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Matthew Garrett Forte (born December 10, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a
running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. The ...
for ten seasons in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ma ...
(NFL). He played college football for the
Tulane Green Wave The Tulane Green Wave are the athletic teams that represent Tulane University, located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tulane competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the American Athletic Conference (The American). There are 14 Green Wave intercol ...
and was drafted by the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...
in the second round of the
2008 NFL Draft The 2008 NFL Draft was the 73rd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 26 and April 27 ...
. Forte established himself as a dual-threat running back capable of earning yards as a rusher and receiver. He is one of only three players on the "1,000-yard rushing, 100-catch season" club. Forte spent eight seasons with the Bears before playing for the New York Jets for two seasons.


Early years

Forte grew up in
Slidell, Louisiana Slidell is a city on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 28,781 at the 2020 census. It is part of the New Orleans− Metairie− Kenner metropolitan statistical area. Hi ...
, and graduated from Slidell High School in 2004, where he was a letterman in football and track & field. As a junior, he rushed for 1,057 rushing yards with eight rushing touchdowns, and caught 30 passes for 365 yards and three receiving touchdowns. As a senior, he was named the St. Tammany Parish Player of the Year, District 5-5A Offensive MVP and received All-Metro selection accolades, as he gained 1,375 yards with 23 touchdowns and caught 18 passes for 253 yards and two receiving touchdowns. He totaled 2,432 rushing yards and 31 in his career while also catching 48 passes for 618 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. As a standout sprinter, Forte competed in track and had some of the better 100m and 200m times in the
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
100 meters The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contest ...
and 22.10 seconds in the
200 meters The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slightl ...
.


College career

Forte played NCAA Division I college football at
Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pu ...
in
New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Conference USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
. He played from 2004–2006 under head coach
Chris Scelfo Christopher Joseph Scelfo (born September 30, 1963) is an American football coach. He was most recently the offensive line coach for the DC Defenders of the XFL. He was the offensive line coach and run-game coordinator for the Arizona Hotshot ...
and in 2007 under
Bob Toledo Robert Anthony Toledo (born March 4, 1946) is an American former college football coach and player. Toledo served as the head coach at University of California, Riverside (1974–1975), the University of the Pacific (1979–1982), the Universit ...
.


2004 season

As a freshman, Forte split a bulk of the carries with junior Jovon Jackson. On October 23, against UAB, he scored his first collegiate touchdown on a six-yard rush in the 59–55 victory. His major breakout game came against
Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
on November 13. In the 45–31 victory, he totaled 34 carries for 216 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns to go along with three receptions for 67 receiving yards and receiving touchdown. He had 624 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns to go along with 20 receptions for 180 yards and two receiving touchdowns during Tulane's 5–6 season.


2005 season

As a sophomore, Forte continued to share the backfield with Jovon Jackson. However, Forte got a majority of the carries for the season. He crossed the 100-yard rushing mark once in 2005, against Southern Miss on November 26. Overall, he had 169 carries for 655 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns to go along with 23 receptions for 163 yards and one receiving touchdown during Tulane's tumultuous 2–9 season, which saw the Green Wave forced to play all of their games on the road and at neutral sites due to Hurricane Katrina.


2006 season

Forte started his junior season in the lead role in the backfield. He got a majority of the carries, sharing the bulk of the total rushing attack with Ray Boudreaux and Ade Tuyo after going down to injury in early November. In the Green Wave's second game of the season, he had 29 carries for 170 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in a victory over
Mississippi State Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university adjacent to Starkville, Mississippi. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univer ...
. Starting on October 7 against
Rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly '' Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and ''Porteresia'', both wild and domestica ...
, Forte totaled four consecutive games going over the 100-rushing yard mark. He scored six total touchdowns in the span, which had victories over
Rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly '' Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and ''Porteresia'', both wild and domestica ...
and
Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
but losses to UTEP and Auburn. His junior year was cut short when he suffered an injury in the game against Marshall on November 4. He finished his junior season with 859 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns to go along with 28 receptions for 360 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns during Tulane's 4–8 season.


