Today In Patriots History March 16, 2001: Pats sign Pittsburgh free agent Mike Vrabel

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Mike Vrabel​

March 16, 2001:
The Patriots sign free agent Mike Vrabel.

The deal was reportedly a 5-year, $12.5 million contract, including a $2.5 million signing bonus. Considering that the 2001 salary cap was $67 million, that was quite a commitment by Bill Belichick.

Vrabel was a 1997 third round pick by Pittsburgh, out of Ohio State. He never started in four seasons with the Steelers, departing when his contract expired and he became a free agent. Ironically his most notable play during that time involved the Pats. The 22-year old Vrabel sacked Drew Bledsoe with 1:30 to go to clinch a 7-6 Steeler victory over the Patriots in the '97-'98 divisional round playoff game. Bledsoe had completed six of seven passes to move the Pats close to field goal range, and another first down. That turned out to be the first of the Akron-area native's twenty postseason games.

Belichick saw something in Vrabel that he liked, and Pittsburgh overlooked. It was probably one of the best decisions he made in his twenty-plus years as a general manager. Vrabel became a week one starter and proceeded to miss just three games over seven seasons with the Patriots.

Jan 3, 1998: Steelers DE Mike Vrabel forces the fumble by grabbing Drew Bledsoe's arm late in the fourth quarter, with 1:30 left in game, as the Patriots were driving.
Pittsbugh recovered and ran out the clock to win by the score of 7-6​

A little bit of trivia: Vrabel originally wore #51 with the Patriots, but switched to #50 during training camp, so that newly signed Bryan Cox could have #51.

There is a slight bit of uncertainty as to the exact date that Vrabel signed with the Pats. The 2001 Patriots Media Guide, Pro Football Archives, and Pro Sports Transactions all list the date as March 16; Pro Football Reference only lists transactions back to 2002. ESPN's team transactions only go back as far as 2008, and Patriots.com's roster transactions only go to 2016. However this old ESPN tracker by John Clayton lists the date as March 13, and this Boston.com article states the signing occured on March 12. Majority rules, I'm going with March 16.

In 2007 Vrabel forced three fumbles, had three sacks, recovered an onside kick, and caught a touchdown pass - all in one game. He finished his career with 10 receptions on 14 targets - with all ten going for touchdowns. On defense Vrabel was an effective force not only at defensive end and outside linebacker, but also when injuries necessitated him to play inside linebacker in 2005 and 2006.

Over eight seasons with the Patriots Vrabel recorded 606 tackles (412 solo), 48 sacks, 11 interceptions (with one touchdown), 24 pass deflections, 13 forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.

Late in the 2001 season Vrabel intercepted a pass in a game at the Jets. The turnover was clutch, triggering a momentum change which led to the Patriots outscoring New York 17-3 in the second half, to win 17-16. Then in Super Bowl 36 it was Mike Vrabel who applied the pressure on Kurt Warner that forced a bad pass that was intercepted by Ty Law, returned 47 yards for a touchdown.

​

Early in the 2002 season Vrabel lined up as a tight end and grabbed a one-yard TD pass to give the Pats a 14-7 lead at San Diego. In doing so Mike became the first New England defensive player to catch a touchdown pass since 1974, when John Tanner caught a two-yard TD from Jim Plunkett. Little did any of us know at the time this would be the first of many.

The following year Vrabel had three sacks in a 9-3 win over Cleveland; at the time it was the most sacks in a single game in franchise history, tying Henry Thomas' record set in 1998. (That mark has since been surpassed by Willie McGinest with 4.5 in '06, and Andre Carter with 4.0 in '11.) Mike had 9.5 sacks in '03, the most by any Patriot in the Bill Belichick era, and most by a Patriot since McGinest had the same amount in 1996. All that was accomplished despite missing three games Vrabel capped off the 2003 season with a strong postseason, finishing with three sacks - including two in Super Bowl 38. He also had another touchdown reception in the fourth quarter which was crucial, changing a 22-21 deficit to a 29-22 lead with 2:51 left to play; that was the first offensive touchdown by a defensive player in a Super Bowl since Refrigerator Perry scored in SB 20. And earlier in the game Vrabel's hit on Jake Delhomme late in the first half caused a fumble which was recovered by Richard Seymour deep in Carolina territory. The Patriots would score four plays later to take a seven point lead. Super Bowl 38 was simply an incredible game by Vrabel.

