All in the family: Sewall following in brother's footsteps

BryantBulldogs.com exclusive

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Excelling at football and playing close to home are a couple of things that Bryant University football senior Matt Sewall (Portsmouth, R.I.) learned from his older brother Bobby. Now, Sewall is trying to follow in his brother's footsteps.

"Football has been a part of my life since I was four, when I followed my brother to football camp in Portsmouth," Sewall said. "Ever since then, it has been my main focus and something I've dreamed about making into a profession."

For 10 Saturdays every fall from 2006-09, Cindy and Bob Sewall got everything together as their children, Caitlin, Megan and Matt, hopped into the car. Off to Providence, or on the road, they went to watch their oldest son Bobby play for Brown University.

A four-year letter winner and a 2010 grad, Sewall caught 210 passes for 2,141 and 16 touchdowns, while rushing for 581 yards and 18 touchdowns in his career. He helped Brown win an Ivy League title in 2008 and went on to sign as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans after the 2010 draft. 

All the while, Matt was watching, admiring and learning.

Growing up as his brother starred at Portsmouth High and then at Brown, gave the youngest Sewall the fuel to work harder and harder to be like his role model. From hearing "Bobby Sewall scores" over and over on Friday nights at Portsmouth games, to watching his brother post 140+ receiving yards and 140+ rushing yards in the same game at Brown, Matt has always looked up to his older brother.

"He's probably had the biggest influence on me in terms of football because he's the one that put the football in my crib," Sewall said. "Hearing the Titans call and sign him made me even hungrier to follow in his footsteps. The advice he gives me is invaluable because he has gone through all of things that I am currently going through."

Now Matt, the Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Portsmouth High in 2013, is coming off the best season of his Bulldog career and was just recently named to the Preseason All-Northeast Conference team. And as one of 13 players on this year's Bryant roster from the Ocean State, he relishes the chance to play Division I football so close to home.

"It means everything to me to be able to represent my family and my state at Bryant University," Sewall said. "Rhode Island doesn't get enough credit for the athletes that we produce, and being able to play Division I football here shows the young athletes of this state that it is possible to get noticed. And being close enough so my friends and family can come to all the games was something I made a point of in my recruiting process after seeing how it great it was to watch every game my brother played at Brown."

A self-described Swiss Army knife, Sewall can beat you several different ways. As a wide receiver, he caught 39 passes for 522 yards and seven touchdowns. As a kick returner, he finished the 2016 season third nationally with an average of 28.9 yards per return on his way to All-NEC Second Team honors. Sewall accumulated 1,104 all-purpose yards last fall, becoming just the eighth player in program history to record 1,000+ all-purpose yards in a single season.

Sewall also became the first wide receiver in school history to lead the team in receiving and rushing in the same game (Maine) and finished his junior year with eight catches for a career-high 136 yards and two touchdowns against league rival Sacred Heart.

The win over the Pioneers helped the Black and Gold to a 4-2 league finish, a game out of first place. It marked another near miss in the search for the Bulldogs' first-ever NEC title. That sting is still felt amongst Sewall and the rest of his class, and is something that has driven them in the offseason.

"The only thing I want to accomplish my senior year is winning a championship," Sewall said. "Any accolades or notice that comes with it is just gravy. I believe if we play like we are capable of playing, there is enough talent on the roster to win an NEC title, and the other stuff will come along with it. It's been tough the last three years to see us come so close, only to fall just short. We are using that as fuel and we have the right coaches to push us over that hump. I am so excited for this season and I can't wait for Sept 2nd."

So for one more Rhode Island fall, Cindy and Bob will make their way up from Portsmouth on Saturday's. Instead of shoeing their kids out of the house, they'll meet them at the tailgate and then watch as their youngest takes the field in the Black and Gold.