By: Mick Moninghoff
Pirates Broadcaster
February 5, 2024

LOWELL, MA - The Massachusetts Pirates have signed former NFL defensive back Matt Elam for the 2024 season. Elam, who was a first round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens, brings a wealth of experience to the Pirates.

The former FIrst-Team All-American at the University of Florida was the 32nd pick overall in the 2013 National Football League Draft. From 2013-2016 he appeared in 41 games making 26 starts for the Ravens. He had 131 tackles, .5 sacks, seven passes defended, one interception and a forced fumble in his NFL career. 

Elam went to the Ravens after attaining All-American status at the University of Florida. The 5'10", 200 lb. DB from Palm Beach Gardens, FL made an immediate impact in Gainesville after arriving in 2010, playing in all 13 games as a true freshman for the Gators. As a sophomore in 2011 he started all 13 games. Elam notched interceptions against Kentucky and Tennessee. In Florida's Gator Bowl victory over Ohio State he recorded six tackles including two for a loss and a sack. He finished the year as the Gators leader with 11 tackles for a loss, had seven pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

In 2021 Elam led the team with four interceptions, In his final collegiate game he had a season high 11 tackles against Louisville in the Sugar Bowl. At the end of his Junior year he was selected as a First-Team All-American by the Associated Press, SI.com,, The Sporting News and CBS Sports.com. An All-Southeast Conference selection, Elam declared for the NFL Draft, finishing his Gator career with 176 tackles, 23.5 tackles for a loss with 13 pass breakups, six interceptions, three forced fumbles while recovering another.

After playing for the Ravens, Elam continued his professional career in 2018 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. That season he started nine games making 31 tackles  with three sacks and an interception

In 2020 Elam moved south playing for the DC Defenders of the XFL. There he started in three of the four games he played making 15 tackles with one interception. In 2021 he played his first season of indoor football with the Tucson Sugar Skulls in the Indoor Football League, seeing the field in 13 games with 55 tackles, 3.5 sacks, nine passes broken up , two forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries. 

In 2022 Elam went back to the CFL with the Edmonton Elks. There he started in three games making ten tackles. He returned to the XFL in 2023 with the Orlando Guardians starting ten games and registering 29 tackles with one interception.

In December of 2023 he signed with the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League before joining the Pirates. 

About the Massachusetts Pirates                                                                                     
The 2021 United Bowl Champions; Massachusetts Pirates are members of the Indoor Football League (IFL) and play their home games at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. For more information on the Massachusetts Pirates please call (508)452-MASS (6277), email contact@masspiratesfootball.com or visit http://www.masspiratesfootball.com. Follow the Pirates on Facebook via Facebook.com/MAPirates, Instagram @mass.pirates, and Twitter @mass_pirates.