Former Indianapolis Colts star and Super Bowl champion Matt Ulrich has died at the age of 41, Colts owner Jim Irsay announced Wednesday.
“I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of Matt Ulrich. Matt was with us only two seasons, but left his mark on many,” Irsay tweeted. “Great guy, I hear he was a great dad — and he was a Super Bowl champ. My prayers to his family.”
A cause of death has not been disclosed.
Ulrich, who originally hailed from Illinois, was captain for Northwestern University’s football team in 2004 and signed with the Colts the following year as an undrafted free agent. The offensive guard spent two years with the Colts, and he was part of the 2006 team, which included quarterback Peyton Manning, that beat the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl XLI.
Ulrich was married and leaves behind four sons.
His wife, Alison, wrote a tribute on Facebook, saying: “Our beloved, One of a kind Matt has passed away and is in a better place,” The Indianapolis Star reported.
“Matt, we love you so so much. You are profoundly missed. We all want you back for just one more day. One more hug. One more kiss. One more laugh. One more joke. One more wrestle with the boys. It seems impossible to do this life without you.”
“Please pray for peace and comfort for the boys. They have lost their greatest fan, coach and friend,” she continued.
Ulrich was last living in Bozeman, Montana, where he worked at Profitable Ideas Exchange as chief growth officer and partner.
His company bio said he obtained executive education certification from Stanford and Harvard Business School and was involved in a Harvard Football Players Health Study.
Ulrich also said on the company bio that his four kids and coaching were the joys of his life.
“Keeping up with my four pre-teen sons is the highlight of my life and keeps me on my toes. I also invest my time in helping young athletes in our area reach their full potential through coaching and training — this is one of my true passions,” Ulrich said.
“I can also often be found at the gym, where I recently bench-pressed 505 pounds at the age of 40 — the goal-setting doesn’t stop!” he continued.
He also touched on his successful football career, which instilled in him “the importance of teamwork, grit, and leadership.”
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
