PatsFans.com Menu
PatsFans.com - The Hub For New England Patriots Fans
PatsFans.com - The Hub For New England Patriots Fans

Today In Patriots History Feb 21: Walt Cudzik, the Pats first center

Fun historical team facts.
Status
Not open for further replies.

jmt57

Moderator
Staff member
PatsFans.com Supporter
2024 Weekly Picks Winner
2025 Weekly Picks Winner
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Messages
23,684
Reaction score
19,598
Today in Patriots History
Walt Cudzik



In memory of Walt Cudzik, born on this date 93 years ago
Born February 21, 1932 in Chicago
Died December 11, 2005 at the age of 73 in Gulf Shores, Alabama
Patriot center, 1960-1963; uniform #56 (1960), #54 (1961-63)

Signed early in the Boston Patriots inaugural 1960 offseason
Pats résumé: started every game for the Pats first four seasons; team captain



Walt Cudzik joined the Patriots in their inaugural season and played in every game from 1960 to 1963. That includes the Pats first postseason game when the team defeated Buffalo for the AFL East title as well as the 1963 AFL Championship Game versus San Diego. Walt was named to the UPI 1st Team All-AFL in 1960 and was the Pats offensive team captain in 1963.




By 1964 competition for rookies had heated up between the AFL and NFL. Holy Cross center Jon Morris was drafted by both Boston and Green Bay. The All American quickly rejected Vince Lombardi’s initial contract due to its meager salary, calling it ‘a joke’. Mike Holovak responded with a superior two-year, no-cut deal that included a bonus: a brand new Pontiac convertible. The Packers matched that offer, but then Holovak upped the ante, guaranteeing that Morris would start at center from day one. Lombardi refused to match those terms - and Morris signed with the Patriots.


Shuffled off to Buffalo


As a result of the Morris' signing, the Patriots now had one too many starting centers on the roster. Therefore Holovak traded 32-year-old Walt Kudzik, without concern that he would starting for a division rival and contender. In the long run the move worked out fine. Morris had a career that put him on the AFL All-Time Team and the Pats Hall of Fame. The short term outcome was different.

The 1964 AFL East title came down to the final game of the regular season. The defending champion Chargers were not nearly as good as they were the previous season. This meant that single game between the Pats and Bills would likely determine the 1964 league champion. Cudzik centered a Buffalo offense that was the best in the league in ’64. The Bills came out on fire and beat the Patriots handily, then took care of business a week later against San Diego. Ten years after he began playing professional football, Walt Cudzik was an important part of a championship team. That would be his final game of pro football.

Following his football career Walt Cudzik earned a law degree, and practiced as an attorney until his retirement in 2002.



Here's a tidbit from a great article on Walt Cudzik below:

On October 28th at Nickerson Field in Boston in the 3rd quarter, Butch Songin on a first down and ten play on his own twenty-yard line has his pass deflected. Walt latches onto the pass and gains 11 yards. This is his only statistical play in his career.

He finishes his first year in Boston being voted Second-team All-Pro center behind the legendary Jim Otto. Much of the rest of my evaluation of Cudzik is based upon highlight reels, yet at least can state the following—he demonstrated quickness on the cut-off block on middle linebackers, was able to block defensive tackles when called upon, and his pass blocking was superb. Textbook technique and very effective.


Walt Cudzik - Pro Football Archives



 
Jon Morris is another, like Stanley Morgan, who has been done dirty by the NFL. He should absolutely be in the NFL HoF.
 
Today in Patriots History
Terry Allen



Happy 57th birthday to Terry Allen
Born February 21, 1968 in Commerce, Georgia
Patriot running back, 1999; uniform #22
Signed as a veteran free agent to a two-year contract on August 27, 1999
Pats résumé: one season, 16 games (13 starts); 1,021 yards from scrimmage (896 rushing) with 9 touchdowns



The Patriots were in dire straits at running back in 1999. One year earlier Curtis Martin had departed for greener pastures with the Jets. Robert Edwards had a spectacular rookie season in 1998, but a freak injury playing volleyball at a Pro Bowl event not only sidelined him, it nearly took his life. That left the Patriots with career backups Lamont Warren and Jerry Ellison, and an untested 5’8, 197-pound rookie named Kevin Faulk to carry the ball.

