I'm a big lawn guy, so I follow that and I'm like, 'Yes, another one!'
 
Overton: It just goes to show that when you start transitioning into a dad, like the dad mode of your life, the things that become important to you. I think a lawn is kind of up there at the forefront of your checklist.
 
Evans: It is! Matt, I really enjoyed talking to you and I know Viking nation is going to enjoy hearing from you. We wish you the best of luck this weekend in the playoffs and hopefully beyond. We'll be watching for No. 47 in game No. 110 of your NFL career. Good luck buddy! Thanks for joining us and Go Vikings!
 
Overton: Yeah. Go Viks! I appreciate you man. Thank you so much.