Today In Patriots History August 12, 1978: Darryl Stingley paralyzed by Jack Tatum

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Darryl Stingley Paralyzed​

August 12, 1978:
On this date in 1978 Darryl Stingley was paralyzed from a brutal hit in a preseason game by Jack 'the Assassin' Tatum of the Oakland Raiders. The 26-year old, five-year veteran wide receiver was extending in an attempt to reach a pass thrown a bit too far and high by Steve Grogan. Stingley would spend the rest of his life as a quadriplegic; he died in 2007 due to heart disease and pneumonia, which was complicated by the paralysis.


Below is retrospective from August 30, 2018:

'Horribly vicious': Revisiting the hit that forever stamped football as a violent game

Forty years ago, Darryl Stingley took a hit from Jack Tatum that left him paralyzed. It also changed how NFL players and fans view the game.

www.nytimes.com

'Horribly vicious': Revisiting the hit that forever stamped football as a violent game - The Athletic

Imagine the sideline.​

That’s what I’m thinking about right now, at this very moment.​

Imagine being inside the Oakland Coliseum, standing along the New England Patriots sideline on the night of Aug. 12, 1978. Maybe you’re Bill Lenkaitis, a 10-year veteran center, itching for another NFL season to begin. Maybe you’re Carlos Pennywell, a rookie wide receiver from Grambling, a third-round pick overwhelmed by the sudden upgrades in size and speed. Maybe you’re a free agent nobody from Nobody State, receiving but a thimble-sized taste of the bright lights and loud crowds before being asked to turn in your playbook and a career as a lawyer/plumber/mechanic/teacher commences. Maybe you’re Chuck Fairbanks, the head coach, hoping for a nice, easy ride before leaving for the University of Colorado at season’s end.​

Imagine standing along the sideline.​

Forty years have passed, and I still can’t fully grasp what that must have been like. As is the case now, in 1978 the NFL preseason was viewed by most players and coaches as a largely unimportant collection of movements and mannerisms, primarily used to get the beer drinkers and cigarette smokers into what was laughably referred to as “football shape.” Sure, once Week One commenced, rivals were allowed to hate rivals, and the ritualistic 1970s staples of in-the-scrum eyeball gouging and testicle-sack ripping would be fair game. But preseason? Preseason? No. Preseason was a jog around the track.​

Preseason was nothing.​

So, once again, imagine being on the sideline, 13 minutes and 34 seconds into the second quarter, when you think nothing of note is happening and, in truth, everything of note is happening. For those who were there, watching up close, the vision is unlikely to ever vanish the mind’s eye. Ever.​

Steve Grogan, the Patriots’ quarterback, takes the snap from Lenkaitis and drops back three steps. He glances quickly toward the right, where Don Calhoun is curling out of the backfield. He pumps once, then turns his head and fires a dart across the middle, three steps in front of his intended target, wide receiver Darryl Stingley. Grogan will one day be a very solid NFL signal caller, but here—at the start of his fourth season—he remains a work in progress. Balls tend to leave his hand a hair too early. They also, at times, seem to sail.​

This ball sails.​

Stingley, a speedster out of Purdue, was approaching his 27th birthday and coming off a season during which he caught 39 balls for 657 yards and five touchdowns. He was known for his kind, peppy demeanor, but also for his toughness. Many an NFL wide receiver feared to venture toward the middle of the field. This was well before look-don’t-touch rules were adopted by the league; before corners and safeties would be penalized for sneezing on a wideout. Nope, back in 1978 to enter an opposing secondary was to stroll through the streets of Rio at midnight as a tourist. You were, with near certainty, going to get mugged.​

So Stingley, being Stingley, crossed into the Raider secondary, and as he extended his arms to grab an un-grabbable ball, head up, legs kicked out, free safety Jack Tatum charged forward. Known as “The Assassin” for a propensity toward violence, Tatum lowered his right shoulder and bulldozed directly into Stingley’s neck and head. The wide receiver fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes, as Tatum walked off.​

“It was horribly vicious,” says Lesley Visser, who covered the game for the Boston Globe. “Brutal.”​

What followed is … what? Donald Fink, the Raiders team physician, rushed onto the field, where he squatted alongside Stingley and looked for hope. Stingley could not feel his toes. Or his fingers. For 10 minutes he was motionless, and for 10 minutes the Patriots sideline was silent. Many of the players took knees. Others stood in disbelief, staring into the sky, anxious for a twitch, for an elbow flex, for a head raise. “All I can think about is Darryl,” Pete Brock, a backup center, said afterward. “God, I hope he will be alright.”​

“Guys get hurt—we all know that,” says Nick Lowery, who kicked for New England that season. “But that was different because it was so raw and ruthless. You don’t see that and walk away unscathed.”​

As angry as the tragic event makes Patriot fans feel to this day, it was also an embarrassing moment in the history of the franchise.