On December 26, 2005 Mike Vrabel became the first player in NFL history to record two touchdowns and a sack in a single game, since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Herm Edwards had no answer for Vrabel that day; Mike also had a game-high six tackles as the Pats won 31-21 in New Jersey. In 2006 Vrabel was captain on a Pats defense that set a franchise record by allowing just 14.8 points per game. That defense allowed 237 points, the fewest by any Patriot club in a 16-game season.

Along with his versatility, Mike Vrabel was clutch. He had four strip-sacks in the postseason. The first came with the Steelers to clinch a 7-6 Pittsburgh win in the 1997 divisional round against Drew Bledsoe. There was another on Jake Delhomme in the Super Bowl (see above), and a year later one on Peyton Manning in the 20-3 win against the Colts. Vrabel also had a strip sack on Philip Rivers in the epic 24-21 2006 divisional round game against the Chargers; that was recovered by Tully Banta-Cain and led to a Stephen Gostkowski field goal.

Best of Mike Vrabel | Offense and Defense Highlights
4:04 Highlight Video
​

Mike Vrabel was the ultimate Patriots player

Mike Vrabel epitomized what it meant to be a Patriot during the Belichick-Brady era. You can put him up there with Troy Brown, Tedy Bruschi and Kevin Faulk as players who embody the essence of the Patriot Way. He was a tough, smart, versatile football player.

www.boston.com

Mike Vrabel: The forgotten Super Bowl 38 hero

February 17, 2015 In Super Bowl 38 everyone talks about Brady, Vinatieri, Jake Delhomme, John Kasay and others. No one talks about Mik...

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New England Patriots of the Past: Mike Vrabel

This week, we're happy to present the story of legendary former linebacker (and current Tennessee Titans head coach) Mike Vrabel.

lastwordonsports.com

2001 Patriots Transactions - ESPN

Mike Vrabel | The Patriots Hall of Fame

www.patriotshalloffame.com

Photos: Mike Vrabel and Dante Scarnecchia inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame

View photos of Mike Vrabel and Dante Scarnecchia being inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023.

www.patriots.com

Looking back at Mike Vrabel’s Patriots playing career, from defensive dominance to Super Bowl scores

Here's a look back at Mike Vrabel’s Patriots playing career, from defensive dominance to Super Bowl scores. Read more on Boston.com.

www.boston.com

Tennessee Titans fire Mike Vrabel, an Akron native, Walsh Jesuit grad

The Tennessee Titans on Tuesday fired head coach Mike Vrabel, a Walsh Jesuit graduate from Akron.

www.beaconjournal.com

Mike Vrabel Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Mike Vrabel. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[signbabybrady]

Vrabel getting pressure on Warner and forcing the bad throw that Law would intercept for a touchdown is probably what I would consider one of the top 5 favorite plays I've ever seen.

In no particular order: Vinatieri's game winner in 01, Ty's int, Jules Catch, White's game winner in OT, and the Butler play.

I'm probably leaving something out we are so spoiled but Vrabel will always have that pressure and of course those TD receptions too.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Pat Harlow​

Happy 56th birthday to Pat Harlow
Born March 16, 1969 in Norco, California
Patriot RT, 1991-1995; uniform #77
Patriots 1st round (11th overall) selection of the 1991 NFL Draft, from Southern Cal
Pats résumé: five seasons, first four as a starter; 74 games (64 starts)


Patrick Christopher Harlow was born and raised in Norco, a town about 50 miles east of Los Angeles that is nicknamed 'HorseTown USA', and requires any new construction to have a 'traditional, rustic western favor'. After blocking for Todd Marinovich and Rodney Peete at USC he won the Morris Trophy, which was awarded annually to the best lineman in the Pac-8/10/12, as selected by opposing players. The first round (11th overall) pick of the 1991 draft started every game from 91-94 before an injury and then dispute with Bill Parcells resulted in the tackle being sent to the Raiders.

