High school and college career

Mattos went to Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, California. He then played college football at the University of Southern California after transferring from Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California and graduated in 2003. In 2003 he was part of the teams Orange Bowl Triumph.

His skill set as a major part of the University of Southern California's major success was heavily praised. Teammate and future NFL superstar Carson Palmer said on Grant: "“He has awesome hands and he doesn’t drop anything. He’s a lot like (ex-USC receiver) Matt Nickels. Only he has more potential. He’s bigger and stronger and capable of more.” USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow who noticed and recruited him said: “It’s amazing people didn’t recruit him. I think it was the thing of being a ‘slow white guy.’ Actually, he can run pretty well…He’s got great hands and has the ability to find the creases and seams in a defense.” Foothill College head coach Marshall Sperbeck: “He’s everything you look for. Hard worker, great size, catches the ball, understands the game.”

NFL career

After college, Mattos played for the San Diego Chargers. He would earn a spot on the Chargers roster in 2003 with his impressive performances in training camp, despite having not even been initially recruited by a major college. He would last two years with the Chargers, and four years in the League overall, also being signed by the Denver Broncos, and later the Tennessee Titans. Knee problems would limit his effectiveness and chances of game action in later years. He was criticized for his slowness on foot for NFL standards, but praised for his great hands, work ethic, and competitiveness.

Survivor

Mattos appeared on Survivor: Redemption Island, the 22nd season of the reality TV competition series Survivor. On the Ometepe tribe, Mattos quickly formed a close friendship and strong alliance with eventual winner Rob Mariano. He also established himself as perhaps the physically strongest person in the game, dominating the early challenges to help Ometepe hit the merge with the numbers advantage over the opposing Zapatera tribe. When the tribes merged, the former Ometepe members used their majority to systematically eliminate those outside their alliance. On Day 35, after intended target Ashley Underwood won the Immunity/Reward Challenge, Mattos was blindsided and voted out, as he was deemed by Mariano and the other tribe mates to be the largest threat to win the jury's vote at the end of the game. Mariano would be the deciding vote to eliminate Mattos instead of Natalie Tenerelli. Mattos was then officialy eliminated by coming last in the final Redemption Island duel. He was very upset by Mariano's choice to vote him out, to the point where he has refused to make amends with Mariano, even after the game ended.

Personal life

During the Survivor: Redemption Island reunion, Mattos confirmed that following his return from competing in the game, he married actress Christina Cox. They now have one daughter named Flynn, believed to be born in December 2013.

Before and in the years after Survivor, Mattos worked as full-time yoga instructor at City Yoga LA. He then became a yoga instructor at Moda Yoga International in Los Angeles, California from mid 2013 onwards, until April 2015, when he moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He moved to New York City in September 2015 and works at Moda Yoga NYC.

He also joined Team Gleason, a team that is headed by his friend and ex NFL player and ALS sufferer Steve Gleason. In February and March he ran a fundraising campaign for the Steve Gleason team, which was one of many efforts by various team members to raise awareness and money to help research for the ALS disease, and also medical care for the many who suffer with it. As the climax of the campaign Grant participated in the 10 km fundraising run in New Orleans on March 26, 2016.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]