My name is Matt Torres. I am a 25 year old with congenital amniotic band syndrome and I am a defensive player for the New England Patriots Wheelchair Football Team. I was born without the lower half of my right leg and deformities in both of my hands. I have never let that get in the way of achieving my goals, especially not in the athletic world.

Prior to joining the Patriots, I was a Paralympic swimmer for Team USA, with a career that spanned 16 years and brought me to two Paralympic Games so far. This was a very fruitful experience that I am grateful and honored to have been part of and it taught me how far dedication and consistency can get you in life. I try to continue bringing that same tenacity now with football, each week I make sure to show up on time and ready to work on the field. Having the opportunity and privilege to represent both the New England Patriots and Adaptive Sports New England is something I take pride in. I had been around ASNE for a long time, dating back to the beginning of my swimming days, and I would occasionally attend their swimming events. ASNE does countless activities and projects within the disabled community which empowers athletes to participate in swimming, football, basketball, softball and several others, which is critical seeing as how important sport is to an individual’s life and wellbeing.

As for the Patriots, I grew up as a massive Tom Brady fan. He quickly became my source of inspiration whether I was in swimming, football or basketball. He uplifted the Patriots into a standard of excellence, emphasizing this relentless work ethic in order to chase the next Super Bowl ring. Brady made me fall in love with football and for a while, I wished I had the opportunity to become a football player- but there weren’t any teams near me. That said, I would make the drive to Gillette Stadium for ASNE’s annual wheelchair football clinic simply because of how much I enjoyed football.

In 2025 while at this clinic, I was basically scouted out by members of the team. They wanted another fast player like myself to join, as long as I could get past the two or three hour drive from my house to practices. It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, so I joined the roster and made the drive twice a week my first season. Just like my swimming days, I put my effort in at each practice and soaked up as much information as I could, which resulted in me earning travel roster selection for both tournaments in my rookie year. It probably also helped that I was simultaneously playing wheelchair basketball for the Connecticut Spokebenders, and there is certainly some overlap between the two sports which has developed more so in my second year playing.

When playing football defensively and attempting to hold someone back on the line of scrimmage, it’s pretty similar to trying to keep a basketball player from coming into the paint for layups. The aggression I play with in football can also sometimes bleed into basketball, despite the fact that I began playing basketball first. There was one basketball tournament in which I mistakenly was called for two technical fouls and subsequently ejected. As I rolled off the court I complained that basketball was soft and the referees were acting like babies. For what it’s worth, I generally don’t like making big hits, so don’t expect me to play linebacker anytime soon. We have a strong core team that I’m proud to be a part of and we approach each tournament as an opportunity to improve and get ourselves into the postseason. We have the ability to make the playoffs, but we need to make some small adjustments and have more roster depth. Personally, I know that I haven’t yet reached my full potential as a football player and it’s about working together as a team to find ways to continue improving each other.

Over the last two years at practice, it has been really beneficial for me to match up against one of our best receivers, Mo Neal. He knows how to turn up the energy within the team when it’s needed and he provides nuggets of information for everyone to learn from. He’s a challenge for me to cover, but with time as I get better at the cornerback position, it will make it easier for me to cover other receivers at tournaments. The team environment is really important and contributes to how well we can perform when it comes time to play in tournaments. One of the best moments I’ve had as a Patriot was when we were invited to Gillette for our jersey presentation. We were all there as one big group and it was the moment where everything started to feel real. It was a pretty significant switch for me at the time, mentally processing that I was previously a professional swimmer and now I’m playing wheelchair football for the Patriots. As an athlete, sometimes you have to try a few different options before finding what really suits you best, because you’ll only perform well if you’re truly having fun and are playing with a sense of belonging.

My story has a lot of twists and turns but it’s all about following God’s plan in life. Right now I’m focused on making the most of the ongoing football season, and after the final Atlanta tournament, I’ll be reverting back to my swimming expertise. The Colombian National Team successfully convinced me to come out of retirement, so I’ll begin the process of training for the LA2028 Games. It is my hope and intention to simultaneously swim and play football for the Patriots. It’ll be an interesting project to be a dual sport athlete of two vastly different sports; however, it’s a lifestyle that will give me a lot of enjoyment.