Former NFL Super Bowl Safety Passed Away At 51

Walkers Funeral Home,

Former New England Patriots safety Matt Stevens has passed away at the age of 51.

According to an obituary and funeral service announcement posted by Walker’s Funeral Home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Stevens died on March 20.

After an eight-year career in the NFL, Matthew settled in Durham, where he spent his retirement. In his free time, he found joy in competitive shooting, a hobby he deeply enjoyed.

His cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.

He was born on June 14, 1973, in Northville, Michigan, Stevens moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, during his childhood. He attended Chapel Hill High School, graduating in 1991, before enrolling at Appalachian State University. At Appalachian State, he distinguished himself as a two-time All-American safety and played a pivotal role in leading the Mountaineers to a Southern Conference Championship in 1995.

Stevens entered the NFL when the Buffalo Bills selected him in the third round of the 1996 draft. Over his eight-year professional career, he played for several teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots, and Houston Texans. His most notable achievement came during the 2001 season with the Patriots, where he contributed to the team’s successful run to a Super Bowl XXXVI victory over the St. Louis Rams. That season, he appeared in 15 regular-season games, recording 43 tackles, and added six more tackles during the three playoff victories. ​Throughout his NFL tenure, Stevens appeared in 108 games, amassing 301 tackles, 13 interceptions, and one sack.

 

In 2007, Stevens faced a life-altering event when a motorcycle accident resulted in a spinal cord injury, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Demonstrating remarkable resilience, he participated in clinical trials for the ReWalk device in 2011, a wearable exoskeleton that enabled him to regain mobility with the assistance of special leg braces. ​

 

He is survived by his mother, Jean Thillberg; his father, Vincent Stevens; his brother, Mark Stevens; and his children, Cassidie and Colin Stevens of Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey. He is also remembered fondly by his extended family, including aunts, uncles, and cousins.