Allen had vaulted from a ninth round pick in 1990 to Herschel Walker’s replacement two years later in Minnesota, with 15 touchdowns. From 1995-96 Allen had 3,088 yards from scrimmage and scored 32 touchdowns with Washington - including a league-leading 21 in 1999. Due to overuse – he had 748 touches in those two seasons – his body wore out. Ankle injuries limited Allen to 20 games in the two seasons prior to arriving in Foxboro, with six rushing touchdowns.

Terry Allen played in all sixteen games with thirteen starts in 1999, averaging a career low 3.5 yards per carry - after averaging 4.7 the previous season in Washington. One of Bill Belichick’s first personnel decisions was to move on, releasing Allen. The Clemson running back hung on for two more years, finishing his NFL career in 2001 with Baltimore, after Jamal Lewis had suffered a season ending knee injury during training camp. Terry Allen had 10,215 yards from scrimmage and scored 79 touchdowns over 130 NFL games, from 1991 to 2001.


Terry Allen full Redskins and Patriots highlights
7:40 Highlight Video





Some Terry Allen headlines and articles:

July 11, 1997:

Aug 28, 1999:

Sept 10, 1999:

Sept 27, 1999:

Oct 7, 1999:

Dec 28, 1999:

Feb 24, 2000:

Spring, 2023:

2023:

April 15, 2024:

May 31, 2024:
Following his pro career, Allen went back to Clemson to complete his degree and served as a student coach for the Tigers during their 2016 National Championship run.

In 2017, he moved into an Assistant Running Backs coach role with the Arizona Cardinals before heading back to Banks County where he's served as the Graduation Coach and Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator for the Leopards.

Now the newly named Head Women's Flag Football Coach at Emmanuel University will set his sights on recruiting for the team's inaugural season in Spring 2025.
 
Jon Morris is another, like Stanley Morgan, who has been done dirty by the NFL. He should absolutely be in the NFL HoF.

Even more egregious is the omission of Gino Cappelletti from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
(Note the name voters: it is the Pro Football Hall of Fame, not the NFL Hall of Fame.)

-> Five-Time AFL All-Star
-> Led the league in scoring five times
-> One of only three players to ever lead any pro football league in scoring five times
-> Set AFL record for most points scored in a single season with 147 in 1961
-> Broke his own record, with 155 points in 1964
-> 1964 Sporting News Player of the Year, 1964 AP AFL PoY and 1964 UPI AFL PoY
-> Nobody would score more points in a single season for 19 years, until Mark Mosely scored 161 in 1983
-> AFL's all-time leading scorer with 1,130 points (42 TDs, 176 FGs and 342 PATs)
-> In the AFL's top ten all-time for both career yards receiving and number of receptions
-> Incredible versatility: besides handling kickoffs, field goals and PATs, also played both flanker (292 receptions, 42 TD) and safety (4 picks)
-> And for good measure, he also threw a touchdown pass, and had four 2-point conversions
 
Today in Patriots History
Jake Bequette



Happy 36th birthday to Jake Bequette
Born February 21, 1989 in Little Rock, Arkansas
Patriot defensive end, 2012-2014; uniform #92
Pats 3rd round (90th overall) selection of the 2012 draft, from Arkansas
Pats résumé: eight games; 43 snaps on defense, 36 on special teams; one ring



George Jules Bequette III spent more time on the practice squad than on the 53-man roster, appearing in only 8 games over three seasons and four training camps. He was released with an injury settlement on September 4, 2015, after a failed attempt to convert from DE to TE. Jake received a ring with the Pats from Super Bowl 49 versus Seattle, for spending the 2014 season on the practice squad.


From beginning to end, Bequette's career with the Patriots was not good. On Day One of the 2012 NFL Draft, the Pats nailed it, landing both Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower. Day Two was a different story.

- In the second round with the 48th overall pick, the Patriots draft Illinois S Tavon Wilson.

Wilson was projected to be a 6th or 7th round draft pick, or possibly go undrafted. He had not even been invited to the NFL draft combine. He started some as a rookie and got a decent amount of playing time (464 defensive snaps, 42%) in 2012, but he wasn't particularly impressive. He was better on special teams, but why draft a ST player so early? If the team wanted a safety they should have traded up (for Harrison Smith or Mark Barron), waited (George Iloka was available in the fifth round; he started 79 games at safety over a none-year career) - or just selected Wilson if he was still available in the sixth or seventh?

