Matt Snell

Matt Snell, former running back for the New York Jets who scored the team’s only touchdown in Super Bowl III, passed away from natural causes on March 10, 2026, in East Meadow, New York, at the age of 84.

Born on July 22, 1941, in Swainsboro, Georgia, Matt grew up in Locust Valley, New York, on Long Island. He attended Carle Place High School, where he was a three-year starter on the football team and remains honored in the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He went on to play for legendary coach Woody Hayes at Ohio State University, contributing at multiple positions and helping the Buckeyes capture the 1961 Big Ten Championship.

Drafted by the New York Jets in 1964, Matt earned AFL Rookie of the Year honors and was selected as an AFL All-Star in three seasons. He is best remembered for his standout performance in Super Bowl III, rushing for 121 yards on 31 carries and adding three receptions for 40 yards as the Jets upset the favored Baltimore Colts 16-7. In 2015, he was inducted into the New York Jets Ring of Honor.

After his playing career, Matt owned a restaurant and a liquor store, became a partner in Defco Securities, and later found his place in the construction industry in New York City. He owned Snellco Construction and S.C.I. Ltd., where his companies performed general contract work for the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York and the New York City School Construction Authority.

Matt is survived by his wife Sharon, his children Beau and Jada, his grandson Donte, and his siblings Dorothy Robinson of Lakeview, New York, Viola O’Neal of Houston, Texas, and Isaac Snell of Chicago, Illinois, along with many nieces and nephews.