Matt Grootegoed Matthew Arthur Grootegoed ( born May 6 , 1982 ) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League ( NFL ) and Canadian Football League ( CFL ) . He played college football for the University of Southern California , and was recognized as an All - American . He was signed by the NFL ' s Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2005 , and also played for the CFL ' s Calgary Stampeders in 2009 . Early years . Grootegoed was born in Huntington Beach , California . He attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana , California , with Matt Leinart . The Mater Dei Monarch Lions high school football team won three California Interscholastic Federation ( CIF ) championships while he was a member . As a junior in 1998 , he rushed for more than 1 , 600 yards with twenty - one touchdowns on offense , and made 130 tackles , six forced fumbles and three interceptions on defense . In the CIF Division I championship game , which Mater Dei won , he earned Offensive and Defensive Player of the Game honors ( he ran for 244 yards , with a 7 . 4 average , and two touchdownss ) . Following the season , he was selected as a Student Sports Junior All - American , Cal - Hi All - State first team , All - CIF Southern Section first team , All - CIF Division I Defensive Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) , " Los Angeles Times " All - Orange County Back of the Year and " Orange County Register " All - Orange County Defensive MVP . During his 1999 senior season , he made 138 tackles , six interceptions ( including two touchdown returns ) , seven tackles for losses and two forced fumbles as a free safety , and ran for 945 yards on 116 carries with fourteen touchdowns as a running back . He also played quarterback early in the season , completing 21 of 41 passes for 300 - plus yards . Afterward , he was selected for the " USA Today " All - USA first team , " Parade " All - American , Super Prep All - American , Prep Star All - American , ESPN All - American , Cal - Hi Sports All - State first team , All - CIF Southern Section first team , and received the All - CIF Division I Defensive MVP Award , " Los Angeles Times " Glenn Davis Award , Los Angeles Times All - Orange County first team , Orange County Register All - Orange County Defensive MVP and All - Serra League MVP . College career . Grootegoed received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Southern California , where he was a four - year starter for coach Pete Carroll ' s USC Trojans football team from 2000 to 2004 . After redshirting as a true freshman in 2000 , he earned a spot in the Trojans ' starting line - up . Carroll said of him " Things just happen when he ' s on the field . He knocks the ball down , knocks the ball loose , forces plays in the backfield and makes plays getting off blocks . You can ' t hold him down . " While Grootegoed played for the Trojans , the team won three straight Pacific - 10 Conference championships ( 2002 , 2003 , 2004 ) and two consecutive national championships ( 2003 , 2004 ) . He was a second - team All - Pac - 10 selection in 2003 . Following his senior season in 2004 , he was a finalist for the Butkus Award , and was recognized as a first - team All - Pac - 10 selection and a consensus first - team All - American . Professional career . National Football League . On April 26 , 2005 , Grootegoed was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the 2005 NFL Draft , eventually released to their practice squad , and was later picked up by the Detroit Lions . Grootegoed played for the Lions in the final three games of their season . Canadian Football League . Grootegoed played for the CFL ' s Calgary Stampeders from to , and was a member of the Stampeders ' 2008 Grey Cup championship team . The Stampeders released Grootegoed on September 9 , 2009 .