The Patriots were known for drafting down, or out and into the following year. Why not do that here, rather than drafting a special teams ace?


- Next, the Patriots traded their second (62nd overall) to Green Bay for a third (90th overall) and a fifth (163rd overall).

In the 3rd round with the 90th overall pick, the Patriots drafted Arkansas DE Jake Bequette.

In his rookie season Bequette was on the field for a whole 29 snaps over three games, primarily in garbage time. The next year Bequette was on the field for all of 11 defensive snaps in a blowout versus the Bucs, plus three more snaps a couple weeks later. He also appeared in 36 special team snaps, with about half coming in one game against the Saints.

In 2014 Bequette was a training camp cut. He was re-signed to the practice squad and managed to remain there for the entire season - thus receiving a Super Bowl ring despite never being on the 53-man roster. Somehow Bequette was still not shown the door, as the Pats attempted to convert him to tight end in the 2015 off season. He was mercifully released before the start of the 2015 season, becoming a free agent. Not a single one of the 31 other teams ever brought Bequette in for even a workout, ending his pro football career.

Meanwhile the Packers selected Vanderbilt corner Casey Hayward with the draft pick they received from New England. Hayward had immediate impact with six interceptions his rookie season. After that he was named to two pro bowls, once led the NFL in interceptions, and had a solid NFL career (11 seasons, 159 games, 25 interceptions) as a starting cornerback.

Ironically the other pick that the Patriots received in that trade - #163 - turned into something much better than Bequette. The Pats traded it again, and it resulted in three players: Nate Ebner, Alfonzo Dennard and Jeremy Ebert.




Bequette then joined the Army in August of 2017, and became a 2nd Lieutenant in the infantry. In January of 2021 he launched The Arkansas Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to helping small businesses in Arkansas that had struggled as a result of the pandemic. Then in July 2021 he announced his candidacy for US Senate, against incumbent Arkansas Senator John Boozman, in a campaign where Bequette attempted to go further right than the very conservative Boozman. On May 24, 2022, Boozman easily defeated Bequette in the primary, with 58% of the vote to Bequette’s 20%.



Feb 29, 2012:
Quinton Coples may have been a draft bust, but he was far better than Jake Bequette - who was certainly not worth considering to be a 2nd round draft prospect.

April 28, 2012:

Jan 6, 2014:
"Would not be surprised if an UDFA beats out Bequette for a 2014 roster spot which increase the Patriots cap space by $150,000.

Feb 18, 2014:
Football Memories: Jake Bequette - Patriots.com

Nov 10, 2018:
Catching up with Former Razorback Jake Bequette - KARK Channel 4, Arkansas
 
Today in Patriots History
More February 21 Birthdays



Happy 55th birthday to Will Moore
Born February 21, 1970 in Dallas
Patriot wide receiver, 1995-1996; uniform #83
Signed as a free agent on April 3, 1995
Pats résumé: two seasons, 16 games (14 starts); 46 receptions, 539 yards, one touchdown


Bill Parcells signed Moore after spending three seasons with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders - catching passes from Doug Flutie. In 1995 Moore had 43 receptions for 502 yards and one touchdown. He was released the day after a week two loss at Buffalo on September 10, 1996, to make room for CB Mike 'Scooter' McGruder and OL Mike Gisler. Moore later played with Jacksonville for two years.

May 29, 1995:




Happy 36th birthday to Brian Tyms
Born February 21, 1989 in Kent WA; raised in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Patriot wide receiver, 2014; uniform #84
Signed as a free agent on July 27, 2014
Pats résumé: two seasons (one on IR), 11 games (2 starts); 5 receptions, 92 yards, one touchdown; one playoff game, one ring


The Patriots felt strongly enough about Brian Tyms that they signed him despite knowing he would soon be suspended for four games for PEDs. In eleven games for the Pats Tyms had five receptions and one touchdown. He received a ring from Super Bowl 49 then spent 2015 on IR. Tyms then spent two years in the CFL and two in the AAF before they went out of existence.

Brian Tyms hauls in 43 yard TD w/ Stephon Gilmore blanketing him in coverage Buffalo (Week 6, 2014)
1:04 Highlight Play





Happy 64th birthday to Chuck McSwain
Born February 21, 1961 in Polk County, North Carolina
Patriot RB/KR, 1987; uniform #32
Signed as a free agent, late September, 1987
Pats résumé: three games, nine carries, 23 yards


Chuck McSwain was a replacement player for three games during the strike in ’87. His younger brother Rod played safety for the Patriots from 1984-1990.




