Today in Patriots History
Patriots Annual Preseason Hall of Fame Award
Happy 35th birthday to Zach Sudfeld
Born April 18, 1989 in Santa Cruz
Patriot TE, 2013; uniform #44
The 6'7 phenom was an undrafted free agent signing out of Nevada in 2013. Initially he was considered to be nothing more than camp fodder, stuck on the depth chart behind Gronk, Aaron Hernandez, Michael Hoomanawanui, Daniel Fells and Jake Ballard. Sudfeld impressed in the offseason and in preseason games - including a TD and two-point conversion in week two. Hernandez went full psychotic and was infamously released, Ballard was unable to physically recover from his knee injury, and Fells underwhelmed in camp. With that Sudfeld went
from a nobody to a fan favorite, and survivor of final roster cuts as the team's third tight end.
The fairy book tale didn't last long though. In week one a short pass to the right bounced off his hands for an interception. After being inactive for a game, in week three a pass thrown his way in the end zone was picked off. Then in week four he fumbled away an onside kick and his New England Patriot career was over.
In three games with the Patriots Sudfeld had zero receptions on three targets, with two of those passes resulting in interceptions.
Since Rex Ryan is Rex Ryan, he couldn't help himself and of course claimed the rookie off waivers. Sudfeld appeared in 27 games for the Jets in 2013-14, totaling ten receptions for 148 yards and zero touchdowns. He spent 2015 on IR after tearing his ACL in minicamp, and was released at the end of training camp in 2016.
His legacy lives on, however. Patriot fans now have the annual
Zach Stud-feld/Markell Carter Award, given to a new player who is wildly overrated by fans and the media during training camp and preseason games.
Happy 52nd birthday to David Green
Born April 18, 1972 in Mount Kisco, New York
Patriot RB, 1995; uniform #38
Signed as an undrafted free agent on May 1, 1995
David Green went to Boston College and rushed for 1018 yards at 5.1 yards per carry his senior year. In the 1994 Aloha Bowl he
rushed for 127 yards in a victory over #8 Kansas State. Green appeared in the first two games of the 1995 season for the Patriots on special teams, but never got a chance to touch the ball.
Green is most well known for a play he wishes everyone would forget. In 1993 #17 BC defeated #1 Notre Dame 41-39 in what is arguably - despite the legend of Hail Flutie - the greatest football game in BC history. The following week the Eagles moved up from #17 to #11 in the national rankings. The next game was a winner take all showdown for the Big East title with undefeated #5 West Virginia at Alumni Stadium. The Eagles dominated the game but were unable to put the Mountaineers away. BC was driving for a clinching TD, already up 14-10 - but a fumble by Green at the 37 yard line with under 2 minutes left gave West Virginia life. The Mountaineers drove down the field to score a go-ahead touchdown, denying the Eagles their first New Year's Day bowl game, and a Big East title.
Fast forward to the 1995 season: Green was cut at the end of camp, and signed to the practice squad. Before the season began he replaced RB Dino Philyaw on the active roster, and appeared in the first two games. However, Green suffered a knee injury in a week two loss to Miami, and spent the rest of the season on injured reserve. He was unable to pass the physical prior to the 1996 training camp and was released - ending his very brief NFL career.
April 18, 2017: Patriots make four transactions.
- Pats waive guard
Tre' Jackson. The club had drafted Jackson in the fourth round of the 2015 draft, and he appeared in 13 games with nine starts as a rookie. A lingering knee injury resulted in his starting 2016 on PUP, and he missed the entire season while recovering from knee surgery. Jackson was released prior to the draft, and claimed by the Rams - but they too released him a few days later. Jackson never did play in the NFL again.
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James White, fresh of his heroics in Super Bowl 51, is re-signed to a 3-year, $12 million contract extension through 2020.
- Restricted free agent CB
Malcolm Butler is re-signed to a one-year contract.
- ERFA tight end
Matt Lengel is re-signed to a one-year contract.
April 18, 2013: DT
Myron Pryor is released.
A sixth round draft pick in 2009, Pryor appeared in 24 games from 2009-2011. He missed all of 2012 due to an injury, and never played in the NFL again after that.
April 18, 2012: Left tackle
Matt Light retires after eleven seasons and three Super Bowl championships with the Patriots.
April 18, 2005: Pats sign free agent
Wesly Mallard to a one-year contract. The OLB appeared in three games for New England.
April 18, 1999: Day Two of the 1999 NFL Draft.
- 5.154: G
Derrick Fletcher, Baylor
- 6.180: S Marcus Washington, Colorado
- 7.227: QB
Michael Bishop, Kansas State
- 7.241: WR
Sean Morey, Brown
April 18, 1998: Day One of the 1998 NFL Draft.
QBs Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf go 1-2.
- 1.18: RB
Robert Edwards, Georgia
(Randy Moss slipped to 1.21)
- 1.22: S
Tebucky Jones, Syracuse
- 2.52: WR
Tony Simmons, Wisconsin
- 2.54: TE
Rod Rutledge, Alabama
- 3.81: FB
Chris Floyd, Michigan
- 3.83: DE
Chris Spires, Florida State
April 18, 1997: Patriots re-sign restricted free agent DE
Ferric Collons to a two-year, $1.25 million contract, matching Philadelphia's RFA offer sheet.
April 18, 1996: Free agent LB
Rich McKenzie is signed to a one-year deal; he would be waived in August.
April 18, 1989: DE
Kenneth Sims is re-signed to a one-year contract. '89 would be the final year of the playing days for the first overall pick of the 1982 draft.
April 18, 1979: New head coach
Ron Erhadt hires
Billy Kinard as defensive backs coach.
Other pro football players with New England connections born today:
Walt Sweeney (4/18/1941 - 2/2/2013)
Sweeney is one of only two pro football players from Cohasset. He played his college ball at Syracuse and was the second overall pick in the 1963 AFL draft by San Diego. Sweeney was a nine-time Pro Bowl and two-time All Pro right guard for the Chargers. He played for 13 years and missed just one game during that time, in his final season. The
hard living Sweeney probably suffered from the old school NFL bias that prevented many AFL players from being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Merlin Olsen once said that
if he had to play against Sweeney every week, "I'd rather sell used cars."
John Sinnott, 66 (4/18/1958)
Sinnott was a left tackle who spent four seasons in the NFL with the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants. He appeared in nine games with seven starts for the Colts in 1982. Sinnott graduated from Dedham High School
and Brown University, with a degree in civil engineering. He is now a vice president and Business Unit Leader at Gilbane Building Company.
Steve Cheek, 47 (4/18/1977)
Cheek attended UMass and was a punter in 2004 with the Kansas City Chiefs. He also spent time with the Eagles, Giants, Texans, Niners and Panthers. Cheek was also in NFL Europe for two years.
James Marten, 40 (4/18/1984)
Marten is a left guard and left tackle from Boston College. He was selected by the Cowboys in the third round (67th overall) in the 2007 draft. He spent time with the Cowboys, Raiders, Bears and Dolphins from 2007-2010, but appeared in only one NFL game.
