Matt Stover

For the science fiction and fantasy author, see Matthew Stover

Matt Stover

Baltimore Ravens
Career information
College:	Louisiana Tech
NFL draft:	1990 / Round: 12 / Pick: 329
Career history
New York Giants (1990) Cleveland Browns (1991-1995) Baltimore Ravens (1996-present)
Career highlights and awards
All-Conference (1989) Pro Bowl alternate (1994) Pro Bowl selection (2000) Super Bowl champion (XXXV)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2008
Field Goals Made: 462 Field Goals Attempted: 552 Field Goals %: 83.7

John Matthew Stover (born January 27, 1968 in Dallas, Texas, U.S.) is the kicker for the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football League. At the start of 2006, he was the third most accurate kicker in the history of the NFL. He is of Greek origin. ESPN's Chris Berman, famous for nicknaming players, has nicknamed him Matt "Smokey" Stover, after the comic strip.

High school career

Stover attended Lake Highlands High School in Dallas, Texas (Class of 1986), and was a football star. In football, he won All-District honors as both a wide receiver and kicker. During the 1985-86 LHHS season he kicked a 53-yard field goal.

College career

Prior to his NFL career, Stover attended Louisiana Tech University, where he joined the Alpha Omega chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon and served as vice president. He graduated with a degree in marketing. During his college career, Stover successfully converted on 64 of 88 field goal attempts. As a sophomore, facing Texas A&M, he kicked a 57-yard field goal, then a school record. He also punted as a senior, punting 36 times for 1,277 yards (34.1 yards per punt avg). He left Louisiana Tech with 262 career total points and seven field goals of 50 yards or more

NFL career

Stover was drafted by the New York Giants with the 329th selection in the 1990 NFL draft. He couldn't displace incumbent Matt Bahr, but would get the kicking job from the Cleveland Browns in 1991. Stover hasn't lost his job to this date, though in 1996 the team he played for became the Baltimore Ravens. He has been the kicker for the franchise's entire official history, including their Super Bowl XXXV triumph. No player has scored more points for a single franchise than Stover has for the Ravens. He ranks 5th all time in the NFL in scoring with 1,944 points as of January 4, 2008. On November 16, 2008 Stover set an NFL record, kicking his 372nd consecutive point after touchdown. The kick broke the record Stover shared with Jason Elam (1993–2002) and Jeff Wilkins (1999–2007). Stover started his streak in 1996. The record now stands at 389.

Trivia

• Stover is the only current player on the Ravens - and the only NFL player - who was on the original Cleveland Browns team before it moved to Baltimore.
• Stover was once ranked a perfect 99 in the Madden NFL series.
• Both Stover and Cleveland Browns kicker Phil Dawson are alumni of Lake Highlands High School.
• Matt Stover was featured in a parody song of "It's Not Over" by American Idol's Chris Daughtry called "I'm Matt Stover" which was created by Baltimore's FM Talk 1057 Morning Radio Program "The Kirk and Mark Show"
• Stover is married to his wife Debbie. The couple has three children: a daughter, Jenna Lee, born on 4/26/95, a son, Jacob Matthew, born exactly a year later on 4/26/96, and another son, Joe Mark, born on 6/4/03.

External links

• NFL Profile
• NFL.com
• Matt Stover at ESPN.com