Matt Stover is a former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. He was born on January 27, 1968, in Dallas, Texas, and attended Louisiana Tech University, where he played college football as a placekicker.
Stover began his professional career in 1990 when he signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent. However, he was released before the start of the regular season and did not play in the NFL that year. In 1991, he signed with the Cleveland Browns and played for them for six seasons. During his time with the Browns, Stover established himself as one of the most reliable kickers in the league, making 83.7% of his field goal attempts and scoring 1,464 points, which is still a franchise record.
In 1996, the Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens, and Stover followed them. He played for the Ravens for 13 seasons and was a key member of the team that won Super Bowl XXXV in 2001. Stover made 471 field goals and scored 1,464 points for the Ravens, both of which are franchise records. He also made several clutch kicks in important games, including a game-winning field goal in the 2000 AFC Championship Game against the Oakland Raiders.
Stover played his final season in the NFL in 2009, when he signed with the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent. He played in all 16 regular-season games for the Colts and made 9 of 11 field goal attempts and 33 of 34 extra point attempts. He also played in two playoff games, including Super Bowl XLIV, which the Colts lost to the New Orleans Saints.
Throughout his career, Stover was known for his accuracy, consistency, and longevity. He made 471 of 563 field goal attempts in his career, which is a success rate of 83.7%, and he scored 2,004 points, which is the fourth-highest total in NFL history. He was also named to the Pro Bowl twice and was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2000.
After retiring from the NFL, Stover became involved in coaching and mentoring young kickers. He founded the Matt Stover Kicking Academy, which provides training and instruction to aspiring kickers and punters. He also worked as a consultant for the Baltimore Ravens and helped to develop their kicking game.
In conclusion, Matt Stover was one of the most successful and respected placekickers in NFL history. He played for 20 seasons, made over 80% of his field goal attempts, and scored over 2,000 points. He was a key member of the Baltimore Ravens team that won Super Bowl XXXV, and he was known for his accuracy, consistency, and longevity. After retiring from the NFL, he continued to be involved in the sport as a coach and mentor, helping to develop the next generation of kickers and punters.
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