Toomay: A Madden in Full, Part 2

In Part 10 of his series on the 1977 Raiders, Pat Toomay completes his examination of John Madden.

www.espn.com

Only a play or two before Stingley went down, John Madden, who was growing more and more upset because all night long the Patriots had been probing the Raiders middle with passes, turned to the guy beside him and said, "They'd better stop doing that or somebody's going to get hurt!"​

It happened in the second quarter -- a hurried pass launched over the middle for Stingley, who was slanting into the secondary. It was high and too far in front of him. Leaving his feet, Stingley was prone in the air, arms outstretched, as the ball sailed past him. In my memory, there he hangs.​

For his part, Jack Tatum seemed fooled. Having started back to his right, he pulled up as the ball was released. The receiver, he realized, was coming from the opposite direction. Jack turned, but managed only three or four strides before the action was upon him. He crouched over, sort of leaning into Stingley as the Patriots receiver drifted toward him. They collided. Stingley, in an awkward position, fell to the turf. There was no explosive hit. No flying helmet. Yet Stingley was down. He wasn't moving. He wasn't getting up.​

Trainers from both teams rushed out on the field. They tended to Darryl for a long time. Then an ambulance was summoned. Darryl was carefully loaded up and carted off. The game resumed, but under a sickening pall.​

After the game, Madden went directly to the hospital. It was Madden's first instinct to go to Stingley. At the hospital, Stingley had been found to have fractured vertebrae in his neck and was being fitted with a halo brace to stabilize the injury. Our physicians, thankfully, had risen to the occasion. Having overseen a safe transport, they had summoned the appropriate specialists. Experts were now at hand.​

But even at the hospital something was dissonant, out of sync. Expecting to find himself among concerned New England officials, Madden found himself alone. No one from the Patriots was there. Not the owner. Not the coach. No one.​

Grabbing a phone, Madden called the Oakland airport. Immediately, he was patched through to the New England charter, taxiing out to take off. A more than animated discussion followed. The plane returned to the gate. The business manager was put off.​

In the hospital, Stingley was conscious, as doctors worked to fit the halo. Having donned surgeon's garb, Madden appeared beside him, leaning close. "Everything's going to be all right," he whispered. If only it had been true.​

Meanwhile, a second disaster was averted. On the New England charter, now airborne and headed east, players were struggling to understand Stingley's injury when an engine started gushing fuel. Immediately, the flight was diverted to San Francisco. A dozen fire trucks lined the runway as the plane touched down.​

Former Patriot Darryl Stingley dies at 55

CHICAGO (AP) — Darryl Stingley, paralyzed after a vicious hit during an NFL exhibition game nearly 30 years ago, died Thursday. He was 55. Stingley was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after he was found…

www.lowellsun.com

The two players never reconciled. In 1996, they were supposed to meet for a TV appearance, but Stingley called it off after being told it was to publicize Tatum’s book: “Final Confessions of NFL Assassin Jack Tatum.”​

The Darryl Stingley incident

In early August of 1978, the New England Patriots reached an agreement on a contract extension with wide receiver Darryl Stingley. The Patriots were on the road at the time, in Oakland, California, fo

www.thebostonpilot.com

Aug. 12, 1978

While attempting to catch a pass in an exhibition game, Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley is belted by Raiders safety Jack Tatum and suffers a broken neck, including damage to his vertebrae and spinal cord. Stingley is permanently paralyzed.

www.espn.com

'Horribly vicious': Revisiting the hit that forever stamped football as a violent game

Forty years ago, Darryl Stingley took a hit from Jack Tatum that left him paralyzed. It also changed how NFL players and fans view the game.

www.nytimes.com

Darryl Stingley
7:59 Highlight Video




How Derek Stingley Jr. and John Madden's families became 'intertwined' | SNF | NFL on NBC
5:01 video from 2024 on "how the late John Madden's efforts off the field created a lasting bond between
Derek Stingley Jr. and his family, a connection that started in the late 1970s and continues to this day".




Darryl Stingley
4:13 video interview with Darryl Stingley for TBS in 1986, prior to the Patriots' first appearance in the Super Bowl.




Tatum - Stingley
6:52 mashup video from 2017 with a variety of clips over the years, including Mike Tirico interviewing Bill Belichick,
Chris Berman on SportsCenter, Jack Tatum, Ron Borges (as a 'writer for the Oakland Tribune, 1978-1982'), and more.




