In the high-stakes environment of the NFL Draft, a single evaluation error in the first round can echo through a franchise’s salary cap and roster depth for half a decade. For Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys, the 2023 NFL Draft contained one of those exact turning points. The front office was debating whether to pick defensive tackle Mazi Smith or offensive guard Matthew Bergeron. The latter, a standout lineman for Syracuse, was under the impression he’d be suiting up for the Lone Star. Unfortunately, Jerry Jones had other plans.

“I mean, it was crazy because the day of the draft, the Cowboys were about to be on the clock, and one of my old college coaches was like, ‘Hey, I just talked to Cowboys coaches and stuff, and scouts,'” Bergeron told Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. “So I’m at home getting excited. Like, hey, I’m going to Dallas, you know, the greatest team in football. And I’m watching the draft, and they pick somebody else.

“And then a few hours later, I see that video. And I just, you know, it just motivated me. Obviously, I was upset, but it’s all good. Like I said, I proved them wrong at the end of the day. I do believe I was the better pick to this day. You know, when Atlanta picked me up, I was so grateful.”

When the Cowboys released their official war room footage from draft night, fans got an unfiltered look at a front office wrestling with a classic dilemma: do you draft for luxury depth, or pull the trigger on a pressing need?

Inside the room, Jerry Jones was convinced that a true nose tackle was the missing piece to transform Dallas’s defense. In his mind, plugging a heavy-duty run-stuffer into the middle wouldn’t just fix their run-defense woes; it would unleash edge rushers like Micah Parsons to wreak pure havoc. As the clock ticked down, Jones pushed the room to play devil’s advocate, asking someone to sell him on Bergeron over Smith. One front-office staffer pitched the Syracuse guard’s upside:

“He’s strong, he’s very technical. I think he’s got swing tackle ability.”

Jones acknowledged that both prospects carried identical “football grades” on their board. But in the end, draft-room logic won out. Dallas viewed Bergeron as an added luxury for a line that already had bodies, while Smith was seen as a day-one wrecking ball for a depleted defense. Jones even admitted he’d be “cutthroat” if they somehow walked away without one of the two. They chose the immediate defensive patch. They chose Mazi.

But that backfired quickly. Mazi struggled with the Cowboys and was unfortunately a bust for the team. He recorded only 57 combined tackles and seven tackles for loss in his three years with Dallas. Smith was eventually traded midway through the 2025 season to the New York Jets, who released him in 2026. He is now on the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad.

Bergeron, however, has been a blessing for Atlanta. Recognizing the exact talent Dallas left on the board, the Falcons refused to let him slide any further. Atlanta aggressively traded up six spots, jumping from 44 to 38, to lock down the Syracuse star. It was a seamless match from day one. Ranked as one of the elite run-blockers in his draft class, Bergeron possessed a rare mix of raw power and light-footed athleticism that made him a dream fit for then-head coach Arthur Smith’s zone-blocking scheme.

He has started 50 games for the team with 3,206 offensive snaps and 213 special teams snaps under his belt. Bergeron also ranked 19th among all NFL guards in 2024 and 22nd in 2025, per PFF, with the Falcons picking up a league-leading 61 first downs behind him and left tackle Jake Matthews. Bergeron’s performances were liked by the Falcons so much that he got a contract extension of four years worth $96 million with $60 million guaranteed. He is the second-highest-paid offensive guard in the league, with an annual average salary of $24 million.

“This means the world,” Bergeron told AtlantaFalcons.com. “I’m from Canada, and the second I got to Atlanta, everybody welcomed me with open arms. Atlanta is a special place for me and my family. And now, I have the resources to give back to a community that has given me so much and changed my life.”

The Falcons, too, were extremely happy to have him until the end of the 2030 season, for how productive he has been for the franchise over the years, having developed into a “well-rounded blocker.”

“Matthew is the type of player you build around,” Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said. “He’s establishing himself as one of the top young guards in the NFL, and his toughness, consistency and leadership have made him a cornerstone of our offensive line and the culture we’re building in Atlanta.”

Though Bergeron has been a valuable asset that the Falcons admire, the Falcons haven’t qualified for the playoffs since the 2017 season. The offensive line also hampered the offense in their Week 1 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bergeron and Co. have to clean up before their upcoming game.