John Stephens

John Milton Stephens (February 23, 1966 – September 1, 2009) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL).

Stephens played college football for the Northwestern State Demons in Louisiana, where he broke the program's career rushing record previously set by Joe Delaney. Following his senior season, he was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round (17th overall) of the 1988 NFL draft. Stephens played in six NFL seasons from 1988 to 1993, the first five for the Patriots. As a rookie for the Patriots during the 1988 NFL season, Stephens rushed for 1,168 yards and was selected to his only Pro Bowl. His final season, Stephens played in five games for the Green Bay Packers before being traded to the Atlanta Falcons for cornerback Bruce Pickens. He was with Atlanta for only two weeks and played in no games for the Falcons before being released, and finished the season playing in seven games for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Stephens was married to All-American college swimmer Sybil Smith. Their daughter Sloane Stephens, born in 1993, is a professional tennis player who won the 2017 US Open women's singles title. His son John Stephens Jr. plays tight end in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys.

Stephens was twice charged with rape. In 1994, after his final NFL season, he was accused of raping a woman at a Kansas City hotel. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation. On September 1, 2009, Stephens died in a car accident while driving on a rural road near Shreveport, Louisiana.