Patriots alum Matt Chatham has been retired for 15 years and his primary interest at this point lies in his custom food line.
Chatham began manufacturing a line of “Rub Smoke Love” seasonings about a year ago. He began with a Beef Cake rub and a Gold Bark rub geared toward chicken and pork. He more recently has expanded his menu to include bags of glazed pecans and cashews.
The Iowa native’s product line especially is gaining traction in the Boston area where he played six seasons (2000-05) for the Patriots, earned three Super Bowl rings, and currently resides with his wife Erin and two kids. His products now are in more than 150 retail stores and always available through his website rubsmokelove.com. His BBQ holiday gift boxes that include all his products also can be found on his website.
Chatham, 46, traces his love of food to his Sioux City (IA) roots.
“My dad was a former minister and church-related potluck dinners or backyard barbeques were pretty common,” Chatham recalls. “Cooking and smoking meats must have been a family trait. Sioux City is where everything started for me. Whether it was love of football or love of food, it all goes back to my hometown.”
Chatham played his high school ball in Sioux City and then attended the University of South Dakota. He went undrafted in 1999 but signed as a rookie free agent with the Rams. He was cut prior to the regular season and later signed with the Patriots. He finished his career by playing two seasons (2006-07) with the Jets in the same AFC East division.
He earned an MBA from Babson College (MA) after his playing days and also spent some time in the broadcasting field.
“I liked broadcasting, but it was taking me away from home,” Chatham explains. ”I wanted to spend more time with Erin and the kids. I am just a home cook who has trialed and erred his way through plenty of meals. If I had my way, I’d smoke meats three meals a day, 365 days a year. From the days of charcoal kettles to today’s year-round pellet and smoking and grilling, I’ve always treasured the time spent making meals for the people who I love.”
We at NFL Alumni applaud Matt Chatham for his entrepreneurship but we also know that, whether you grew up in Sioux City or Oklahoma City, a love of food is something that is not foreign to any of us.