9/24/1978 New England Patriots at Oakland Raiders highlights, National Football League Week 4
1:53 Highlight Video of the Pats-Raiders meeting again a month later.
The Patriots, in their all-white uniforms, won 21-14 at Oakland.
​

 

[Pape]

Just a surreal story... from the unnecessary hit to the actions of the team after the injury...

if anyone is a fan of football literature, i recommend thebook Darryl Stingley: Happy to Be Alive

Darryl Stingley: Happy to Be Alive

Darryl Stingley, wide receiver for the New England Patr…

www.goodreads.com

​

 

[DarrylS]

Never understood why he was not in the Pats hall of fame..
I remember the incident and most of the aftermath..
My moniker here, Darryls, is in memory of him..

 

[cupofjoe1962]

I remember when Darryl returned to Schaefer stadium to the longest standing ovation I ever seen. I believe it was over 15 minutes & the fans really saluted him

John Madden who was coaching the Raiders when this occurred, became great
friends with the entire Stingley family & he
helped them in many ways in the coming years

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Tom Neville​

Happy 82nd birthday to Tom Neville
Born August 12, 1943 in Montgomery, Alabama
Patriot right tackle, 1965-1977; uniform #77
Pats 7th round (55th overall) selection of the 1965 AFL draft, from Mississippi State
Pats résumé: 12 seasons, 160 games (123 starts); 1966 AFL All-Star

Tom Neville was a fixture at right tackle in the early days of the Pats. He is the right tackle on the Boston Patriots All-Decade Team of the 1960s, the New England Patriots All-Decade Team of the 1970s, as well as the New England Patriots 35th Anniversary Team. A two-time All-SEC player, Neville chose to sign with the Patriots rather than play for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was a Pats co-captain from 1974 through 1977, and inducted to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1984.

April 3, 2008:

Alumni Spotlight: Tom Neville

Tom Neville played in 160 games over 13 seasons with the Patriots. During that time he mentored some of the best linemen in Patriots history and watched as the team earned an identity in New England.

www.patriots.com

Tom Neville played offensive tackle for the Patriots over 13 seasons (1965-77), outlasting four different head coaches and playing in seven “home” stadiums, Neville had a huge impact on generations of Patriots offensive linemen, but he almost missed becoming a Patriot altogether.​

When Neville arrived at Patriots Training Camp in 1965, wear-and-tear was beginning to catch up with him. He’d already had the kind of college production that would later earn him induction into both the Mississippi State and Mississippi Sports Halls of Fame. A knee injury incurred while playing both ways for the Bulldogs left him unable to pass the Patriots’ physical.​

“They had said it was cartilage and it ended up being ligament. It was a complete tear,” remembered the now-64 year-old diamond dealer, speaking in a thick Southern drawl. “They were going to run us on the 40, and my leg wouldn’t bend enough. It kept catching in the grass. I couldn’t get down in a defensive stance and couldn’t get into the left tackle stance because it was the wrong leg that was extended.​

“They wanted to send me home and come back next year. I said, ‘No, I’ve just driven thirteen-hundred miles, I’m not going home.’ They said, ‘Play right tackle.’ I was able to get down in a stance and I made the team. After the third game I was able to get the starting position.”​

Quickly carving out a niche for himself as an outstanding pass-blocker in Head Coach Mike Holovak’s offense, which featured Vito “Babe” Parilli at quarterback, Neville attended the Pro Bowl in 1966 and again two years later.​

. . .​

In 1973, Chuck Fairbanks took over as head coach. He began rebuilding the team by drafting offensive guard John Hannah fourth overall. Both being from Alabama, Neville and Hannah quickly formed a lasting bond.​

“Tommy was kind of my mentor when I first got there,” said Hannah. “He was in his eighth year. He kind of took me under his wing and helped me adjust to the world of pro football.​

Neville was a staple of the Patriots offense for over a decade, but in 1975, he broke a leg. It healed, but the doctors realized a ligament had been trapped during the healing process. They re-broke Neville’s leg just six months after the original injury, and he was hard-pressed to return before the 1976 season.​

“I came to training camp and didn’t pass the physical, so I didn’t practice with the team,” said Neville.​

“He was running figure eights, and there was a spot on the ground where you could see that he actually wore an eight into the ground trying to get that ankle strong,” remembered Hannah, noting that Neville was activated right before the first game of the season. “To see him rehabilitate himself like that and the kind of effort he put into it was a great example for a lot of us.”​

One player Neville set an example for was rookie center Peter Brock, another first-round offensive lineman. He came aboard the year of Neville’s injury.​

“I was two weeks late getting to Training Camp,” said Brock, who was participating in the Chicago Tribune All-Star game at the time. “Red Miller, who was our offensive line coach, said that I had no free time unless it was spent with Tommy Neville going over the playbook and game plans. I spent all my free time outside of practice and meetings with him. He was in his 12th year. He helped me immensely.”​

April 26, 2018:

