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Former NFL running back Matt Snell has died at age 84, the New York Jets confirmed.
The cause of death was not immediately announced.
In addition to his heroics in Super Bowl III, Snell is remembered for an outstanding rookie season, earning AFL Rookie of the Year honors and setting the Jets’ single-game rushing record. In the franchise’s only Super Bowl title, Snell ran for 121 yards and scored New York’s only touchdown.
Snell overcame a knee injury to play a key role in the Jets’ 16-7 victory.
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New York Jets fullback 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, Florida. (Focus on sport via Getty Images)
In a statement, Jets president Woody Johnson said Snell represented the heart of the franchise and left a lasting legacy.
“Matt Snell will always hold 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 all odds, Matt set the tone with his physical career, scoring the Jets’ only touchdown and helping secure one of the biggest wins 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 walked away from the NFL after the 1972 season.
Shortly after leaving the Jets, Snell’s relationship with the franchise appeared to deteriorate quickly.
The 2018 book, “Beyond Broadway Joe: The Super Bowl Team That Changed Football,” later provided the context behind the dispute. In the book, Snell wrote that then-Jets owner Sonny Werblin offered him a lifetime 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 January 12, 1969 in Miami, Florida. (Malcolm Emmons/USA Today Sports)
Snell later said that a miscommunication may have caused a lack of follow-through after Werblin’s stake was bought out.
“I don’t know if Sonny ever communicated what he had promised me to the other owners. I know there were people in the organization who were unhappy that Sonny and I were friends, and some of them took the opportunity to say bad things about me when Sonny left,” 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, Florida. (Malcolm Emmons/USA Today Sports)
Legendary Jets quarterback Joe Namath reflected on the lasting impact Snell had on the field.
“I’m very sad to hear that he passed away,” Namath said, via the team’s official site. “Matt was not only a great player, he was a fantastic teammate, and without him, we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to win a championship.”
Snell’s 4,285 rushing yards rank fourth in Jets history. He is survived by his wife Sharon, two children and one grandson.
