Matt Stover facts for kids
Stover in 2013
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| Position: | Placekicker | ||||||||||
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| Born: | January 27, 1968 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 180 lb (82 kg) | ||||||||||
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| High school: | Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas) | ||||||||||
| College: | Louisiana Tech (1986–1989) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1990 / Round: 12 / Pick: 329 | ||||||||||
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John Matthew Stover (born January 27, 1968) is a former American football player. He was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. He played mostly for the Baltimore Ravens.
Stover started his career with the Cleveland Browns. In 1996, he moved with the team to become part of the new Ravens team. He played 13 seasons with the Ravens. He also played for the New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts. His best season was in 2000. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl and was named first-team All-Pro. That year, the Ravens won their first Super Bowl title. Stover was also part of the Giants team that won a Super Bowl earlier. The Ravens added Stover to their Baltimore Ravens Ring of Honor in 2011.
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Early Life and High School Football
Matt Stover grew up in Dallas, Texas. He went to Lake Highlands High School. Another NFL kicker, Phil Dawson, also went to this school. Stover was good at football in high school. He earned honors as both a wide receiver and a kicker. In the 1985–86 season, he kicked a very long 53-yard field goal. He finished high school in 1986.
College Football Career
After high school, Stover went to Louisiana Tech University. He studied marketing there. During his time in college, Stover was a great kicker. He made 64 out of 88 field goal tries. As a sophomore, he kicked a 57-yard field goal. This was a school record at the time. He also punted the ball during his senior year. He left Louisiana Tech with 262 total points. He also made seven field goals from 50 yards or more.
- 1989 First Team All-South Independent
Playing in the NFL
New York Giants (1990)
The New York Giants picked Stover in the 1990 NFL draft. He was chosen in the 12th round. Stover was on the injured list for his first season. Even though he didn't play, the Giants won Super Bowl XXV that year.
Cleveland Browns (1991–1995)
Stover joined the Cleveland Browns in 1991. He played for the Browns for five seasons. He made his first NFL appearance in 1991. In 1994, Stover was the best in the league at making field goals. In 1995, he kicked five field goals in one game. One of them won the game in overtime. He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for that game.
Baltimore Ravens (1996–2008)
In 1996, the Browns team moved to Baltimore. They became the Baltimore Ravens. Stover played most of his career with the Ravens. In 1997, he scored a career-high 18 points in one game. He made five field goals and three extra points. He was named Special Teams Player of the Month for September 1997.
In the 2000 season, the Ravens' offense struggled to score touchdowns. Stover scored all the team's points in five straight games. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl and was a first-team All-Pro. He also won AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in November 2000. Stover led the league in field goal attempts and makes that year. The Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV in 2000. Stover earned a Super Bowl ring. In 2006, he again led the league in field goal percentage.
Stover continued to play well for the Ravens. He set many records and kicked 18 game-winning field goals. In 2009, he kicked a 43-yard field goal to win a playoff game. This was his last field goal as a Raven. The Ravens decided not to re-sign him after the 2008 season. On November 20, 2011, Stover was honored by the Ravens. He was added to the Ravens Ring of Honor.
Indianapolis Colts (2009)
After leaving the Ravens, Stover joined the Indianapolis Colts in 2009. He replaced an injured player. Stover helped the Colts reach Super Bowl XLIV. At 42 years old, he was the oldest player in Super Bowl history at that time. He made a field goal and two extra points in the Super Bowl. The Colts lost the game. He was not re-signed by the team after the season.
Retirement
Matt Stover announced he was retiring from football on May 25, 2011. He retired as a Baltimore Raven. When he retired, he was the last player still active from the original Cleveland Browns team. He was also the last Ravens player who had played for the team when it was still in Cleveland. At the time of his retirement, he was the NFL's fourth all-time leading scorer.
NFL Records and Achievements
Matt Stover holds several NFL records:
- He is the NFL's sixth all-time leading scorer with 2,004 points.
- He made 469 extra points in a row, which is a record.
- He had a record 38 games in a row with a field goal.
- He scored 1,113 points in his 30s, which is the most by any player.
- He was the oldest player to score in a Super Bowl at 42 years and 11 days old.
Personal Life
Matt Stover has a son named Jacob. Jacob played lacrosse at Loyola University. His daughter, Jenna, played lacrosse at Messiah College. Stover also has an older brother.
