Today in Patriots History
The 1972 Draft
After two super bowl championships and the birth date of Rob Ninkovich, these other Patriots February 1 events are a bit underwhelming.
February 1, 2020:
Stephon Gilmore is named
2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Stephon Gilmore becomes the first New England Patriot to win DPOY, an accolade that has been awarded at the end of every season since 1971.
Gilmore tied for the NFL lead with a career-high six interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns (Week 2 at Miami & Week 15 at Cincinnati) for a defense that finished No. 1 in the NFL in total defense (275.9 yards per game) and points allowed per game (14.1). He also tied for the NFL lead with 20 passes defensed, matching his single-season high from 2018. Gilmore joined Ty Law (27 in 1998 & 23 in 2003) as the only New England Patriots with multiple seasons of 20-plus passes defensed in franchise history. He also posted a career-high 53 tackles and recovered one fumble.
February 1, 2001:
Romeo Crennel is hired as defensive coordinator. He and
Bill Belichick worked together for the Giants from 1981-90, with the Pats in '96 and with the Jets from 1997-99.
February 1, 2000:
New head coach Bill Belichick begins assembling his staff.
Charlie Weis hired to be the offensive coordinator, and
Eric Mangini will be a defensive assistant coach. Two other coaches are re-signed:
Ivan Fears as wide receivers coach, and
Jeff Davidson as assistant offensive line coach.
February 1, 1972:
Day One of the 1972 NFL Draft is held at the Essex House in New York, consisting of rounds one through seven. Buffalo selects Notre Dame defensive end
Walt Patulski with the first pick.
As for what transpired with New England's draft picks, be warned - this ride has many strange twists and turns.
The Patriots had no first round draft pick thanks to trades involving a few bizarre chapters of early franchise history. In 1970 the Patriots signed QB
Joe Kapp as a free agent. Free agency then was not what it is now, with the signing team having to compensate the team that lost a player. In this case the Pats sent Minnesota their 1972 first round pick (which turned out to be 10th overall), plus safety
John Charles and cash. Not a good value, as Kapp lasted one 1-9 season while throwing
17 interceptions versus three touchdowns.
Similarly the Pats received compensation when due to a front office oversight DT
Phil Olsen (the team's fourth overall pick from the 1970 draft) signed with the Rams. The Patriots received LA's 1972 first round pick and more - then traded that pick to the Giants for a player that refused to report to the Pats,
Fred Dryer.
New England also traded away their second round pick in the trade that brought RB
Duane Thomas to Foxboro for a few strange days in 1971. The Pats were finally able to draft a player near the end of the second round, WR
Tom Reynolds; he lasted just one season for the Pats, with eight receptions and two touchdowns.
The Pats original third round pick was also lost in the Duane Thomas trade, but the club did have another third from Los Angeles via the Phil Olsen signing. New England used that selection on Colorado State defensive end
Jim White; he too lasted only one year with the Patriots.
New England had traded their own fourth round pick the previous year to Dallas for LB
Steve Kiner, and their fifth to Baltimore for PR
Ron Gardin. One hit, one miss.
The Pats had also picked up another fifth from Oakland in '71, and used it on
Ron Bolton; he would start at corner for the Pats through 1975.
The Patriots own sixth round pick went to the Giants as part of the Fred Dryer trade, and then they used their seventh on a tight end named
Clark Hoss who was traded to Cleveland at the start of training camp. The Pats had the very next pick via a trade with the Chargers for
Eddie Ray; the running back never did anything with the Patriots but he proceeded to play for six more years in the NFL. The Pats used that draft pick on RB
John Tarver, who scored eight touchdowns over the next three seasons for the Patriots.
February 1, 1970:
The AFL and NFL announce a merger, forming a combined league with 26 teams. Thirteen will compete in the American Football Conference and 13 in the National Football Conference.
The Patriots would play in the AFC East, which was similar to their AFL East. The AFL's Houston Oilers would no longer be in the East, but the Patriots, Bills, Jets and Dolphins would remain in the same division. Three teams from the NFL would move to the new AFC - including the Baltimore Colts, who would also play in the AFC East.
Happy 32nd birthday to
Travaris Cadet
Born Feb 1, 1989 in Miami
Patriot RB, 2015; uniform #39
Signed as a free agent on March 17, 2015
Many Pats fans had high hopes for the former New Orleans Saint from Appalachian State, but he was waived on Sept 29, 2015. Cadet played in 73 NFL games from 2013-2018, with seven touchdowns.
Happy birthday to
Alvin Richardson, who would have been 86 today
Born Feb 1, 1935 in New Orleans
Patriot DE, 1960; uniform #79
A 26th round draft pick by the Eagles in 1957, the Grambling State alum played in three games with two starts for the Patriots in their inaugural 1960 season.
Other pro football players born on this date with a New England connection:
Amara Darboh, 27 (1994)
A Patriot WR for all of four days in 2018; he was a third round pick by Seattle in 2017.
Tim Mazzetti, 65 (1956)
Born and raised in Old Greenwich CT
Penn kicker played for the Falcons for three seasons. He also scored the first points in USFL history for the Boston Breakers, where he was an All-USFL kicker.
Larry Swider, 66 (1955)
Born and raised in Limestone, Maine
Punter from 1977-82 was a Broncos draft pick from Pitt.
Dave Graham, 82 (1939)
Born in Bridgeport, raised in Fairfield CT
Left tackle played in 83 games for the Eagles in the sixties. Graham later became a grade school principal and then his town's
executive director of school administration in 2017.
Roger Ellis (1938-2008)
Native of Westwood, Massachusetts; University of Maine
After being drafted by the Giants in 1959 the middle linebacker would play for the Titans/Jets for four seasons in the AFL. He later became
a secret service agent for Spiro Agnew.
Johnny Miller (1934-2015)
Born and raised in Lowell; Keith Academy; Boston College
OT and DT for Washington and Green Bay, 1955-60. He was an All-American and enshrined to the BC Hall of Fame and later the Hall of Fame at
St. Mary’s High School in Lynn where he had coached football.
Lou Koplow (1904-1988)
Born in Malden; Boston English High School; Boston University
Had a cup of coffee as a tackle for the Providence Steam Roller in the twenties.