First a little backstory on that first round draft pick. 1991 was the last season that Victor Kiam owned the team. A year earlier he hired Sam Jankovich, who had been the athletic director at the University of Miami when the Hurricanes were winning multiple college football championships, to be the Patriots new CEO. Jankovich was the defacto General Manager, with Joe Mendes holding the title of Vice President of Player Operations. The Pats - whether it was Jankovich, Mendes, or a group effort - held the #1 pick of the 1991 draft, after going 1-15 in Rod Rust's only season as head coach.


The Patriots wanted Notre Dame RB Rocket Ismail, but he wanted no part of the Pats organization. The decision was then made to trade down, sending that pick to Dallas. With the roster in dire need of a turnover, the Patriots received three players, the #11 pick (that the Cowboys had received as part of the Herschel Walker trade), and a 2nd round pick, #41 overall.


Dallas used the #1 pick on Russell Maryland, a DT from Miami. Did Jankovich know something about Maryland that he didn't like? While he didn't play up to his draft status, he did have a ten-year NFL career - and won three super bowl rings. The players that the Pats received didn't do much. LBs David Howard and Eugene Lockhart were on the wrong side of 30, and only lasted two seasons. DB Ron Francis didn't survive roster cuts. The second round pick was safety Jerome Henderson, who was waived early in the 1993 season. Harlow was the only other player from that ill-advised trade.


Jankovich, Mendes and head coach **** MacPherson were all fired after the 1992 season, and the Pats hired Bill Parcells. Many new coaches like to bring in 'their own' players, and Tuna was certainly no exception - so that may have had something to do with getting rid of Howard, Lockhart and Henderson. Harlow stuck around, but seemed to always be in Parcells' doghouse. In 1995 Parcells replaced Harlow with Max Lane, a 6th round 1991 draft pick, at right tackle in the starting lineup. Harlow was traded to Oakland the following April, with the Pats somehow getting a 2nd round draft pick in return.



April 21, 1991:

Patriots draft tackle Harlow, RB Russell in 1st round - UPI Archives

The New England Patriots, desperate to improve their helpless offense, Sunday used their two first-round picks in the college draft to select tackle Pat...

www.upi.com

The New England Patriots, desperate to improve their helpless offense, Sunday used their two first-round picks in the college draft to select tackle Pat Harlow and running back Leonard Russell.​

Harlow, 6-foot-6 and 296 pounds, played at the University of Southern California where he did not allow a sack last season. Russell, 6-1 and 237 pounds, is a fast, bruising runner who starred at Arizona State and was the first running back taken in the draft. Harlow was the 11th pick overall and the third offensive lineman selected. Russell was chosen three spots later, after New England moved up via a draft-day trade with Dallas.​

In the second round, New England selected Clemson cornerback Jerome Henderson, who is 5-11 and 189 pounds. In the third round, the Patriots selected Calvin Stephens, a wide-body offensive guard from South Carolina who is 6-1, 285 pounds.​

In the fourth round, New England picked Maryland quarterback Scott Zolak, who started for just one season. The 6-5, 224-pound Zolak threw for 2,589 yards last year with 10 touchdowns but also 19 interceptions.​

This year's NFL draft is considered a generally weak one. For the first-time ever, the first six selections were defensive players.​

1993: Harlow and Andre Tippett model new uniforms. The blue jerseys only lasted a single year, because nobody considered
that the red numbers were too hard to see on television and from the press box. They were replaced with white numerals.​

