Matt Ulrich's wife, Alison, is speaking out after the former NFL player's death ... sharing an emotional post on Facebook where she remembered him as a great father, coach and friend.
"Our beloved, one-of-a-kind Matt has passed away and is in a better place," Alison wrote.
"Matt, we love you so so much. You are profoundly missed. We all want you back for just one more day."
Ulrich met Alison in the early 2000s when he was a star offensive lineman at Northwestern ... and the couple went on to get married and have four sons together.