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Former NFL running back Matt Snell has died at age 84, the New York Jets confirmed.
A cause of death was not immediately released.
In addition to his heroics in Super Bowl III, Snell is remembered for an outstanding rookie season in which he earned AFL Rookie of the Year honors and set the Jets single game record. In the franchise’s only Super Bowl title, Snell rushed for 121 yards and scored New York’s lone touchdown.
Snell overcame a knee injury to play a key role in the Jets’ 16-7 victory.
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New York Jets’ running back Matt Snell watches the action from the sideline during Super Bowl III against the Baltimore Colts at the Orange Bowl on January 12, 1969 in Miami, Fla. (Focus on Sports via Getty Images)
In a statement, Jets chairman Woody Johnson said Snell represented the heart of the franchise and left a lasting legacy.
“Matt Snell will forever have a special place in New York Jets history,” Johnson said. “He was the embodiment of toughness, selflessness and faith — traits that defined our organization’s proudest moments. His performance in Super Bowl III was nothing short of legendary. Against the odds, Matt set the tone with his physical running, delivered the Jets’ lone touchdown and helped secure one of the most important victories in sports history.”
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Injuries marred the end of Snell’s career, limiting him to 12 games over his final three seasons. Snell retired from the NFL after the 1972 season.
Shortly after leaving the Jets, Snell’s relationship with the franchise seemed to quickly deteriorate.
The 2018 book, “Beyond Broadway Joe: The Super Bowl Team That Changed Football,” later provided context behind the dispute. In the book, Snell wrote that then-Jets owner Sonny Werblin offered him a lifelong role with the franchise.
New York Jets running back (41) Matt Snell in action during Super Bowl III against the Baltimore Colts at the Orange Bowl. Snell rushed for 121 yards and scored a touchdown on Jan. 12, 1969 in Miami, Fla. (Malcolm Emmons/USA Today Sports)
Snell later said that a miscommunication may have caused a lack of follow-up after Werblin’s stake was purchased.
“I don’t know if Sonny ever communicated what he promised me to the other owners. I know there were people around the organization who weren’t happy that Sonny and I were friends, and some of them jumped at the opportunity to say bad things about me when Sonny was gone,” Snell recalled, according to an excerpt from the book.
New York Jets running back (41) Matt Snell follows a block by Bill Mathis against the Baltimore Colts during Super Bowl III at the Orange Bowl on January 12, 1969 in Miami, Fla. (Malcolm Emmons/USA Today Sports)
Legendary Jets quarterback Joe Namath reflected on Snell’s lasting impact on the field.
“I’m really sorry to hear that he passed,” Namath said via the team’s official site. “Matt wasn’t just a heck of a player – he was a great teammate and without him we wouldn’t have had a chance to win a championship.”
Snell’s 4,285 career rushing yards ranks fourth in Jets history. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, two children and a grandchild.
