How roots of Matt Nagy's career grew from small rural Pennsylvania borough
LANCASTER, Pa. - Gail Stouch put the letters in an album and kept them for 23 years.
When her son was a senior high school quarterback in 1995, Manheim Central ended its second straight season in the Pennsylvania AAA state semifinals with a loss to powerhouse Berwick. The game came down to the final drive, and her son, Matt Nagy, threw an interception that sealed his team's loss.
In the days after the disappointment, fans sent him letters to offer support.
The Barons should hold their heads high, they wrote. They should be proud of the entertainment and joy they brought the town. And the quarterback should know good things were in store for his life.
"Some of them were just amazing," Stouch said. "People we didn't even know. ... People who didn't even like football. That's the support he has felt all through."
Nagy long has been a person who can compel a community.
In the two decades since, Nagy has proved his supporters right. He had a successful playing career, even if it never reached the ultimate goal. He transitioned to a fast-rising coaching career that received a boost from a few key characters. And Tuesday at Halas Hall, he greeted his new community.
