Matt Henningsen

Matthew D. Henningsen is an American professional football defensive end for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers and was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Professional career

Henningsen was selected by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round, 206th overall, of the 2022 NFL draft. He appeared in all 17 games as a rookie. He finished with one sack and 21 total tackles. In the 2023 season, he appeared in all 17 games once again and had 19 total tackles and two passes defended.
On August 27, 2024, Henningsen was waived by the Broncos. The next day, he was re-signed to the Broncos' practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract with Denver on January 13, 2025.
Upon suffering an torn Achilles during a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers, Henningsen was designated as waived/injured on August 10, 2025. He reverted to injured reserve the day after, ruling him out for the entire 2025 season.

Outside of football, Henningsen is an avid chess player, streaming on Twitch. He also plays the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Henningsen has a bachelor's and a master's degree in electrical engineering, and has contributed to neurosurgery research efforts at UW–Madison.
Henningsen has three brothers, all of whom also played football at Menomonee Falls and earned degrees at UW–Madison. His parents both worked as lawyers.