John Stephens (American football)

John Stephens
No. 44, 32, 21
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born:(1966-02-23)February 23, 1966
Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
Died:September 1, 2009(2009-09-01) (aged 43)
Keithville, Louisiana, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school:Springhill (Springhill, Louisiana)
College:Northwestern State
NFL draft:1988 / round: 1 / pick: 17
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards:3,440
Average:3.6
Rushing touchdowns:18
Stats at Pro Football Reference

John Milton Stephens (February 23, 1966 – September 1, 2009) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round (17th overall) of the 1988 NFL draft.[1] At 6 feet 1 inch and 215 pounds, he played college football for the Northwestern State Demons in Louisiana. Stephens played in six NFL seasons from 1988 to 1993 for the Patriots, the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a rookie for the Patriots during the 1988 NFL season, Stephens rushed for 1,168 yards and was selected to his only Pro Bowl.

Stephens was married to All-American college swimmer Sybil Smith. Their daughter Sloane Stephens, born in 1993, is a professional tennis player who won the 2017 US Open women's singles title. His son John Stephens Jr. plays tight end in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys.[2]

Stephens was twice charged with rape. In 1994, during his final NFL season, he was accused of raping a woman at a Kansas City hotel.[3] He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation.[4] Then, in May 2009, he was arrested in Caddo Parish, Louisiana and charged with forcible rape of a 51-year-old woman.[5] That charge was still pending when Stephens was killed in a car accident in Keithville, Louisiana on September 1, 2009.[6]

NFL career statistics

Year Team GP Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
1988 NE 16 297 1,168 3.9 52 4 14 98 7.0 17 0
1989 NE 14 244 833 3.4 35 7 21 207 9.9 37 0
1990 NE 16 212 808 3.8 26 2 28 196 7.0 43 1
1991 NE 14 63 163 2.6 13 2 16 119 7.4 24 0
1992 NE 16 75 277 3.7 19 2 21 161 7.7 32 0
1993 GB 5 48 173 3.6 22 1 5 31 6.2 10 0
KC 7 6 18 3.0 7 0 0 0 0.0 0 0
Career 88 945 3,440 3.6 52 18 105 812 7.7 43 1

References

  1. ^ "1988 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  2. ^ "John Stephens Jr". Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  3. ^ "Former Patriot wanted for rape". UPI. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  4. ^ Crouse, Karen (September 5, 2009). "For a Rising Tennis Star, a Connection, Then Dealing With Loss". The New York Times. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  5. ^ "Shreveport man allegedly rapes 51-year-old woman". KSLA. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  6. ^ "Wreck claims NSU football great John Stephens". September 2, 2009. Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2009.