Drafted in the 12th round (329th overall) of the 1990 NFL Draft by the New York Giants out of Louisiana Tech, Matt Stover spent his entire rookie year on injured reserve before signing with the Cleveland Browns in 1991. When the franchise relocated to Maryland in 1996, Stover followed, establishing himself over the next 13 seasons as the original clutch specialist in Baltimore history and a model of consistency in NFL annals.

Stover depended on consistent technique and mental strength rather than pure leg strength. He mastered the challenging wind conditions in M&T Bank Stadium, managing his ball flight with precise contact and a smooth follow-through. His real importance became clear late in close games: when Baltimore's power-running offense struggled inside the opponent's 35-yard line, Stover almost always ensured three points.

Stover smoothly transitioned from Cleveland, scoring 19 field goals in Baltimore's first season in 1996. As the Ravens developed an elite defense later in the decade, Stover became the main contributor to the team's scoring.

His most notable campaign was during the historic 2000 season. In a significant five-game stretch in October, when Baltimore's offense failed to score a single touchdown, Stover carried the team's scoring efforts, accounting for all 49 points scored during those weeks. He ended the regular season as the NFL's leading scorer with 35 field goals on 39 attempts (an 89.7% success rate) and 135 total points, earning his first Pro Bowl selection and First-Team All-Pro honors. His perfect postseason continued, with six field goals and 11 extra points, aiding Baltimore in winning Super Bowl XXXV.

Throughout the 2000s, Stover was known for his consistency. From 2003 to 2005, he achieved over 86% success on field goals each season and was perfect on extra points. In 2006, he had another notable year, tying for the NFL lead in field goal accuracy with 28 of 30 successful attempts (93.3%), which earned him Second-Team All-Pro honors. Moreover, between 2002 and 2004, he set an NFL record by successfully making a field goal in 38 consecutive games.

After the 2008 season, Baltimore chose not to re-sign the 41-year-old veteran, transitioning the kicking role to Stephen Hauschka until Justin Tucker ultimately became the franchise's legendary kicker. Stover's last NFL season was in 2009 with Indianapolis, where he replaced the injured Adam Vinatieri and set the record as the oldest player to kick a field goal in Super Bowl history during Super Bowl XLIV.

Across 13 seasons in Baltimore (1996–2008), Stover appeared in 207 regular-season games, converting 354 of 422 field goals (83.9%) and 402 of 403 extra points to set the franchise's then all-time scoring mark with 1,464 points. His overall NFL career total of 2,004 points ranks sixth in league history.