2007 season

Forte's returned from his injury to have a standout season under new head coach Bob Toledo. He got a wide majority of the Green Wave offense's total carries in their 4–8 season. Forte set several Tulane school records, including rushing for 2,127 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns. He had five games with at least 200 rushing yards games, two games with at least 300 rushing yards games, and three games with at least four rushing touchdowns during the 2007 season. He finished second in the NCAA in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in 2007, trailing only
Kevin Smith Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic book writer, author, YouTuber, and podcaster. He came to prominence with the low-budget comedy buddy film '' Clerks'' (1994), which he wrote, directed, ...
of Central Florida. Forte was the only BCS non-AQ conference athlete to be a semifinalist for both the
Maxwell Maxwell may refer to: People * Maxwell (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name ** James Clerk Maxwell, mathematician and physicist * Justice Maxwell (disambiguation) * Maxwell baronets, in the Baronetage o ...
and
Doak Walker Award Since 1990 the Doak Walker Award honors the top running back in college football in the United States. It is named in honor of Doak Walker, a former running back who played for the SMU Mustangs from 1945 to 1949 and in the National Football Lea ...
s and to make the
Walter Camp Walter Chauncey Camp (April 7, 1859 – March 14, 1925) was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". Among a long list of inventions, he created the sport's line of scrimmage and the syste ...
Player of the Year List, and one of just three players nationally to be named to all three lists. Forte garnered the most attention at the 2008 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, and walked away with the Overall MVP award. He led with 59 yards rushing on eight carries; four receptions for 38 yards and a tackle on special teams.


Collegiate statistics


Awards and honors

*
Conference USA Conference USA (C-USA or CUSA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference whose current member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports. C-USA's offices are ...
All-Freshman (2004) * 2× All-Conference USA (2005, 2007) * Third-team AP
All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
n (2007) *
Doak Walker Award Since 1990 the Doak Walker Award honors the top running back in college football in the United States. It is named in honor of Doak Walker, a former running back who played for the SMU Mustangs from 1945 to 1949 and in the National Football Lea ...
semifinalist (2007) *
Maxwell Award The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the college football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best ...
semifinalist (2007) *
Senior Bowl The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football all-star game played annually in late January or early February in Mobile, Alabama, which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those players who have completed their college eligibility. ...
MVP (
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing ...
)


Professional career


Chicago Bears


2008 season

The
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...
drafted Forte in the second round of the
2008 NFL Draft The 2008 NFL Draft was the 73rd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 26 and April 27 ...
as the 44th overall selection, the sixth running back taken that year. He was originally drafted to compete with Cedric Benson for the team's starting running back position. However, Benson was released from the Bears after legal complications, and Forte out-competed
Adrian Peterson Adrian Lewis Peterson (born March 21, 1985) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in football history. He played college football at Oklahoma, where he set t ...
and second-year running back Garrett Wolfe and started all 16 games. In the regular season debut on September 7, 2008, against the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 20 ...
, he carried the ball 23 times for 123 yards (setting a franchise record for most debut rushing yards) and scored his first career touchdown on a 50-yard run en route to a 29–13 victory over the Colts. He had two more 100+ yard rushing games on the season, once against the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at For ...
and the other against the St. Louis Rams. In Week 13, against the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansio ...
, he became the first Bears rookie to rush for over 1,000 yards since Anthony Thomas in
2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanistan ...
. At the time, he finished with franchise rookie records of 316 carries for 1,238 rushing yards. His 1,715 yards from scrimmage was third in the NFL, and broke Hall of Famer
Gale Sayers Gale Eugene Sayers (May 30, 1943September 23, 2020) was an American professional football player who was both a halfback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). In a relatively brief but highly productive NFL career, Sa ...
's team record of 1,374 in 1965. Forte led all rookie running backs in total yards and receptions, those 61 receptions also breaking
Mike Ditka Michael Keller Ditka (born Michael Dyczko; October 18, 1939) is an American former football player, coach, and television commentator. A member of both the College (1986) and the Pro (1988) Football Halls of Fame, he was UPI NFL Rookie of Year ...
's 1961 franchise rookie record. He received one vote for the National Football League Rookie of the Year Award, finishing behind Ryan Clady, Chris Johnson, and Matt Ryan.


2009 season

Forte recorded 150 total rushing yards over the first three games of the season before his first big game in Week 4 against the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at For ...
, during which he rushed 12 times for 121 yards and scored his first touchdown. He averaged 50.6 yards per game over the next 11 games with three rushing touchdowns, before a 101-yard finale in the second divisional game against the Detroit Lions in Week 17. He finished the 2009 season with 258 carries for 929 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns to go along with 57 receptions for 471 receiving yards. Despite the decrease in production, Forte dominated the carries in the Bears' backfield for the 2009 season, recording over 200 more attempts than Kahlil Bell.


