Matt Bernstein

Matt Bernstein (born December 26, 1982) is a former American football standout at University of Wisconsin–Madison, who is currently a free agent of the Arena Football League after a stint in the National Football League with the Detroit Lions.
He was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. He has two brothers, Alex and Ben.

• Two-time Class C Player of the Year selection at Edgemont Junior – Senior High School in New York.
• Played fullback, linebacker and tight end.
• Rushed for 1,885 yards and 25 scores as a junior.
• Added 37 touchdowns and 2,002 yards on the ground and made 108 tackles with seven forced fumbles as a senior, earning the prep version of the Heisman Trophy for that performance.
• Finished his career ranked third all-time in New York prep annals in scoring with 504 points.
• Con Edison Scholar-Athlete

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As a junior, Bernstein, who is Jewish, fasted in observance of the religious holiday Yom Kippur prior to a game against Penn State. Bernstein recovered from the fast with a "pregame IV bag, and during the game, moved on to turkey slices, fruit and the Penn State defense", according to ESPN.

• Produced 53 touchdown-resulting blocks for a ground game that totaled 71 rushing touchdowns during his first three seasons at Wisconsin.
• Averaged 10 knockdown blocks per game and made 11 touchdown resulting blocks as a pass protector.
• Preseason All-American and All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report as a senior.
• Inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
• Started every game as a junior and finished third on the team with a career-high 300 rushing yards and a touchdown.
• Played in every game in 2003 as a sophomore and emerged as the starting fullback.
• Elroy Hirsch Football Scholarship.
• Academic All-Big Ten Conference selection as a redshirt freshman.
• Signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent.

• Mietkiewicz, Mark. "To play or pray: Yom Kippur and Jewish pro athletes". St. Louis Jewish Light. Retrieved September 14, 2013. 
• Maisel, Ivan. "Bernstein feasted on Penn State after fasting". ESPN. Retrieved 3 April 2014. 
• ^ "44 Matt Bernstein". DetroitLions.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2007. Retrieved September 1, 2007. 
• "Matt Bernstein Draft Profile". FoxSports.com. Retrieved September 1, 2007. 
• Profile of Bernstein on National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame web site.
• Badger Chalk Talk, Fall 2002, Volume 02, Issue 3.