On Friday, New England traded the No. 1 overall pick to the Cowboys, who hoped to sign Notre Dame running back Raghib Ismail. On Sunday, it was announced that 'The Rocket' had signed a four-year pact, worth a reported $26.2 million, with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadien Football League.​

Patriots coach **** MacPherson said Sunday, 'The Rocket would have been an exciting guy to have here, catching balls and getting everybody in the place excited ... and everytime he touched the ball something good would happen.'​

MacPherson said Ismail's CFL contract is excellent but must make up for Ismail's admitted preference for the higher-quality football in the NFL. 'He made a lot of money but he's paid a price for it,' said MacPherson.​

​

2000: Drew Bledsoe, Bruce Armstrong, and a retired, slimmer Pat Harlow​

​

Harlow played on USC's offensive line for two years, after being switched from defense.​

Joe Mendes, vice-president for Patriots player operations, said, 'We expect Harlow to step right in and start at right tackle for us. He should help solidify our offensive line.'​

'Pat Harlow will make a difference,' said Patriots CEO Sam Jankovich. 'The things that excited us the most are his size, his intelligence, his competitiveness and his work ethic.'​

Harlow, speaking on a conference call from Los Angeles, said he was not dismayed by the Patriots' 1-15 record last season, 'I look forward to the challenge of being an impact player.'​

He was in New England two weeks ago and said that MacPherson 'liked my mean attitude... I think the only way to play football is to go after people.'​

July 15, 1996:
Raiders' Harlow Likes Being an Ex-Patriot / Tackle clashed with Parcells

Harlow has this habit of speaking his mind. That, as much as anything, explains his departure from New England, which traded him to the Raiders on April 17 (for a second-round draft choice).​

After four reliable years at right tackle for the Patriots -- 64 games, 64 starts -- Harlow's career swerved off course last season. He suffered a stress fracture in his lower leg in an August 25 exhibition loss to the Raiders, forcing him to miss six games.​

Upon his return, Harlow clashed with head coach Bill Parcells and offensive-line coach Fred Hoaglin. They promptly banished Harlow to the bench, then moved him to left guard.​

Harlow resisted, then requested his exit.​

"It was just time for me and that coaching staff to part ways," he said yesterday. "They (screwed) me. Why? Maybe I opened my mouth too much. Sometimes, that gets you in trouble."​

Harlow said Parcells yelled at him for no reason on the second day of practice last season. So Harlow yelled back, telling Parcells to kindly keep quiet.​

Maybe he included a profane word in his request.​

"They would try to intimidate you, but that only works if you're afraid," Harlow said. "Bill tried to coach through fear. He's had players who speak up to him; I know other players said stuff.​

Dec 15, 2016:

Pat Harlow hired as head coach at JSerra

Pat Harlow was named football coach at JSerra on Thursday. Harlow, 47, a former USC and NFL offensive lineman, spent the past three years as an assistant coach at JSerra. He coached the offensive linemen for JSerra and previously was…

www.ocregister.com

Pat Harlow was named football coach at JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano on Thursday.​

Harlow, 47, a former USC and NFL offensive lineman, spent the past three years as an assistant coach at JSerra. He coached the offensive linemen for JSerra and previously was an assistant coach at San Clemente and a head coach at Flagstaff High in Arizona.​

Harlow was an outstanding offensive tackle at USC, where in 1990 he won the Morris Trophy as the Pac-10’s top offensive lineman. He was a first-round draft pick in the NFL, and started 94 games over an eight-year career with New England and Oakland.​

May 12, 2021:

Pat Harlow resigns as JSerra football coach

The former USC and NFL standout coached the Lions for four seasons.

www.ocregister.com

​

Pat Harlow Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Pat Harlow. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Steve Israel​

Happy 56th birthday to Steve Israel
Born March 16, 1969 in Camden, New Jersey
Patriot CB, 1997-1999; uniform #21
Signed as a 27-year old, five-season veteran free agent on March 24, 1997
Pats résumé: three seasons, 29 games (20 starts); four interceptions, two fumble recoveries; one pick in three playoff games