Montgomery to NFL: The AFL Patriot — Tom Neville

This installment of the Montgomery-to-NFL series features Tom Neville, who turned down more money from Pittsburgh to play for the then Boston Patriots.

www.montgomeryadvertiser.com

Tom Neville’s rookie contract with the then-AFL’s Boston Patriots was only $13,500.​

The Pittsburgh Steelers offered him $1,500 more, but Neville turned it down.​

“The guy who recruited me was a total jerk,” he said.​

The decision worked out in his favor. Neville played 12 of his 14 seasons with the now New England Patriots after the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.​

“The Patriots were my family,” said Neville.​

Jack Maitland, Len St Jean, Tom Neville; circa 1971-72​

Neville describes his life as being “accidental.”​

Example one — The callus leading to him buying pocket watches and eventually owning a jewelry store​

Example two — A conversation at a gas station in Montgomery turning into an opportunity.​

“A guy says, ‘Aren’t you so and so?’ I said, ‘Yeah,’” Neville said. “He said, ‘Where you playing football?’ I said, ‘I’m not.’ He said, ‘How’d you like to play for Mississippi State?’ I said, ‘That’d be great.’”​

Two weeks later, Neville was in Starkville practicing. He became a second-team All-American and two-time All-SEC selection for the Bulldogs.​

. . .​

Neville stayed and earned a starting spot at right tackle to begin a 14-year pro career. An AFL all-star in 1966, the 6-foot-4, 260-pound Neville was a team co-captain for four years. He won the George L. Sargent Award for leadership in 1974 and the Jim Lee Hunt Award as the team’s top lineman in 1977.​

Picture Day allegedly from July 15, 1971(or maybe 1969-70?): offensive line RT Tom Neville, RG Len St. Jean, C Jon Morris, LT Tom Funchess and LG Mike Montler.​

Mar 15, 2010:

The accidental jeweler: Former NFL tackle for Patriots shares his love of bling

At a recent luncheon at the Capital City Club, former Patriots offensive lineman Tom Neville wowed the Ladies Luncheon group with a display of some of his treasured pocket watches -- ranging from the 1820s to the 1920s -- and jewelry pieces from the Victorian and Art Deco ages.

www.al.com

Tom Neville's wristwatch was giving him a callus.​

It was the 1970s, and Neville was an offensive tackle for the New England Patriots. Jewelry wasn't exactly his thing.​

But that callus was bugging the heck out of him.​

That's when Neville invested in a dapper antique pocket watch. He liked it so much, he bought another, then another -- and that pretty much changed the course of his life.​

. . .​

When Neville lived in Boston, a friend owned a jewelry store, and Neville found himself spending more and more time there -- on days he wasn't roughing it out on the football field. That friend suggested he study to become a gemologist, but Neville said his response at the time was, "Ehh..."​

Though his feeling about studying jewelry was ambivalent at first, he finally ended up earning a degree from the Gemological Institute of America in Santa Monica, Calif.​

After opening Tom Neville The Source in 1983, this hometown native has become one of the top go-to guys in the region. Not only for football reminiscences -- but for jewelry. Working in his store in the old Union Bank building, he has a customer base of more than 150,000 people -- some who come from all over the U.S.​

Thomas Neville - Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame

Thomas Neville

msfame.com

Tom Neville Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

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

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Tom Neville

Tom Neville (offensive tackle) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Benched in the Super Bowl
Not bitter; still got his ring​

Happy 39th birthday to Kyle Arrington
Born August 12, 1986; from Brandywine, Maryland
Patriot cornerback, 2009-2014; uniform #27 ('09-10), 24 ('11-12), 25 ('13-14)
Signed to the practice squad on September 21, 2009
Pats résumé: six seasons, 86 games (56 starts); 12 postseason games (8 starts); Super Bowl XLIX champion;
2011 NFL Interceptions Leader


Kyle Arrington was an undrafted cast-off by the Eagles and Bucs when the Pats signed him to their practice squad early in 2009. Five weeks later Eric Mangini attempted to sign Kyle to the Browns roster. Bill Belichick thwarted that attempt by elevating Arrington to the 53-man roster, on November 8, 2009. Arrington played on special teams in the next three games, then was inactive for the November 30 Monday Night Football blowout loss at New Orleans. Arrington was not inactive again until he missed a week 15 game in 2014 against the Jets due to a hamstring injury, posting a streak of 92 consecutive games played (including playoffs).

Arrington was a special teams standout who worked his way up to four-year starter at cornerback. After a 2010 week two loss to Rex Ryan's Jets, Kyle replaced Darius Butler in the starting lineup at corner, remaining there for the rest of the season. In week four he returned a blocked field goal 35 yards for a touchdown in a win at Miami; it was the Pats first such score since Raymond Clayborn did so in 1987. Late in the season he cored again on a 36 yard pick-six on Sunday Night Football win against Green Bay, giving the Patriots a 21-17 lead (and an 8-2 record). It was his first NFL interception, making him the tenth player in franchise history to return his first interception for a touchdown.

