Cindric Stays Strong After Season Ending Injury

His season ended for a second consecutive year due to a torn biceps injury, Matthew Cindric is considering a multitude of options. Although he’s not likely to be ready by the NFL Combine, Cindric underwent successful surgery and doctors believe he’ll be ready for a Pro Day workout if that’s the route he chooses.

Cindric also likes the idea of coaching, possibly doing so at the high school level, something he’s long been interested in.

For now, however, Cal’s leading offensive lineman is sticking around Berkeley and will continue to try to help the Golden Bears in any way he can. That includes going over film with his teammates, offering tips, going over film and techniques or offering any other advice he can.

For a man who has every reason to be upset about the way this season has turned out, especially after he returned for a final season at Cal after toying with the idea of heading to the NFL, Cindric sounded very much like he’s quite content with where he’s at and where he’s going.

“It’s obviously not how you drew it up,” Cindric told reporters earlier this week. “It definitely is a bummer. But I told the guys, especially the young guys, if you put all your eggs into the basket of the 12 games of football in a season, you’re probably doing it wrong. You have to embrace the journey. The outside world doesn’t get to see the moments from January til now that I got to be with the team and do some pretty cool things. Grateful for what I’ve been able to have been a part of. Definitely wouldn’t change anything if I could go back.”

If that sounds familiar, it should. Since first arriving on campus and redshirting in 2018, Cindric has been a ray of light for the Bears. Before tearing his biceps a second time, this one in his left arm as opposed to the right arm injury he suffered last year, Cindric was Cal’s active leader in games started and played while splitting time between center and right guard.

Repeatedly praised by the coaching staff and his teammates, Cindric was often a beacon of hope during some otherwise dark times for the Bears. Losing him in the first game this season during the second quarter against North Texas was a definitive big blow to Cal’s offensive line.

Yet Cindric is trying to make the best of it. During game days, instead of wearing his helmet on the sidelines, Cindric can be seen donning a headset and joining in on the coaching conversations.

It’s part of a natural progression, he says, as he tries to determine where he’ll go next.

“I got to be on the headset being an extra set of eyes, especially for the guards and centers, the positions I played,” Cindric said. “Anyone who plays football this long, coaching is definitely something that interests you. I don’t know if college coaching would be my calling but definitely just coaching the kids later on in life or coaching high school ball would definitely be a goal of mine later in life.”

Though he’s no longer able to play, Cindric remains committed to helping the Bears as much as he possibly can.  

Mostly that involves continuing to talk and work with teammates in their weekly preparations. Part of that also includes being a conduit between the players and coaching staff, a mindset Cindric already had.

“I feel like it’s kind of my job to help pass on some of that knowledge I’ve gained from guys like Jake Curhan, Pat Mekari, Patrick Laird, some of these guys who have taught me a lot and now I can pass that on,” said Cindric, a team captain for the Bears in 2022 and 2023. “There’s also an extra dynamic when I’m also sort of a peer still to some of these guys, that they can feel a little more comfortable with me. Sometimes it can be a little intimidating to go to the coach and ask a question, but I can be there as kind of the guy that there’s no stupidq uestions and I can answer whatever they need, whether that be football or trying to get into the business major or whatever it is.”

Cindric is equally as strong, successful and inspiring off the field as he is on it. He was recently selected to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, honors student athletes for their impact in the community. Cindric is the sixth Cal student athlete in the last 11 years to be recognized.

He played a big role in the Golden Buddies Football Clinic and the Cal Football Reading Challenge, while also serving in mentorship programs and doing community service.

“It’s definitely a huge honor,” Cindric said. “Just an honor to kind of be able to give back. Been in Berkeley for over five years now so it feels like a home away from home. Whatever I can do to kind of help this community. Football is just a game, but what you can do to impact lives is much greater. I owe a huge thanks to the Cameron Institute, all those people over there who have helped support me in being able to bring my dreams to life. Just the people here in Cal football, what they’ve done, its definitely not just me. The award’s definitely a reflection of the people around me.”

Cindric said the football clinic he took part in was particularly special for him.

“The Golden Buddies project we did over the summer where we brought in over 40 kids with cognitive disabilities, brought them out to the field, ran the through drills,” he said. “We had over 30 volunteers from the team. It was a really cool event. Football’s kind of a sport that not everybody gets to play. Seeing the smiles on these kids’ faces when they were catching a touchdown or running the ball, it was really cool. Something that I hope can continue and I can at least have a hand in for the foreseeable future.”

Amid his disappointment of being injured and having his season cut short yet again, Cindric remains in high spirits. He even found a way to get a laugh out of his health situation.

“Probably hold the record for the fastest bicep tear, re-tear of the opposite arm,” he said. “At least I got that going for me.”

Cindric is still holding out hope that he can play in the NFL or at least give it a shot. The path to the pros certainly got a little more difficult with his injury but Cindric isn’t giving up.

“Football’s definitely not out of the picture but it is a tougher road especially if going to the next level’s the plan,” Cindric said. “The doctor said if I want to that he thinks that Pro Day would be realistic for me. Keeping that as in the future to continue to work towards that. But leaving all my options open.”

Cindric will join the Bears on their road trip to Washington this week for a game with the Huskies. He grew up about 20 minutes away from Husky Stadium and one of his earliest memories is of attending a game between Cal and Washington.

“Always special to go up there,” Cindric said.

A huge part of sports on any level is the statistics. Since offensive linemen don’t get many individual statistics other than penalties or missed blocks, they find success in the team aspect. And that’s an area where Cindric has stood out most, which will be a large part of his legacy in Berkeley.

“I hope I made an impact with just how I came to work every day, how consistent I’ve been,” he said. “Hopefully people have seen that and wanted to change maybe how they approach each day. Just being a light for those guys and tr

ying to set a good example.”