Former Pat John Stephens Killed in Car Crash

Share this page

Wandering Athol

Wandering Athol

Blood in the streets it's up to my ankle
Joined
Oct 31, 2005
Messages
7,295
Reaction score
318
Points
83
Location
Out to Lunch
At one point in time, I thought this guy was the next BIG thing:

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990902017
Former Northwestern State football star and 1988 AFC Rookie of the Year John Stephens was killed in a fatal wreck in Caddo Parish late Tuesday.

Stephens, 43, played high school football at Springhill before going on to NSU. He led the Demons in rushing for three consecutive seasons from 1985 to 1987. He played six seasons in the NFL and won the Rookie of the Year award after rushing for more than 1,000 yards in 1988.

Caddo Parish sheriff's investigators are trying to learn why Stephens had a fatal wreck in the parish late Tuesday.

The single-vehicle accident happened around 8:30 p.m. on state Highway 169 near Pine Orchard, according to a release from the sheriff's office.

Deputies said Stephen was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from his 2004 Chevy truck after it struck a patch of trees head-on.

According to the release, Stephens was traveling north at a high rate of speed when his vehicle ran off the road. Investigators say it appeared Stephens lost control and tried to over-correct his steering, causing him to cross back over the road and hit the trees.

The accident remains under investigation by the sheriff’s Traffic Safety Unit.

http://www.ktbs.com/news/former-football-star-killed-in-caddo-wreck
At the time of his death, Stephens was awaiting trial in Caddo District Court on charges he raped a woman who accepted his offer to show her a piece of property that was for rent. Stephens faced forcible rape charges. He had pleaded not guilty.

Stephens was accused of attacking a 51-year-old woman he met at a store on April 29. Caddo sheriff's investigators said he overheard the woman say she was looking for a place to rent. Stephens offered to show her some of his rental property, deputies said, and they left together in her car. The woman said she drove to an isolated area in south Caddo Parish, where she was attacked, sheriff's detectives said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

One has to wonder if this was a suicide. It was not IIRC Stephens first brush with the law on a sexual-assault-type charge.
 
My one lasting memory of Stephens is him and Fuller colliding.
 
Sad news, RIP John.
 
I remember thinking of him as one of the few bright spots of an otherwise awful franchise. This is sad.

RIP.
 
I had no idea about the charge...that makes me sad.

I loved John Stephens...he literally CARRIED the Patriots for a couple of seasons...he was a phenomenal back.

I think his career would have been longer and more productive if there was a team around him, because the Pats were just awful at the time.

I remember being woken up last minute on a Sunday by my friends who got tickets, and dragged me out of the house to go to a game against Indy. He ran for 220 yards! It was awesome!

What WASN'T awesome was it was -20 degrees with wind chill, and I was just wearing a T-shirt and a denim jacket with jeans.....I was shaking so bad the beer wouldn't stay in the cup, and it froze on my hand!

RIP John.
 
I liked him a lot, too. No. 44- played like John Riggins that year and was a bright spot on a disappointing team. Hard to believe that was 20 years ago.
 
Baron Samedi said:
I had no idea about the charge...that makes me sad.

I loved John Stephens...he literally CARRIED the Patriots for a couple of seasons...he was a phenomenal back.

I think his career would have been longer and more productive if there was a team around him, because the Pats were just awful at the time.
Click to expand...
I have similar thoughts to these, although after he broke Fuller's neck in that game, I don't think he ever played the same. I always thought that it messed with his head, as he never ran over people and "delivered the hit", the way that he did before that collision.

For a couple seasons, he was a beast.
 
The lone brightspot on an otherwise darkened house, at night, during an eclipse through the eyes of a blind person.
 
dchester said:
I have similar thoughts to these, although after he broke Fuller's neck in that game, I don't think he ever played the same. I always thought that it messed with his head, as he never ran over people and "delivered the hit", the way that he did before that collision.

For a couple seasons, he was a beast.
Click to expand...
Agreed, hard to not empathize with him, but he certainly seemed to lose that punch he once had.
 
Tippett on John Stephens

Pro Football Hall of Famer Andre Tippett reflects on late Patriots running back John Stephens.

More...
 
I've relayed this story before, but it's one of my favorite, being a Patriots fan and all.....

I went with a friend to the 1989 Pats/Buffalo game in Foxboro. It was a day game, but quite cold. Anyway, our seats were in the second row behind the Patriots bench. The cool thing was, I know the players, who sat with their backs to us of course, could hear our sometimes loud comments.

I was yelling out things like "Buffalo is nothing! They are doing nothing! You guys can beat this team". And John Stevens turned around, and smiled at me, and gave kind of a 'that's the spirit!' look and wave.

A wonderful moment, in my years as a Patriots football fan.

BTW, the Patriots came back and beat the tough Bills team that day.

RIP, John Stevens
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top