Cierre Wood, 34
Born February 21, 1991; from Santa Clara, California
Patriot RB, 2013; uniform #32
Signed to the practice squad on November 5, 2013
Pats résumé: two games, no stats


Due to his abhorrent actions there is no bio here. This monster is the reason that even left-leaning liberals believe that in certain cases the death penalty is appropriate. Two games, zero stats; nothing to see here, move along.




Two other players born on this date with a New England connection:

Sandro Vitiello, 67 (2/21/58)
University of Massachusetts
The Italian born kicker played for the Bengals in 1980. From 1988 to 2014 Vitiello was an executive with Regent Sports, a major supplier of products for Walmart. Before retiring he was also president of VMN Global, a wholesale sporting goods company in New York.
Sandro Vitiello - LinkedIn

Ken Huff, 72 (2/21/53)
Deerfield (Mass) Academy
Spent eleven seasons at guard for Baltimore and Washington, appearing in 145 games from 1975-1985.
One of only three players from Deerfield Academy to play in the NFL.
 
Today in Patriots History
Other February 21 Trivia


February 21, 2002:
The Patriots use the franchise tag for the first time ever, on kicker Adam Vinatieri

Update: Vinatieri tagged as "franchise" player - Patriots.com
For the first time in team history, the Patriots have used the "franchise" tag for one of its potential free agents, tabbing kicker Adam Vinatieri. The Patriots announced the decision Thursday afternoon. Vinatieri, whose 48-yard field goal as time expired won Super Bowl XXXVI for New England's first title, was set to be an unrestricted free agent when the signing period opened March 1.

At this point, Vinatieri is the third player this offseason getting such a designation, joining Philadelphia middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and Seattle left tackle Walter Jones. The deadline for designating as "franchise" or "transition" free agents is today at 4 p.m.

The only other player in team history to be tagged since the free agency era opened in 1993 was linebacker Vincent Brown, when he was named the team's transitional player the year the collective bargaining agreement began.




February 21, 2008:
The Patriots promote wide receivers coach Nick Caserio to the position of Director of Player Personnel.

Caserio had been the the director of pro personnel from 2004-07, and returned to the role that he was best suited for in 2008.

That's not to say he was not a good WR coach; quite the opposite.The 2007 team included a couple of new players by the names of Randy Moss and Wes Welker, and Caserio was instrumental in getting them quickly acclimated to the Patriots offensive scheme. In that 2007 season the Pats led the NFL in scoring, yardage and passing yards; Tom Brady set an NFL record with 50 passing touchdowns; Moss set an NFL record that has yet to be broken, with 23 touchdown receptions; and Welker led the league with 112 receptions in his first NFL season as a starter.




February 21, 1984:
The Philadelphia Eagles trade kicker Tony Franklin to New England, in exchange for a 1985 sixth round draft pick.

Franklin handled the kicking duties for the Pats for four seasons. He was named to the 1986 Pro Bowl after leading the NFL with 32 field goals, and 140 points scored. He ranks sixth all-time in franchise history with 93 successful field goals, and fifth with 163 extra points. The NFL's first barefooted kicker booted 177 field goals over his ten-year career.





February 21, 1996:
Long snapper Steve DeOssie is re-signed.

The Patriots signed DeOssie in 1994, after he had played ten seasons for the Cowboys, Giants and Jets. DeOssie played in every game for the Pats in 1994 and 1995, but was waived late in the 1996 training camp, to end his NFL career.

The Boston native is the only Don Bosco High School alum to ever play in the NFL, and graduated from BC one year before Doug Flutie did, when the Eagles played in bowl games for the first time in over 40 years. More DeOssie trivia: he and his son Zak - who was also a long snapper - are the only father-son combo to win super bowls with the same franchise.




February 21, 2000:
Lamont Warren is released

The running back joined the Pats in 1999, after five seasons with the Colts. Warren didn't get a whole lot of reps (35 carries, 29 receptions) under Pete Carroll, with Terry Allen handling the bulk of the work (254 carries) that season.





February 21, 2007:
Pats release safety Tebucky Jones.