The following year Arrington - who had just two interceptions during his college career at Hofstra - tied (with Eric Weddle and Charles Woodson) for the NFL 2011 lead with a career-high seven interceptions. Kyle had two games with a pair of picks: week 3 at Buffalo, and week 11 on MNF at Kansas City. The latter game was particularly impressive; besides the two picks he also had two pass deflections and five tackles (four solo). In the divisional round 45-10 blowout over Tim Tebow and Denver, Kyle had a forced fumble on a kickoff, and a team-high 11 tackles (7 solo).

Some of Arrington's limitations were beginning to become apparent though. In 2012 the Patriots made a major mid-season upgrade at corner by trading for Aqib Talib. That resulted in Arrington becoming a slot and nickel corner - something he was much better suited for, with Alfonzo Dennard the other outside corner. He finished the season with 67 tackles, 11 pass deflections, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and nine special teams tackles. In 2013 Arrington had a couple more career firsts: his first two sacks, and his first recovery of an onside kick.

That turnover came on a critical, clutch play. The Patriots looked bad at home against Cleveland and were losing 19-3 in the second half. The Patriots just scored to pull within five, 26-21, but were out of timeouts with 1:04 left to play. Arrington recovered Stephen Gostkowski's onside kick, giving New England possession on the Cleveland 40. Two plays later the Browns were called for defensive pass interference on a pass intended for Josh Boyce, and the Pats scored on the next play to escape with a 27-26 win.

In 2014 Arrington was a nickel corner, with Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner the starters at cornerback. He scored two touchdowns that season: one on a fumble return versus Cincinnati (10/5/14) and the other on a blocked field goal return against Miami (12/14/14). In Super Bowl 49 Seattle found a mismatch and exploited it. Relatively unknown 6'5 Chris Mathews was being covered by 5'10 Kyle Arrington, and he caught four of the five passes thrown his way - for 109 yards and a touchdown. (Why did Pete Carroll not throw more? Russell Wilson only threw seven passes in the first half. And why not have Browner cover Mathews when Mathews was in, with Logan Ryan at the other corner?) Arrington was benched, and an undrafted rookie that was a surprise to make the roster took his place.

Some guy by the name of Malcolm Butler.

New England had re-signed Kyle Arrington to a four-year, $16 million contract on March 16, 2013. That was way too much for a person who finished the season on the bench behind four other corners. But Revis and Browner would both soon depart in free agency, and Dennard was waived on May 5, three days after the 2015 draft. It appeared that Arrington's job would be safe as the slot corner alongside Ryan and Butler; the Pats had not signed any other corners in free agency, nor had they drafted any either. But in a semi-surprise move the Patriots waived Arrington on May 11, 2015. (The Patriots eventually would use safety Duron Harmon as their nickel back, rather than a third corner.) He signed with Baltimore, then spent all of 2016 on injured reserve due to a concussion. Arrington was released the following June, ending his NFL career.

Kyle Arrington played in 86 regular season games for the Patriots, with 56 starts. He made nine interceptions and three fumble recoveries, with 48 passes defensed and scoring four touchdowns. Arrington also played in twelve postseason games for the Pats, receiving a ring for Super Bowl 49.

Other than being the answer to the question of "who did Malcolm Butler replace", Kyle Arrington has one other tidbit of Patriots trivia. He is the only person to wear three different uniform numbers as a member of the Patriots. Kyle was #27 when he joined the team in 2009, then switched to #24 in 2010. He gave Adrian Wilson that jersey when he joined the team in the 2013 offseason, and took #25.

August 7, 2011:

Pats’ Arrington appeared to turn the corner in 2010

Entering his third season with the New England Patriots, Kyle Arrington says he’s ready to take the plunge.

www.tauntongazette.com

August 20, 2013:

Patriots Beat: Arrington's success a lesson in perseverance

Of the 12 players still with the team from 2009, only one defensive back remains. Only four players in the NFL suited up for the now-defunct Hofstra University program. This man is one of them. Undra…

www.metrowestdailynews.com

November 21, 2014:

Kyle Arrington has been a weapon against explosive slot receivers

FOXBORO — To say Kyle Arrington has had his ups and downs with the Patriots is putting it lightly. Like fellow veteran Devin McCourty, Arrington sometimes has needed time to find the right fit on the…

www.providencejournal.com

January 31, 2017:

Where Are They Now: Seahawks WR Chris Matthews

Chris Matthews went from complete obscurity to the cusp of an improbable Super Bowl MVP award, then right back to obscurity. How might his NFL path had changed if the Seahawks had won it all?