June 12, 1997:

ISRAEL IN A HURRY TO TURN THE CORNER

Steve Israel, it seems, does everything fast. He runs fast, talks fast and eats fast. Israel even packs fast. When the Patriots told Israel he would be given an opportunity to be their starting right cornerback, he couldn’t put his…

www.courant.com

After spending the past two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, Israel signed with the Patriots as an unrestricted free agent. He finished a three-day mandatory minicamp on Wednesday with his fourth NFL team in six years.​

``I was determined I wasn't going to be in the situation I was in last year where I was sitting, watching a guy be a starter in front of me that I knew wasn't better than me,'' Israel said. ``I was determined I wasn't going to go through it again.''​

One thing Israel had not counted on was the Patriots using their first- round draft pick on a cornerback. Chris Canty, the 29th overall choice, figures to push Israel for the starting right corner position when training camp opens July 16 in Smithfield, R.I.​

Although the Patriots want a veteran to help solidify the secondary, Israel, 28, said he will not be content to merely keep the position warm until Canty is ready to take over.​

``It hasn't crossed my mind that I'm here to babysit the position until Chris Canty is ready,'' Israel said. ``If I can do anything to make him ready today I'm going to do it.''​

Israel, 5 feet 11, 194 pounds, is certainly being paid like a starter. He signed a four-year, $4 million deal that included an $800,000 signing bonus.​

Israel came to the Patriots in part because of head coach Pete Carroll, who was 49ers defensive coordinator the past two seasons.​

One of the first things Carroll did after becoming Patriots coach on Feb. 3 was make Israel a contract offer. Carroll said Israel is ``probably the fastest corner I've ever coached.''​

``We changed his style of play in San Francisco and made him a bump-and-run corner,'' Carroll said. ``He's got tremendous speed. That in itself gives him a chance to do some good things if he takes to the coaching.''​

The right corner was a sore spot for the Patriots last season and it eventually cost them. Ricky Reynolds, Jimmy Hitchcock and Otis Smith all had a crack at starting.​

June 1, 1998:
'Academics And Athletics Are Not Mutually Exclusive,' Says New England Patriots Player Steve Israel

Israel signed with the Patriots as an unrestricted free agent from the San Francisco 49ers on March 24, 1997. He played two seasons with the 49ers under the tutelage of New England Patriots' head coach Pete Carroll, who was then San Francisco's defensive coordinator. Carroll brought Israel to New England to compete as a starter at cornerback. Israel was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Rams with the first pick of the second round of the 1992 NFL draft.​

​

He is a 1993 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh's College of General Studies, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics. During his senior year of college, Israel was a second-team All-American and a first-team All-Big East selection.​

Football and Finance with Steve Israel - thecompanyofdads.com

The NFL is full of stories about players who have squandered the huge amount of money they made while playing. Steve Israel is not one of...

thecompanyofdads.com

He was well aware of the financial leg-up football was giving him as it was happening. “You cant get a lot of jobs out of college where you’re making six figures,” he said.​

But he worked to learn more. When he was playing for the New England Patriots, he would ask owner Bob Kraft financial questions. Kraft, in turn, introduced him to Chad Gifford, a Boston banking leader who would rise to be chairman of Bank of America.​

As they got older, there was one word that he repeated to them over and over: save. It was a lesson he had learned himself. “I had a paper route when I was young,” he said. I was earning $20 a week. When it was time to go anywhere I didn’t have to ask my parents. I had money.”​

“I learned at a young age if you save money, you have more leverage when you want things,” he said. “When leather sneaks came out and my mom said, ‘Hey Sugar, they’re too expensive’. I’d say, ‘Hey Mom, you were going to pay $40 for sneaks, why don’t we go half. You pay $40 and I’ll pay $40.”​