Another New England native (New Britain CT), Tebucky was on his second stint with the Patriots. New England had selected Jones with the 22nd overall pick of the draft in 1998, and he played five seasons with the Pats before being traded to New Orleans. T-Buck re-signed with the Pats in 2006, but spent the entire season on IR. His knee was in such bad shape that the Pats released him, bringing his NFL career to an end. He later served as New Britain High School's head coach for nine seasons.


Dec 18, 1999; Bob George was not much of a fan at that time:

April 15, 2003:

August 9, 2009:

Below is an nteresting story on his life, from 2017:
The 6’2 218 lb. safety grew up in New Britain during a time when gang violence and drug use was at an all-time high.

His mother sold cocaine and other drugs in order to put food on the table.

As a child, Jones bounced from house to house and had to steal doughnuts from the neighboring 7-Eleven since it wasn’t guaranteed he’d have three meals a day.

. . .

He is full of sage advice, based on his own college and NFL playing days. For example, he tells his defensive backs that they can tell what route a receiver is going to run within the first five yards off the line of scrimmage by looking at the receiver’s hips.

Jones calls those 5-yards off the line of scrimmage the drop zone. “Belichick taught me that one,” he says.
 
Love all the Patriots history! Lately, I've been walking on my treadmill and I was kind of feeling like a gerbil because it is so boring. But to make it tolerable, I've been watching old Patriot Games on You Tube. One guy has posted 362 games and I've been watching them while I walk. Watching Grogan throw touchdown passes to Stanley Morgan and Bledsoe throw passes to Ben Coates has made walking on a treadmill kind of fun again. LOL
 
Love all the Patriots history! Lately, I've been walking on my treadmill and I was kind of feeling like a gerbil because it is so boring. But to make it tolerable, I've been watching old Patriot Games on You Tube. One guy has posted 362 games and I've been watching them while I walk. Watching Grogan throw touchdown passes to Stanley Morgan and Bledsoe throw passes to Ben Coates has made walking on a treadmill kind of fun again. LOL

Is it this guy, Pete Goodwin?
Or somebody else?



Thanks . . .
 
Walt Cudzik








Will Moore


cool story about brothers Chuck & Rod McSwain...


Jake Bequette


didn't bother with cierre woods. terrible guy. worse than AH. wouldn't post a pic even if i had one.
 
Last edited:
Love all the Patriots history! Lately, I've been walking on my treadmill and I was kind of feeling like a gerbil because it is so boring. But to make it tolerable, I've been watching old Patriot Games on You Tube. One guy has posted 362 games and I've been watching them while I walk. Watching Grogan throw touchdown passes to Stanley Morgan and Bledsoe throw passes to Ben Coates has made walking on a treadmill kind of fun again. LOL

@NCPATSFAN1971

Please share a link to his youtube page.
 
Is it this guy, Pete Goodwin?
Or somebody else?



Thanks . . .
The Games I've been watching on You Tube are listed under "New England Patriots Full Games - 362 Videos with Playlist" by Classic Sports Fanatic
 
The Games I've been watching on You Tube are listed under "New England Patriots Full Games - 362 Videos with Playlist" by Classic Sports Fanatic
Excellent, thanks for the info!

In case anyone is interested, here is the link to the playlist, 'New England Patriots Full Games - 362 Videos with Playlist



He also has these playlists:
"New England Patriots Player Highlights - 65 Videos Playlist"



"New England Patriots Team Videos - 41 Videos Playlist"



Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox, Super Bowl Full Games and much, much more here, for all of "Classic Sports Fanatics" YouTube Playlists:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
TRANSCRIPT: Eliot Wolf Pre-Draft Press Conference 4/13
Patriots News 04-12, What To Watch For In The NFL Draft
MORSE: Pre-Draft Patriots News and Notes
MORSE: Patriots Mock Draft 5
MORSE: Patriots Mock Draft 5
Mark Morse
1 week ago
Patriots Part Ways with Another Linebacker as Offseason Roster Shake-Up Continues
Patriots News 04-05, Mock Draft 2.0, Patriots Look For OL Depth
MORSE: 18 Game Schedule and Other Patriots Notes
TRANSCRIPT: Mike Vrabel Press Conference at the League Meetings 3/31
MORSE: Smokescreens and Misinformation Leading Up to Patriots Draft
Patriots News 03-29, Mock Draft 1.0, Tight End Draft Profiles
Back
Top