www.si.com

July 25, 2019:

Life After Football: The Story of Kyle Arrington | Prime Time Sports Talk

Former New England Patriot and Baltimore Raven cornerback Kyle Arrington is not just the last Hofstra player to win a Super Bowl, but one of its last football players in

primetimesportstalk.com

“It’s kind of ironic because it’s bittersweet, because you wanna win - that’s the most important thing - but at the same time I myself did not play very well,” Arrington laughed. “As a competitor, it’s one of the things that haunts me more so a bitter taste in my mouth I just wish I could have played better but at the end of the day we won and I can’t say enough how proud that we were part of one of the most epic games in Super Bowl history.”​

Arrington broke down what unfolded when he was pulled from the 2014 Super Bowl and how he used it as fuel to the fire with next team.​

“I gave up a few big plays and that was pretty much the writing on the wall and I was accepting it myself,” Arrington said. “To take Bill [Belichick’s] motto, I didn’t do my job so I don’t have any excuses whether it’s good or bad and it definitely motivated me, I don’t care what it is I take everything personally.”​

Arrington took the fuel and had a solid 2015 with the Ravens recording 28 tackles and a forced fumble.​

Today, Arrington works with his wife Vashonda on EVOLVE. An organization that, ‘Aims to empower and help growth in the youth in unprivileged communities.’​

“I asked the question to myself ‘What kind of lasting impact do I want to leave in this world,'” Arrington said. “If I can make a positive impact in this world whether be for man, woman, or child particularly children, that’s what gives me fulfillment and purpose.”​

The organization offers programs in subjects ranging from career readiness, entrepreneurship, nutrition, meditation and even yoga.​

“We are just trying to give them all the tools and opportunities necessary to be anything that they want to be,” Arrington said. “We just want to raise the bar and we realize that foundations are very specific in what they do and that’s fine but we don’t want to be specific when it comes to educational aspects, empowerment, and really don’t want to leave any stone unturned as far as the impact that we can have on our youth.”​

Arrington continues to use football to try and help motivate the youth through a football camp that he hosts with former defensive tackle Phil Taylor whom he also went to the same high school with.​

November 18, 2018:

Kyle Arrington’s never afraid to man-up vs. the game’s best

FOXBORO — Kyle Arrington is used to challenging himself as a cornerback against the best receiver on the other team. Sometimes, as the case may be, he’ll do so against the one on his own team.As a defensive back at Hofstra…

www.bostonherald.com

November 6, 2021:

Super Bowl champion Kyle Arrington focused on helping youth

Kyle Arrington’s journey from undrafted rookie to NFL leader in interceptions to Super Bowl champion ended following a series of concussions.

www.seattletimes.com

Kyle Arrington Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Kyle Arrington Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Kyle Arrington

Kyle Arrington - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[signbabybrady]

Today in Patriots History
Benched in the Super Bowl
Not bitter; still got his ring​

Happy 39th birthday to Kyle Arrington
Born August 12, 1986; from Brandywine, Maryland
Patriot cornerback, 2009-2014; uniform #27 ('09-10), 24 ('11-12), 25 ('13-14)
Signed to the practice squad on September 21, 2009
Pats résumé: six seasons, 86 games (56 starts); 12 postseason games (8 starts); Super Bowl XLIX champion;
2011 NFL Interceptions Leader


Kyle Arrington was an undrafted cast-off by the Eagles and Bucs when the Pats signed him to their practice squad early in 2009. Five weeks later Eric Mangini attempted to sign Kyle to the Browns roster. Bill Belichick thwarted that attempt by elevating Arrington to the 53-man roster, on November 8, 2009. Arrington played on special teams in the next three games, then was inactive for the November 30 Monday Night Football blowout loss at New Orleans. Arrington was not inactive again until he missed a week 15 game in 2014 against the Jets due to a hamstring injury, posting a streak of 92 consecutive games played (including playoffs).

Arrington was a special teams standout who worked his way up to four-year starter at cornerback. After a 2010 week two loss to Rex Ryan's Jets, Kyle replaced Darius Butler in the starting lineup at corner, remaining there for the rest of the season. In week four he returned a blocked field goal 35 yards for a touchdown in a win at Miami; it was the Pats first such score since Raymond Clayborn did so in 1987. Late in the season he cored again on a 36 yard pick-six on Sunday Night Football win against Green Bay, giving the Patriots a 21-17 lead (and an 8-2 record). It was his first NFL interception, making him the tenth player in franchise history to return his first interception for a touchdown.

