A former Temple standout and Rimington Trophy finalist, Matt Hennessy has carved out a seven-year NFL career as a reliable interior offensive lineman.
Matt Hennessy arrived in the league as a highly regarded center prospect out of Temple, taken in the third round by Atlanta in 2020. Since then he has bounced between Atlanta, Philadelphia and San Francisco before landing with Dallas, and is now working back from neck surgery that ended his 2026 season early.
Path to the league
Hennessy was a three-year starter at center for Temple, capping his college career in 2019 with third-team All-American honors, first-team All-American Athletic Conference recognition, and a finalist nod for the Rimington Trophy as the nation's top center. The Atlanta Falcons selected him in the third round (78th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft, the first Temple player Atlanta had ever drafted.
Career highlights
Hennessy spent his first four NFL seasons with the Falcons before a brief run with the Philadelphia Eagles and a return to Atlanta in 2024. He then joined the San Francisco 49ers, appearing in 64 career games with 24 starts across his time in the league as a versatile piece along the interior offensive line.
2025 season recap
Hennessy played the 2025 season with the 49ers before moving on to Dallas. His most recent action came in 2026, when he was placed on season-ending injured reserve in June following neck surgery.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Matt Hennessy
- ESPN: Matt Hennessy
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Center
- Group
- injuredReserveOrOut
- College
- Temple
- Hometown
- Bardonia, NY, USA
- Age
- 28
- Status
- day-to-day
Team