2010 season

In the regular season opener, Forte had a career-best 151 receiving yards including two receiving touchdowns, one for 89 yards and one for 28 yards, that put the Bears ahead late in the fourth quarter. In addition, he had 17 carries for 50 yards to give him his first game going over 200 scrimmage yards. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for that performance in the 19–14 victory. In Week 5 against the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
, Forte had touchdown runs of 18 and 68 yards, the latter a career long, on the way to 166 total rushing yards on the day in the 23–6 victory. Forte was named FedEx Ground Player of the Week for this week. In Week 11 at the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pl ...
, the season's first ''
Thursday Night Football ''Thursday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''TNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that broadcast primarily on Thursday nights. Most of the games kick off at 8:15 Eastern Time (8:20 prior to 20 ...
'' game, Forte rushed for 97 yards on 25 carries and scored the game's only touchdown on a two-yard run in the fourth quarter as the Bears
shutout In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...
the Dolphins, 16–0. Over the last seven games of the season, Forte had at least 90 rushing yards in five of them. His 1,616 yards from scrimmage ranked tenth in the NFL. The Chicago Bears finished with an 11–5 record and made the playoffs. In the Divisional Round, Forte recorded 80 yards rushing and 54 yards receiving in a victory over the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 a ...
. In the next round, he became the only player in Bears post-season history with at least ten receptions in the 21–14 loss to the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the th ...
in the NFC Championship.


2011 season

Forte began the season primarily in a receiving role. He recorded 68, 49, and two rushing yards in his first three games; but had 90, 117, and 80 receiving yards, respectively. This changed in Week 4, when Forte rushed for a career-high 205 yards and one rushing touchdown against the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
, starting a stretch of four 100+ yard rushing performances over the next five games. Through nine games, Forte lead the Bears in rush attempts, rush yards, receptions, and receiving yards; and through Week 8 led the league in yards from scrimmage. In a game against the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
, Forte joined
Herschel Walker Herschel Junior Walker (born March 3, 1962) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He was also the Republican nominee in the 2022 United States Senate election in Georgia. ...
as the only players with 700 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards in their first four seasons, and became the only player with 900 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards. After three less productive games, Forte sprained his
MCL The litre (international spelling) or liter (American English spelling) (SI symbols L and l, other symbol used: ℓ) is a metric unit of volume. It is equal to 1 cubic decimetre (dm3), 1000 cubic centimetres (cm3) or 0.001 cubic metre (m ...
in a loss to the Chiefs, ending his season with 997 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 490 receiving yards, and one receiving touchdown. However, he was placed on the NFC team for the
2012 Pro Bowl The 2012 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2011 season. It took place at 2:00 pm local time on Sunday, January 29, 2012, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The AFC defeated the NFC, 59–41. The 59 point ...
for the first time in his career, making him the first Bears running back to be named to the Pro Bowl since Neal Anderson in 1991. He was ranked 33rd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.


2012 season

On March 2, 2012, Forte was given the franchise tag by the Bears, worth $7.74 million. However, Forte expressed his frustration and refused to sign the tender, which eventually led to the Bears signing Michael Bush. Forte then held out for a long-term contract, skipping the organized team activity (OTA) workouts, before finally agreeing to a four-year, $32 million deal. In Week 2 against the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the th ...
, Forte sustained an ankle injury when he was tackled by Packers cornerback
Charles Woodson Charles Cameron Woodson (born October 7, 1976) is a former American football defensive back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers. He played college football at Mic ...
, originally reported as a dangerous "high ankle sprain" but later down-graded and he only missed one game. On the season, he had three 100+ yard rushing performances, and one game with 50+ yards receiving. Forte ended the 2012 season with 248 carries for 1,094 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns to go along with a career-low 44 receptions for 340 yards,and dropped out from the top 10 in yards from scrimmage.