The following year Arrington - who had just two interceptions during his college career at Hofstra - tied (with Eric Weddle and Charles Woodson) for the NFL 2011 lead with a career-high seven interceptions. Kyle had two games with a pair of picks: week 3 at Buffalo, and week 11 on MNF at Kansas City. The latter game was particularly impressive; besides the two picks he also had two pass deflections and five tackles (four solo). In the divisional round 45-10 blowout over Tim Tebow and Denver, Kyle had a forced fumble on a kickoff, and a team-high 11 tackles (7 solo).

Some of Arrington's limitations were beginning to become apparent though. In 2012 the Patriots made a major mid-season upgrade at corner by trading for Aqib Talib. That resulted in Arrington becoming a slot and nickel corner - something he was much better suited for, with Alfonzo Dennard the other outside corner. He finished the season with 67 tackles, 11 pass deflections, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and nine special teams tackles. In 2013 Arrington had a couple more career firsts: his first two sacks, and his first recovery of an onside kick.

That turnover came on a critical, clutch play. The Patriots looked bad at home against Cleveland and were losing 19-3 in the second half. The Patriots just scored to pull within five, 26-21, but were out of timeouts with 1:04 left to play. Arrington recovered Stephen Gostkowski's onside kick, giving New England possession on the Cleveland 40. Two plays later the Browns were called for defensive pass interference on a pass intended for Josh Boyce, and the Pats scored on the next play to escape with a 27-26 win.

In 2014 Arrington was a nickel corner, with Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner the starters at cornerback. He scored two touchdowns that season: one on a fumble return versus Cincinnati (10/5/14) and the other on a blocked field goal return against Miami (12/14/14). In Super Bowl 49 Seattle found a mismatch and exploited it. Relatively unknown 6'5 Chris Mathews was being covered by 5'10 Kyle Arrington, and he caught four of the five passes thrown his way - for 109 yards and a touchdown. (Why did Pete Carroll not throw more? Russell Wilson only threw seven passes in the first half. And why not have Browner cover Mathews when Mathews was in, with Logan Ryan at the other corner?) Arrington was benched, and an undrafted rookie that was a surprise to make the roster took his place.

Some guy by the name of Malcolm Butler.

New England had re-signed Kyle Arrington to a four-year, $16 million contract on March 16, 2013. That was way too much for a person who finished the season on the bench behind four other corners. But Revis and Browner would both soon depart in free agency, and Dennard was waived on May 5, three days after the 2015 draft. It appeared that Arrington's job would be safe as the slot corner alongside Ryan and Butler; the Pats had not signed any other corners in free agency, nor had they drafted any either. But in a semi-surprise move the Patriots waived Arrington on May 11, 2015. (The Patriots eventually would use safety Duron Harmon as their nickel back, rather than a third corner.) He signed with Baltimore, then spent all of 2016 on injured reserve due to a concussion. Arrington was released the following June, ending his NFL career.

Kyle Arrington played in 86 regular season games for the Patriots, with 56 starts. He made nine interceptions and three fumble recoveries, with 48 passes defensed and scoring four touchdowns. Arrington also played in twelve postseason games for the Pats, receiving a ring for Super Bowl 49.

Other than being the answer to the question of "who did Malcolm Butler replace", Kyle Arrington has one other tidbit of Patriots trivia. He is the only person to wear three different uniform numbers as a member of the Patriots. Kyle was #27 when he joined the team in 2009, then switched to #24 in 2010. He gave Adrian Wilson that jersey when he joined the team in the 2013 offseason, and took #25.

August 7, 2011:

Pats’ Arrington appeared to turn the corner in 2010

Entering his third season with the New England Patriots, Kyle Arrington says he’s ready to take the plunge.

www.tauntongazette.com

August 20, 2013:

Patriots Beat: Arrington's success a lesson in perseverance

Of the 12 players still with the team from 2009, only one defensive back remains. Only four players in the NFL suited up for the now-defunct Hofstra University program. This man is one of them. Undra…

www.metrowestdailynews.com

November 21, 2014:

Kyle Arrington has been a weapon against explosive slot receivers

FOXBORO — To say Kyle Arrington has had his ups and downs with the Patriots is putting it lightly. Like fellow veteran Devin McCourty, Arrington sometimes has needed time to find the right fit on the…

www.providencejournal.com

January 31, 2017:

Where Are They Now: Seahawks WR Chris Matthews

Chris Matthews went from complete obscurity to the cusp of an improbable Super Bowl MVP award, then right back to obscurity. How might his NFL path had changed if the Seahawks had won it all?

www.si.com

July 25, 2019:

Life After Football: The Story of Kyle Arrington | Prime Time Sports Talk

Former New England Patriot and Baltimore Raven cornerback Kyle Arrington is not just the last Hofstra player to win a Super Bowl, but one of its last football players in

primetimesportstalk.com

“It’s kind of ironic because it’s bittersweet, because you wanna win - that’s the most important thing - but at the same time I myself did not play very well,” Arrington laughed. “As a competitor, it’s one of the things that haunts me more so a bitter taste in my mouth I just wish I could have played better but at the end of the day we won and I can’t say enough how proud that we were part of one of the most epic games in Super Bowl history.”​

