Introduction
John Milton Stephens (February 23, 1966 – September 1, 2009) was a professional American football player who was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round (17th overall) of the 1988 NFL Draft. At 6 feet 1 inch and 215 pounds, he was a running back from Northwestern State University 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 one and only Pro Bowl.
Stephens was married to All-American college swimmer Sybil Smith. Their daughter, Sloane Stephens, born in 1993, is an American professional tennis player who won the 2017 US Open women's singles title.His son, John Stephens Jr, is currently playing football at TCU.
Stephens died in Keithville, Louisiana, on September 1, 2009 in a car accident.
Statistics
Note: G = Games played; Att = Rushing attempts; Yds = Rushing yards; Avg = Average yards per carry; Long = Longest rush; Rush TD = Rushing touchdowns; Rec = Receptions; Yds = Receiving yards; Avg = Average yards per reception; Long = Longest reception; Rec TD = Receiving touchdowns
| Year | Team | GP | Att | Yds | Avg | Long | Rush TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Long | Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | New England Patriots | 16 | 297 | 1,168 | 3.9 | 52 | 4 | 14 | 98 | 7.0 | 17 | 0 |
| 1989 | New England Patriots | 14 | 244 | 833 | 3.4 | 35 | 7 | 21 | 207 | 9.9 | 37 | 0 |
| 1990 | New England Patriots | 16 | 212 | 808 | 3.8 | 26 | 2 | 28 | 196 | 7.0 | 43 | 1 |
| 1991 | New England Patriots | 14 | 63 | 163 | 2.6 | 13 | 2 | 16 | 119 | 7.4 | 24 | 0 |
| 1992 | New England Patriots | 16 | 75 | 277 | 3.7 | 19 | 2 | 21 | 161 | 7.7 | 32 | 0 |
| 1993 | Green Bay Packers | 5 | 48 | 173 | 3.6 | 22 | 1 | 5 | 31 | 6.2 | 10 | 0 |
| 1993 | Kansas City Chiefs | 7 | 6 | 18 | 3.0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career Totals | 88 | 945 | 3,440 | 3.6 | 52 | 18 | 105 | 812 | 7.7 | 43 | 1 | |
- Stats that are highlighted show career high