While his kids started with saving, they learned about investing as they got older. But Israel, who is a successful financial adviser in his post-NFL life, said none of that would have mattered if he did not model the right behavior.​

“Whatever I preached they had to see me doing it,” he said. “It was no different than football. It’s about your actions. You can’t say, ‘Hey coach I can tackle him. Oh really, show me’. If you show you can do it you’re going to be on the team and on the field. Being a dad is the same way. You have to show your kids what you’re all about.”​

Steven Israel | Dedication to Community

Steven Israel played in the National Football League for 10 years with the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints. Recently, he led the NFLPA Retired Players Charlotte Chapter as chapter president. In that capacity, he was responsible for overseeing the organization’s charitable, community and business efforts. Israel created and moderates the Gridiron Luncheon Series in Charlotte and founded the nationally-distributed EndZone Luncheon Series.​

With a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from University of Pittsburgh, he has pursued additional business certifications from Stanford Graduate School of Business and Harvard Business School. A true entrepreneur at heart, Israel has established himself as a successful socially conscious business person in the sports, media, wealth management and insurance industries. He has worked, and continues to appear, as a studio and color analyst for college and professional football.​

​

Steve Israel Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Steve Israel. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Zoltán Meskó​

Happy 39th birthday to Zoltán Meskó
Born March 16, 1986 in Timisoara, Romania
Patriot P, 2010-2012; uniform #14
Patriots 5th round (150th overall) selection of the 2010 NFL Draft, from Michigan
Pats résumé: three seasons, 48 games; 44.2 yards per punt (39.2 yards net), with 40.6% inside the 20; 6 playoff games, 44.2 yard avg


Jan 14, 2011:

From a Boy in a Revolt to the Patriots’ Punter (Published 2011)

Gunfire and tear gas in Romania figure early in the biography of Zoltan Mesko, N.F.L. rookie.

www.nytimes.com

Zoltan Mesko was born March 15, 1986, in Timisoara, near the Hungarian and Serbian borders, during the final gasp of Nicolae Ceausescu’s communist dictatorship. Before Zoltan was 4, he and his parents lived through a harrowing week in December 1989 when violent protests, sparked in their hometown, led to the violent overthrow of the Ceausescu regime.​

The streets of Timisoara were marked by gunfire, tear gas and armored vehicles while the Meskos hunkered down in their concrete, Soviet-era apartment building.​

“It was scary,” Elisabeth Mesko recalled. “For one week, we could not go out because of all the shooting. We didn’t have much food. I remember my husband’s mother died that week, but only he could go to the funeral. It was too dangerous to take Zoltan out.”​

April 25, 2010:

Zoltan Mesko will compete for punting job in New England after being first specialist drafted in 2010

You could call Filip Filipovic a psychic, per se. The former NFL punter and personal coach of Zoltan Mesko for the past three years had a hunch of where the former Michigan punter would end up in the NFL Draft.

www.michigandaily.com

“He had an amazing day punting outdoors with a really strong cross wind,” Filipovic said. “And I kinda thought after that, I really believed that he basically made a strong statement that he’s a guy that can get it done in New England.”​

Moving on from Michigan to the NFL is a change that Mesko could flourish in due to his physical abilities. Filipovic said that Mesko’s leg strength and power and his overall natural ability are all key in potential success facing the elements.​

“As long as he makes halfway decent contact with the ball, because he’s 6-4, 240, the balls going to carry down the field,” Filipovic said. “So he doesn’t have to be as precise in a bad climate as somebody that’s smaller would have to be. So I think he’s preferably suited for a place like New England.”​

“Zoltan’s the kind of guy that can punt in cold weather, he can punt directionally inside the 20, one-step punts out of the back of the end zone, he can do that,” Filipovic said back in February. “He really has become one of those punters who has all of the attributes. He has good hands, he’s quick with his get off time. There’s really no reason for a coach to get nervous about sending him out onto the field at any level.”​

August 27, 2012:

Zoltan Mesko receives 2012 Ron Burton Community Service award

-- Patriots.com

"Zoltan is one of the best punters in the league, but he may be the league's current MVP for his contributions in the community," said Kraft. "In the 18 years since we established the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, perhaps no player has accomplished more in the community in such a short amount of time."​

The Romanian-born Mesko, who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of Michigan, discovered his passion for charity work, particularly that which benefits children, shortly after his arrival in New England. He immediately became one of the team's most active community participants. In two seasons as a Patriot, Mesko has participated in a community event nearly every Tuesday (the players' only off day each week), and often participates in more than one per week. He is also known to seek out opportunities to get involved in the community when he is in the area during the offseason.​

Last season, Mesko was one of the Patriots players who spearheaded the season-long "Celebrate Volunteerism" campaign, visiting Boys & Girls Clubs, hospitals, veterans homes, home makeover events and more to promote the benefits of volunteering. In October 2011, he joined several of his teammates in a one-day playground build for a Providence, R.I. community. Mesko also granted wishes for eleven youth from across the country who chose to meet Patriots players as part of the Make-A-Wish program. During the holidays, Mekso was determined to make the season special for as many children possible by participating in every Patriots holiday activity. He helped children from homeless shelter programs select gifts during Patriots Gifts from the Gridiron and played games with more than 250 children from Massachusetts and Rhode Island during the Patriots Community Holiday Party. During the offseason, Mesko took it upon himself to organize a karaoke fundraiser, called "Zolioke," where more than a dozen of his teammates sang karaoke, participated in live and silent auctions and interacted with pediatric patients to benefit Children's Hospital Boston.​

Aug 12, 2013:

New England Patriots rookie punter Ryan Allen pushing Zoltan Mesko in battle

It's not high-profile or glamorous, but this positional competition is serious business.

www.masslive.com

Mesko ranked 28th in the NFL last year by averaging 43.1 yards per punt, but 28 of his 60 attempts were downed inside the 20-yard line, giving him the third-best percentage in the league. He is, however, scheduled to reach free agency this offseason, and the Patriots would save nearly $1 million against the salary cap by going with Ryan Allen.​

Aug 31, 2013:

Tim Tebow among 13 players cut by the Patriots - The Boston Globe

The Patriots released 13 players Saturday to get down to the NFL-mandated regular-season roster limit of 53.

www.bostonglobe.com

The Patriots released 13 players Saturday to get down to the NFL-mandated regular-season roster limit of 53.​

The biggest names released were quarterback Tim Tebow, punter Zoltan Mesko, and defensive linemen Jermaine Cunningham and Justin Francis.​

It was a bit of a surprise to see Mesko, who was effective, charismatic, and a player who quickly became a fixture in the Boston community, cut. But the fact that the Patriots kept undrafted rookie Ryan Allen around for as long as they did indicated that there was a true competition between Mesko and the Louisiana Tech product.​

Through training camp and the four exhibition games, it appeared Mesko had an edge on Allen performance-wise, so the deciding factor likely was cost: Mesko was slated to make $1.323 million this season, with Allen on the books for the rookie minimum of $405,000.​

Mesko was also slated to be a free agent after this season; Allen signed a three-year deal, as all undrafted rookies do.​

“First and foremost, I want to thank the New England Patriots for everything they have done for me,” Mesko wrote on his Facebook page. “I have nothing but love in my heart as I depart this great organization.​

“Mr. [Robert] Kraft, the coaches, the strength staff, the media personnel, the marketing department, the rest of the amazing staff members at Gillette, and especially my teammates…THANK YOU for all that you have given and done for me…​

“I will miss New England, and more than anything, I’ll be missing the smiles on those kids whom I visited and acted like a goofball in front of. It was ALL worth it.”​

May 10, 2016:

Former Patriots Punter Zoltan Mesko Developing Advanced Helmet Technology To Battle Head Trauma

The former Patriots punter is taking a new off-field initiative: head trauma in football and youth sports.

