Former NFL safety Matt Stevens dies at 51

Matt Stevens, a safety on the Patriots’ 2001 Super Bowl XXXVI championship team, died March 20, the team announced Thursday. Stevens was 51.

Stevens entered the NFL as a third-round pick of the Bills in 1996.

He played eight seasons, spending time in Buffalo, New England, Philadelphia, Washington and Houston.

In the Patriots’ 2001 championship season, Stevens appeared in all but one game and totaled 43 tackles in 15 regular-season games. He added six more tackles in the three playoff victories, including the Super Bowl XXXVI victory over the Rams.

Stevens appeared in 108 games, recording 301 tackles, 13 interceptions and a sack.

In 2007, Stevens was involved in a motorcycle accident that injured his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. He participated in clinical trials for the ReWalk device in 2011, a wearable exoskeleton that enabled him to regain mobility with the assistance of special leg braces.

The Patriots said in a statement that, “Matt Stevens’s legacy is marked by his contributions to professional football, his determination to overcome personal adversity, and the inspiration he provided to many through his resilience and dedication.”