All-Time Chiefs QBs Ranked: Mahomes #1, Dawson #2

Matt Stevens

Kansas City Chiefs
Retired 1 Year In The NFL
🏆 Second Team All-Arena (1988)
Matt's
HAIR
6.8
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Matt Stevens or the Chiefs?

Matt Stevens Legacy

HEYTC AI
Matt Stevens, the kid from Sulphur, Louisiana, who lit up Fountain Valley High as one of the nation's top prep QBs, became UCLA's "Hail Matty" with that unforgettable 39-yard prayer to bury USC 31-0 at halftime in '86—a Crosstown classic for the ages. Filling in for the injured starter, he engineered a Rose Bowl rout of Iowa and diced up No. 9 Arizona for 284 yards. A strike-fueled Chiefs cameo gave him NFL cred, but arena leather proved his grit. Battling cancer in '94 only sharpened his edge; now 61, he savors every snap in broadcasting, proving football's real MVPs rewrite their own scripts.

Matt Stevens Rating Breakdown

Season
Non-Factor
Fantasy
Subpar
Playoffs
Non-Factor
Overall
Cooked
1 year with the Chiefs

Matt Stevens Career Stats via Wikipedia

0 Pass Yards
1 Touchdowns
1 INTs
32.0% Comp %
6.8 HAIR

Frequently Asked Questions About Matt Stevens

How does Patrick Mahomes compare to Matt Stevens?

Patrick Mahomes owns the Chiefs' throne with three Super Bowls and a cannon arm that rewrites record books, while Matt Stevens' "legacy" is that gritty 1987 strike cameo—315 yards, one TD in three games before Mahomes was born. It's like comparing a Ferrari to a reliable old pickup; Stevens got the Chiefs through a pinch, but Pat's the engine of a dynasty.

Is Matt Stevens in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nope, Matt Stevens isn't in the Pro Football Hall of Fame—no bust in Canton for the strike-season Chief who slung 315 yards and a lone TD. His cup of coffee in the NFL doesn't scream immortality, more like a fun footnote next to arena ball heroics and that Italian Super Bowl run with the Legnano Frogs.

What is Matt Stevens doing now in 2026?

No fresh intel on Matt Stevens in 2026—he's faded from the gridiron spotlight since his brief Chiefs stint and arena days. Last whispers are from decades back: slinging passes for the L.A. Cobras or chasing dreams in Italy. Probably coaching kids, selling real estate, or tailgating Chiefs games, living that quiet post-football life.

How would Matt Stevens perform in today's NFL?

Stevens' quick-release arm and mobility might snag him a few gadget plays in today's pass-happy NFL, where rules shield QBs like never before—think RPOs and no-hit sticks. But his 6.81 rating and strike-era stats scream backup at best; he'd be Doug Pederson 2.0, not a starter in Andy Reid's motion offense.

How does Matt Stevens compare to Len Dawson?

Len Dawson, the Chiefs' Super Bowl IV maestro with a 51.37 rating, lapped Matt Stevens' 6.81 passer rating from that '87 strike blur—Dawson's AFL precision versus Stevens' three-game scramble. Both franchise flickers, but Len's the graybeard icon; Matt's the what-if warrior who lit up Arena instead.