- The death of Matt Ulrich was announced Wednesday by Colts owner Jim Irsay
- His wife – and mother of his four sons – posted a tribute on Facebook
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Matt Ulrich’s widow Alison has posted a heartbreaking tribute to her late husband – a former Super Bowl winner with the Indianapolis Colts – following his shocking death at the age of 41.
Ulrich’s cause of death has not been released, but he is survived by his wife Alison and their four young sons.
In a social media post shared by a family friend and reported by IndyStarAlison wrote: ‘As many of you know, the one-of-a-kind Matt has passed away and is in a better place.
“Matt, we love you so much. You are greatly missed. We all want you back one day. Another hug. Another kiss. Another laugh. Another joke. Another struggle with the boys. It seems impossible to do this life without you.
“Please pray for peace and comfort for the boys. They have lost their biggest fan, coach and friend.
Matt Ulrich’s widow Alison has posted a heartbreaking tribute to her late husband
Ulrich, a Super Bowl winner with the Indianapolis Colts, died this week at the age of 41
Ulrich won the Super Bowl with the Colts – here he is pictured holding the trophy in 2007
“I don’t have any details on a service yet, but I’ll post it here when I do. Thank you everyone for reaching out and offering help. We appreciate it and are surrounded by love.”
Her post was shared by a family friend, who urged people to support Alison through a fundraising campaign that has been set up.
As of this writing, it has raised nearly $40,000, with the CEO of the company Ulrich worked for at the time of his death donating $20,000.
Ulrich’s death was first announced by Jim Irsay, the owner of the Colts team for which Ulrich played in the NFL.
Irsay wrote on X, “I am heartbroken to hear of Matt Ulrich’s passing.
‘Matt was only with us for two seasons, but he left his mark on many. Great guy, I heard he was a great dad – and he was a Super Bowl champion. My prayers for his family.”
Colts defeated the Chicago Bears 29-17 in the finals, allowing Ulrich to get his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Ulrich played as an offensive guard for the Colts and built a career in the fitness industry after retiring from the sport. He played in just 10 games in his NFL career, but during that time he won the ultimate prize.
Ulrich said in an interview with Montana Sports about his transition from football, “I would love to tell you that I could have played another ten years… the NFL stands for ‘Not For Long.’
“I tell the athletes I work with that they have something beyond football.”
He said participating in the Colts’ run to the Super Bowl was his proudest moment outside of his family commitments, telling Montana Sports in 2019, “One of the best days outside of the birth of four of my four children and my wedding.”
One of the best days of my life was knowing we had gotten a ticket to the Super Bowl.”