Steelers Tight End Gives Back to His Hometown

Editor's note: , a sister website in Minnesota, sent us this story. They know how we bleed black and gold!

On Sundays, most St. Michael residents know that one of their own is ready to lace up his cleats and go to work on football's biggest stage. 

Right now, however, Matt Spaeth is a man "without a job."

"It's kind of crazy to think about (the NFL lockout)," Spaeth said on Wednesday. "You hope that things change soon, or it's going to be a tough deal for a lot of guys. But, yeah, I'm not really working."

That's not to say that Spaeth, a standout tight end with the University of Minnesota, a member of the Super Bowl XLIII champion Pittsburgh Steelers (last seson's AFC champions) and a grad, isn't busy.

Yesterday, Spaeth had meetings with a possible charitable organization that wants his time. This spring, he's had workouts with friend and fellow NFL player Eric Decker of the Denver Broncos. (They're getting an apartment in St. Louis Park, MN.) Soon, he'll join Larry Fitzgerald and other NFL players at a self-imposed mini-camp at the University of Minnesota.

Meanwhile, Spaeth's been rehabbing a sore knee (an inflamed patellar tendon) and organizing his third annual Matt Spaeth Charity Golf Tournament, set for June 24 at St. Michael's .

"I kind of started it knowing that I wanted to give back to the community in some way," Spaeth said, "and this was a good way to do it.

"The golf tournaments are a pretty fun way to raise money. I guess, really, I didn't know what I was getting into. It's a lot of work on the organization end, so that first year, it was pretty interesting. But we were able to raise some money for the football program(s in St. Michael-Albertville)."

The first-ever tournament brought a huge financial gift to St. Michael-Albertville Youth Football and the high-school program, which was Spaeth's original intention. But, as the second tournament rolled around, he wanted to spread the wealth.

"I actually felt a little guilty giving it all to football, even though I wanted to help them first because, really, it was youth football that got me to where I am now," he said. "But my parents and I were at church one weekend, and they were talking about the . And I thought that would be another great charity to get involved."

Another friend, Spaeth's former coach Keith Cornell, thought of a third organization to benefit from the golf tournament. The St. Michael-Albertville High School Student Fund, which aids financially disadvantaged families and students, was a natural choice.

"It's a fund that receives some government money, but like everything else, a lot of that funding had been cut," Spaeth said. "Keith came to me with the idea, and it seemed like a good fit."

The student fund helps students pay for everything from gym shoes to ACT fees to college-application costs.

Friends who are involved with the golf tournament know how important the event is to Spaeth and how hard he works to make it a success.

"He's really taken it on as a responsibility each year," longtime friend Dan Zachman said, "and it's a fun way for him to give back.

"One thing you realize about Matt is that he's just a genuine guy. None of the success has changed him at all. He comes back to St. Michael, and he's the same. He doesn't let it go to his head."

If you'd like to give to Spaeth's charities, you can find out how at this webpage (without even swinging a club).

If you don't play golf, don't worry. Big No. 89 won't be golfing either.

"I don't golf," he said, "so I'll be out there meeting with people and thanking them for coming out. That's kind of my job for the day."