boston.cbslocal.com

Former New England Patriots punter Zoltan Mesko was known as much for his off-field work as much as his work on special teams during his NFL career. Now retired, Mesko has shifted his focus to tackling perhaps the biggest issue facing football at all levels in the 21st century: head trauma.​

Mesko is working for a small company called Impact Labs to develop a patent-pending “impact reduction device” called the EXO1. Mesko and fellow Michigan alum Benjamin Rizzo developed the technology, backed by a team of Harvard students, by focusing more on “the area outside of the helmet than the inside.”​

Mesko’s inspiration to explore head trauma in football came from his own experience: as the Michigan Wolverines punter during the Senior Bowl in 2010, he fell flat on his face (“literally and figuratively,” as he put it) and momentarily blacked out. Mesko believes he suffered a concussion on the play, but never reported it for fear of hurting his chances of making the NFL – an entirely different issue altogether for athletes who suffer head injuries.​

Engineering Tomorrow, Today | Ness Digital Engineering

www.intricity.com

Zoltan Mesko - VP of Sales​

After my NFL career ended, I stumbled into B2B tech sales through my mentor's recommendation. It changed my life. From IBM to AppDynamics, I eventually landed at Snowflake. Working alongside Intricity, I witnessed their unwavering customer care, expertise, and dedication. After all my customers couldn’t stop raving about how smart and good at executing Intricity was, they became my trusted partner. Intricity's impact on my career is immeasurable. They exemplify empathy, dedication, and excellence. I am proud to stand with them, ready to tackle new challenges, always putting customers first.​

Zoltan Mesko - Regional Sales Manager, Enterprise at Wiz | The Org

Zoltan Mesko is an accomplished professional with a strong background in sales and marketing, currently serving as the Regional Sales Manager for Enterprise at Wiz.

theorg.com

Zoltan Mesko​

Regional Sales Manager, Enterprise at Wiz​

Zoltan Mesko is an accomplished professional with a strong background in sales and marketing, currently serving as the Regional Sales Manager for Enterprise at Wiz. Zoltan has also contributed as an Advisory Board Member for the Concussion Legacy Foundation and has shared expertise as a Guest Lecturer in Sales and Marketing Management, specializing in Branding, at the University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Previous roles include Vice President of Sales at Intricity and Enterprise Account Executive at Snowflake. Zoltan holds a Master of Science in Sport Management & Communication and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Marketing, both from the University of Michigan.​

Zoltan Mesko Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Zoltan Mesko. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

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[ctpatsfan77]

Vrabel getting pressure on Warner and forcing the bad throw that Law would intercept for a touchdown is probably what I would consider one of the top 5 favorite plays I've ever seen.

In no particular order: Vinatieri's game winner in 01, Ty's int, Jules Catch, White's game winner in OT, and the Butler play.

I'm probably leaving something out we are so spoiled but Vrabel will always have that pressure and of course those TD receptions too.

While I don't think it was his best play, I loved when he got a sack at midfield on McNabb in SB39. If they hadn't blown the play dead might have ended up with a safety the way Vrabel was shoving McNabb backwards.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Best Mesko picture:


Strangest Mesko picture: here.

 

[Wozzy]

Vrabel was the definition of a value vet, never made a start in Pittsburgh before NE signed him and made him a starter. They need to find those guys now in the backend of free agency.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I absolutely hated Vrabel after that sack in 1997. I didn't care for the signing in 2001 and seemed just like a depth piece.

Loved Steve Israel. He was a nice #2 CB to Law, but injuries took over.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Vrabel was the definition of a value vet, never made a start in Pittsburgh before NE signed him and made him a starter. They need to find those guys now in the backend of free agency.

With the NFL constantly increasing the cap, those guys are too easy for teams to lock up.

 

[Wozzy]

With the NFL constantly increasing the cap, those guys are too easy for teams to lock up.

If the cap is rising so are salaries, outbid them.

They only need a couple more free agents with guaranteed dollars.