2013 season

In Week 3 against the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Stee ...
, Forte had a 55-yard run, and the following week against the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at For ...
, had a 53-yard run, making him the first Bears running back to record runs of 50+ yards in back-to-back games since Raymont Harris in
1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...
. Two weeks later, against the
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
, Forte passed Rick Casares for third in the all-time leading rusher list with 5,702 career yards, behind
Walter Payton Walter Jerry Payton (July 25, 1953Although most sources at the time of his death gave Payton's birth year as 1954, reliable sources subsequently state he was born in 1953. – November 1, 1999) was an American football running back who played ...
and Neal Anderson. In Week 7 against the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) ...
, Forte scored three rushing touchdowns in the 45–41 loss. Against the Detroit Lions in Week 10, Forte recorded 49 yards from scrimmage to bring his season total to 1,023, and became the first player in Bears history and 18th NFL player to record 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his first six seasons. On November 24, 2013, Forte passed Neal Anderson for the second most career rushing yards in Bears franchise history. On December 27, Forte was named to the 2014 Pro Bowl. In the Week 17 loss to Green Bay, Forte recorded his 20th 100-yard rushing game, tying
Gale Sayers Gale Eugene Sayers (May 30, 1943September 23, 2020) was an American professional football player who was both a halfback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). In a relatively brief but highly productive NFL career, Sa ...
for the second-most in Bears history. He also had three touchdowns, becoming the third Bear with two three-touchdown games in a season. Forte ended the 2013 season with a career-high nine rushing touchdowns along with 1,933 total yards from scrimmage, fifth-most in team history and the second-most behind Payton. Forte also had 1,339 rushing yards during the season, the ninth-most in franchise history. Forte's 1,339 rushing yards ranked second in the NFL in 2013, while his all-purpose yards from 1,933 yards ranked fourth. Following the regular season's conclusion, Forte was one of three finalists for the FedEx Ground Player of the Year Award, but finished runner-up to LeSean McCoy and Jamaal Charles. He was ranked 91st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014.


2014 season

In 2014, Forte solidified his reputation as one of the best receiving backs in NFL history, with five or more receptions in 14 of 16 games. This included twelve receptions for 105 yards in the fifth game, followed by ten receptions for 77 in the sixth game, becoming just the fourth Bear (since joined by Alshon Jeffery in 2015), and the second running back in NFL history with back-to-back 10+ reception games. He ended the season with 102 receptions, breaking
Larry Centers Larry Eugene Centers (born June 1, 1968) is a former American football fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, mostly for his first-team, the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals (1990–1998). Centers then played for the Washington ...
'
1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The Great Hanshin earthquake strike ...
record for running backs, which was later eclipsed by
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
running back,
Christian McCaffrey Christian Jackson McCaffrey (born June 7, 1996) is an American football running back for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers eighth overa ...
in
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
. Forte also had three 100+ yard rushing games, and nine games with 100+ yards from scrimmage. He passed 1,000 yards rushing for the third consecutive season (joining Neal Anderson and
Walter Payton Walter Jerry Payton (July 25, 1953Although most sources at the time of his death gave Payton's birth year as 1954, reliable sources subsequently state he was born in 1953. – November 1, 1999) was an American football running back who played ...
as the only Bears to do so), and for the fifth time in his career (second only to Payton). He was ranked 48th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2015 The NFL Top 100 Players of 2015 was the fifth season in the series. It ended with reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year J. J. Watt being ranked #1, thus marking the first year in the history of the countdown that the reigning NFL MVP was not ...
.


2015 season

In Week 1, Forte started with a season-best 141 rushing yards on 24 carries and a touchdown against Green Bay, his best since the 2011 season. His production was sub-par even before a knee injury at the hands of
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...
's
Harrison Smith Harrison Smith (born February 2, 1989) is an American football safety (gridiron football position), safety for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame Fighting Irish football, Notre D ...
sidelined him for three games. In 13 games in the 2015 season, Forte rushed for 898 yards and four touchdowns, and caught 44 passes for 389 yards and three touchdowns, a then-career-low 1,287 yards from scrimmage. He was ranked 90th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2016 The NFL Top 100 Players of 2016 was the sixth season in the series. It aired on May 4, 2016. It ended with reigning NFL MVP Cam Newton being ranked #1. The Kansas City Chiefs had the most players selected with nine, while the Chicago Bears Th ...
. On February 12, 2016, Forte announced that the Bears were not going to attempt to re-sign him in free agency. Ryan Pace, the Bears' general manager, later confirmed the Bears were not going to re-sign Forte. He praised Forte's contributions to the Bears by stating, "Matt is one of the all-time great Bears and did an excellent job for us on and off the field last season."


New York Jets


2016 season

On March 9, 2016, Forte signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the New York Jets. In his Jets debut, during their season-opening loss against the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The club's home ...
, Forte had 22 carries for 96 rushing yards and five catches for 59 receiving yards in the 23–22 loss. The following week, he finished a 37–31 victory over the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division ...
with 30 carries for 100 yards and tied a career-high with three rushing touchdowns. On October 23, 2016, Forte carried the ball 30 times for 100 yards and a rushing touchdown while also making four receptions for 54 receiving yards and caught his first touchdown reception of the season in a win over the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays it ...
. He was placed on injured reserve on December 30, 2016, with a knee injury. The 5–11 Jets frequently fell behind early in games, and Forte split rushing duties with
Bilal Powell Bilal Matan Powell (born October 27, 1988) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Louisville. Drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, Powell played his entire professional career ...
. He finished his first season as a Jet with a career-low 813 rushing yards with seven touchdowns to go along with 30 receptions for 263 yards and one touchdown.


