FRISCO, Texas — For the last five seasons, Matt Goncalves has come to love and appreciate the city of Pittsburgh. If he has his way at the end of the NFL draft process, he’ll remain in the Steel City.
A three-year starter for the Pittsburgh Panthers at left and right tackle — 11 starts at left tackle, 13 at right tackle — Goncalves saw his 2023 season cut short after just three games due to a torn plantar plate in his left toe. Sitting on the sidelines watching his teammates practice and compete without him crushed Goncalves, but now that he’s so close to achieving his dream of playing in the NFL, he feels like he owes the city of Pittsburgh.
He hopes he can repay the city that has given him so much in his young life, this time as a member of the Steelers.
Goncalves, during an interview at the East-West Shrine Bowl in the Dallas area with Steelers Depot, stated that he had a meeting with the Steelers, becoming the third lineman to meet with the team so far. In that meeting, Goncalves expressed just how much the city means to him — and how much it would mean to be able to wear the Black and Gold as a pro.
“I really described to them what the city of Pittsburgh means to me and what it would mean for me to play with the Steelers,” Goncalves said. “It would mean the world. I would do anything to go back and redeem myself to win for the city of Pittsburgh. You have no idea.”
Goncalves feels that he let down the city due to his injury. That couldn’t be further from the truth, especially after playing a key role with the Panthers, helping lead them to the 2021 ACC Championship. That moment was special to him, but the last two seasons as a member of the Panthers has left him wanting more and feeling like he let down the city.
As he goes through the pre-draft process and continues to recover from the torn plantar plate — he won’t participate in Shrine Bowl practices — he hopes he gets an opportunity to redeem himself for a city he’s grown to love and admire.
In fact, Pittsburgh was the only Power 5 offer that Goncalves received. Turns out, that offer changed the Long Island native’s life.
“This city means absolutely everything,” he said. “Just like we talked about with me being injured, how much that hurt me not being able to play and being captain and leading this team to an ACC championship, well it means the absolute world to me that the city of Pittsburgh gave me a shot.
“My only Power 5 offer was the University of Pittsburgh, so for them to take a shot on me and how much that means to me and how much I want to give back and how much passion and pride and love I have for the Steel City cannot be matched,” Goncalves said. “I really can’t describe it. And even though I’m a kid from New York and I didn’t know what Pittsburgh was all about. I do now. I’m a Yinzer at heart.”
Five years in the Steel City can do that to a man.
So, too, can being in a place where success was prominent, especially early in his career while in a veteran-laden offensive line room at Pitt.
Goncalves played with the likes of current New York Jets offensive tackle Carter Warren as well as Houston’s Jimmy Morrissey, protecting current Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett. He started at right tackle in the ACC Championship Game, and then started all 13 games in 2022 for the Panthers, swapping between left and right tackle.
As he prepares to enter the NFL ranks, Goncalves sees himself playing on the right side due to the success he’s had there. But like any offensive lineman, he’s willing to play anywhere. It helps that he got the opportunity to share the same facility with the Steelers, getting an up close and personal look at how NFL linemen prepare and work, which he called a blessing.
He hopes to be one of those guys in the Black and Gold at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in the future.
“Seeing their day to day, how they deal as a professionals, it’s really cool. …I was blessed to be able to see them practice every day and just to be able to see that process right across from that facility was incredible,” Goncalves said. “That’s something that I’ll never take for granted. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.
“Like I said, if I were to dress up in black and yellow and play for that city, you have no idea how much passion and pride I’d give to this city.”
