Falcons' Bryant ready to take over kicking chores

By D. Orlando Ledbetter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

FLOWERY BRANCH -- Fresh off kicking in the inaugural United Football League championship game in Las Vegas the day after Thanksgiving, Matt Bryant was hopeful to get a call from the "other" league.

The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker was called in for a workout with the Falcons last Sunday and won a competition with Paul Edinger. He will try to replace local product and NFL legend Jason Elam, whose kicking motion got off track this season.

In a conversation with the local media, Bryant discusses making the improbable NFL-UFL-return-to-NFL trip and how his family is coping a year after the death of his three-month-old son, Matthew Tryson Bryant.

Q: Any difference from kicking in the Dome, instead of outside?

A: There is no wind. Regardless, you have to put it through the uprights. That's the only thing you have to be concerned with.

Q: How long does it take to get comfortable with your holder and snapper?

A: We were working together in the tryout. I don't think it could have gotten any better. With that in mind, I feel very confident. I've been in situations where you can count on a guy. We are now a unit. I've been in other scenarios where it's been shaky and you haven't been sure. It takes you awhile to get that fluidness going. It went well [in the Tuesday tryout]. Hopefully it can only get better.

Q: Did you watch around the league to see who needed kickers, while hoping to get that phone call?

A: You watch, but it doesn't do you any good. It doesn't matter. Like for me this year, I didn't kick in the preseason, so I went ahead and did the UFL deal just because I wanted to able to work with a snapper and holder. ... You watch a little bit, but you still have to be prepared no matter what it is.

Q: Can you comment on how tough it is to replace a legendary kicker like Jason Elam?

A: I know Jason. He's obviously been one of the better kickers in the history of the NFL. He's a great guy, which is probably foremost. ... It's unfortunate to see any kicker go through those kind of struggles. As far as what happened, I don't know. Each person has their own thing.

Q: What does it take for you to be embraced by the locker room?

A: You've got to make your kicks. The field-goal kicker can go from the penthouse to the outhouse and on the next kick be back in the penthouse again. The goal is to stay in the penthouse. Then everybody can come visit you.

Q: What was the UFL like?

A: It was good. It was a good experience. We had fun. It's full of different scenarios as to why guys were there. There were some guys who got into bad situations. Some maybe got hurt. Some maybe got into trouble. There were all kinds of stories. Overall, it was fun. It was good football in general to watch because you had a lot of NFL-caliber guys and NFL-caliber coaches.

Q: Being an accomplished kicker in the NFL, how tough was it to be out of it for a while?

A: It was tough. I probably never should have been out of the league, but that's just how it goes some times. You have to try to stay focused and wait for that next shot and make the best of it.

Q: Was it tough when you see kickers and you think I should be one of those 32 guys out there?

A: Well yeah. I think my record speaks for myself. I've had some success at this. It's a dream. This job is a dream. To see other people living that dream when you should still be living the dream, it is kind of tough.

Q: How has your family survived and coped with the death of your son Matthew?

A: I was talking about this earlier with Michael [Koenen]. There is never a good day versus a bad day. Some days are just more tolerable than others, but you've got to stay strong and lean on each other when you need to. Then you just go onto the next day.