Matt Snell facts for kids
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | August 18, 1941 Garfield, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 219 lb (99 kg) | ||||||||||||
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| High school: | Carle Place (North Hempstead, New York) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Ohio State | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1964 / Round: 4 / Pick: 49 | ||||||||||||
| AFL draft: | 1964 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3 | ||||||||||||
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Matthews Snell (born August 18, 1941) is a former American football player. He was a running back for the New York Jets in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He was one of the first big players signed by the Jets' owner, Sonny Werblin. This happened before the team signed famous quarterback Joe Namath in 1965.
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Early Life and High School Football
Matt Snell was born to Isaac and Annie. He grew up in Carle Place, New York. He went to Carle Place High School. His picture is in the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.
Playing in High School
Snell played right halfback in high school. His team only lost two games while he was a starter. In 1959, he won the Thorp Award. This award was for the best high school football player in Nassau County.
College Football at Ohio State
Snell played college football at Ohio State University. He was a starter for three years. He played well on both offense and defense. In 1961, he played right halfback. He often blocked for other great players like Bob Ferguson.
In 1962, Snell moved to play defensive end. For his senior year in 1963, he became the starting fullback. He ran for 491 yards and scored 5 touchdowns. He was named his team's most valuable player that year. In 2000, he was named to the Ohio State Football All-Century Team as a defensive end.
Professional Football Career
Matt Snell started his professional career with the New York Jets. In his first year, 1964, he set a team record. He rushed for 180 yards in one game against the Houston Oilers. He finished the season with 945 rushing yards. He was named the AFL Rookie of the Year.
Becoming an All-Star Player
Snell became an AFL Eastern Division All-Star in 1964 and 1966. He was also named the Sporting News All-AFL fullback in 1969. He was known for his strong running style.
Super Bowl III Victory
Snell's most famous game was Super Bowl III. The Jets, who were AFL champions, played the Baltimore Colts. The Colts were expected to win easily. Even though Snell had knee injuries, he was very important to the Jets' offense.
He carried the ball 30 times for 121 yards. This was a Super Bowl record at the time. In the second quarter, he scored the Jets' only touchdown. This was the first time an AFL team had ever led in a Super Bowl. His efforts helped the Jets win 16-7. This was a huge upset victory for the AFL.
Later Career and Injuries
Throughout his career, Snell was excellent at running the ball. He also became very good at blocking for his quarterback, Joe Namath. He helped protect Namath from defenders. He even taught other running backs how to block.
Snell faced many injuries during his career. He had knee injuries in 1967 and 1971. In 1970, he tore his Achilles tendon. In 1972, he suffered a serious injury to his spleen. His spleen had to be removed, and this ended his playing career. He officially retired in March 1973.
Life After Football
After retiring from football, Matt Snell started a new chapter. In 1973, he appeared in the first commercial for Miller Lite beer. These commercials became very popular. They featured many famous retired athletes.
Snell also sold his restaurant, Matt Snell's Fifth Down. He then focused on a new company called Defco Securities, Inc. He was one of the main partners in this business.
Jets Ring of Honor
On November 29, 2015, Matt Snell and Emerson Boozer were added to the New York Jets#Ring of Honor. This honor celebrates important players for the team. However, Snell chose not to attend the ceremony. He has also not attended other team events since he retired. In 2018, he explained that this was due to a disagreement with the team's owner at the time, Leon Hess, about a job reference he had been promised.
Personal Life
Matt Snell lives in New Rochelle, New York. He lives with his wife, Sharon, and their children, Beau and Jada. His grandson, Donte, also played football for Holy Cross High School. Snell is a partner at DEFCO Securities, Inc. He also owns a restaurant in New York City. He is related to another football player, Benny Snell. Benny Snell's grandfather is Matt Snell's first cousin.
See also
- List of American Football League players