2017 season

Forte had a career-low 152 yards from scrimmage in his first three games before a toe injury sidelined him for two weeks, allowing
Bilal Powell Bilal Matan Powell (born October 27, 1988) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Louisville. Drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, Powell played his entire professional career ...
to emerge as a legitimate replacement. He did not have a game with 10 rushing attempts until Week 9, when he scored his first two touchdowns of the season in a 34–21 victory over the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division ...
on ''Thursday Night Football''. He was placed on injured reserve on December 30, 2017, after battling a knee injury for most of the season. On Christmas Eve, against the
Los Angeles Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division, and ...
, he had 19 rushing yards and seven receiving yards in what would be his final professional game. Overall, he finished the 2017 season with 381 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, 37 receptions, 293 receiving yards, and one receiving touchdown.


Retirement

On February 28, 2018, Forte announced his retirement from the NFL after 10 seasons. The
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...
honored both Forte and former teammate
Devin Hester Devin Devorris Hester Sr. (born November 4, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He is widely regarded as the greatest return specialist ...
on April 23 during a press conference at Halas Hall. The two players signed ceremonial one-day contracts to retire as members of the Bears. Bears chairman
George McCaskey George Halas McCaskey is the current chairman of the National Football League's Chicago Bears. He replaced his brother Michael McCaskey as chairman in 2011. Biography McCaskey, the eighth-oldest child of Bears owner Virginia Halas McCaskey and ...
praised Forte's legacy with the Bears, lauding the former running back as "a superior athlete and frequently the best player on the field — among the best in a long line of great Bears running backs." Forte later joined NBC Sports Chicago's ''Football Aftershow'' as an analyst alongside
Laurence Holmes Laurence is an English and French given name (usually female in French and usually male in English). The English masculine name is a variant of Lawrence and it originates from a French form of the Latin ''Laurentius'', a name meaning "man from ...
and former teammates Alex Brown, Lance Briggs, and Olin Kreutz. Forte was ranked 34th by the Chicago Bears on their list of the Top 100 greatest Bears of all-time.


NFL career statistics


Career awards and highlights

* 2×
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
( 2011,
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment ...
) *
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing ...
NFL All-Rookie Team * NFC Offensive Player of the Week (Week 1, 2010) *
Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week is an award given to the best performing rookie players in the National Football League (NFL). It was first awarded in 2002 and is sponsored by Pepsi. Winners are chosen among five finalists every week during the season ...
(Week 12, 2008)


Bears Franchise Records

* Most rush attempts, rookie season (316) * Most receptions, rookie season (63) * Most yards from scrimmage, rookie season (1,715) * Most receptions, postseason game (10, January 23, 2011, in the NFC Championship against the Green Bay Packers) (tied with Allen Robinson) * Games with at least three touchdowns in a season (2 in 2013, tied with
Gale Sayers Gale Eugene Sayers (May 30, 1943September 23, 2020) was an American professional football player who was both a halfback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). In a relatively brief but highly productive NFL career, Sa ...
,
Walter Payton Walter Jerry Payton (July 25, 1953Although most sources at the time of his death gave Payton's birth year as 1954, reliable sources subsequently state he was born in 1953. – November 1, 1999) was an American football running back who played ...
, and Neal Anderson)


Personal life

Forte married Danielle Daniels in August 2011. The couple has two children, Nala (born in 2013) and Matthew (born in 2015). Forte and his family resided in Mettawa, Illinois during his tenure with the Bears. Forte is a
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...
and attends weekly team
Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts o ...
studies and chapels. Forte has spoken about his faith saying, "When people look at me, I don't want them to just see football. I want my faith to speak for me and that it's about more than that. It's about reaching out to others and telling them about your faith." Forte earned a degree in Finance from
Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pu ...
in May 2009. Forte took part in the 2008 Rookie Madden Bowl.


References


External links

*
Tulane Green Wave bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forte, Matt 1985 births Living people African-American players of American football American football running backs Chicago Bears players New York Jets players National Conference Pro Bowl players Sportspeople from Lake Charles, Louisiana Players of American football from Louisiana Tulane Green Wave football players Unconferenced Pro Bowl players People from Slidell, Louisiana People from Lake County, Illinois 21st-century African-American sportspeople 20th-century African-American people