Arrington broke down what unfolded when he was pulled from the 2014 Super Bowl and how he used it as fuel to the fire with next team.​

“I gave up a few big plays and that was pretty much the writing on the wall and I was accepting it myself,” Arrington said. “To take Bill [Belichick’s] motto, I didn’t do my job so I don’t have any excuses whether it’s good or bad and it definitely motivated me, I don’t care what it is I take everything personally.”​

Arrington took the fuel and had a solid 2015 with the Ravens recording 28 tackles and a forced fumble.​

Today, Arrington works with his wife Vashonda on EVOLVE. An organization that, ‘Aims to empower and help growth in the youth in unprivileged communities.’​

“I asked the question to myself ‘What kind of lasting impact do I want to leave in this world,'” Arrington said. “If I can make a positive impact in this world whether be for man, woman, or child particularly children, that’s what gives me fulfillment and purpose.”​

The organization offers programs in subjects ranging from career readiness, entrepreneurship, nutrition, meditation and even yoga.​

“We are just trying to give them all the tools and opportunities necessary to be anything that they want to be,” Arrington said. “We just want to raise the bar and we realize that foundations are very specific in what they do and that’s fine but we don’t want to be specific when it comes to educational aspects, empowerment, and really don’t want to leave any stone unturned as far as the impact that we can have on our youth.”​

Arrington continues to use football to try and help motivate the youth through a football camp that he hosts with former defensive tackle Phil Taylor whom he also went to the same high school with.​

November 18, 2018:

Kyle Arrington’s never afraid to man-up vs. the game’s best

FOXBORO — Kyle Arrington is used to challenging himself as a cornerback against the best receiver on the other team. Sometimes, as the case may be, he’ll do so against the one on his own team.As a defensive back at Hofstra…

www.bostonherald.com

November 6, 2021:

Super Bowl champion Kyle Arrington focused on helping youth

Kyle Arrington’s journey from undrafted rookie to NFL leader in interceptions to Super Bowl champion ended following a series of concussions.

www.seattletimes.com

Kyle Arrington Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Kyle Arrington Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Kyle Arrington

Kyle Arrington - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Malcolm go!

 

[scott99]

Jack Tatum was a dirty player, always was, even before that fateful hit. Same with George Atkinson. Both very dirty players. Some people say they were fierce, no, they were dirty players. Most of that Raiders defense was dirty, but those two guys especially.

 

[captain stone]

Today in Patriots History
Darryl Stingley Paralyzed​

August 12, 1978:
On this date in 1978 Darryl Stingley was paralyzed from a brutal hit in a preseason game by Jack 'the Assassin' Tatum of the Oakland Raiders. The 26-year old, five-year veteran wide receiver was extending in an attempt to reach a pass thrown a bit too far and high by Steve Grogan. Stingley would spend the rest of his life as a quadriplegic; he died in 2007 due to heart disease and pneumonia, which was complicated by the paralysis.


Below is retrospective from August 30, 2018:

'Horribly vicious': Revisiting the hit that forever stamped football as a violent game

Forty years ago, Darryl Stingley took a hit from Jack Tatum that left him paralyzed. It also changed how NFL players and fans view the game.

www.nytimes.com

'Horribly vicious': Revisiting the hit that forever stamped football as a violent game - The Athletic

Imagine the sideline.​

That’s what I’m thinking about right now, at this very moment.​

Imagine being inside the Oakland Coliseum, standing along the New England Patriots sideline on the night of Aug. 12, 1978. Maybe you’re Bill Lenkaitis, a 10-year veteran center, itching for another NFL season to begin. Maybe you’re Carlos Pennywell, a rookie wide receiver from Grambling, a third-round pick overwhelmed by the sudden upgrades in size and speed. Maybe you’re a free agent nobody from Nobody State, receiving but a thimble-sized taste of the bright lights and loud crowds before being asked to turn in your playbook and a career as a lawyer/plumber/mechanic/teacher commences. Maybe you’re Chuck Fairbanks, the head coach, hoping for a nice, easy ride before leaving for the University of Colorado at season’s end.​

Imagine standing along the sideline.​

Forty years have passed, and I still can’t fully grasp what that must have been like. As is the case now, in 1978 the NFL preseason was viewed by most players and coaches as a largely unimportant collection of movements and mannerisms, primarily used to get the beer drinkers and cigarette smokers into what was laughably referred to as “football shape.” Sure, once Week One commenced, rivals were allowed to hate rivals, and the ritualistic 1970s staples of in-the-scrum eyeball gouging and testicle-sack ripping would be fair game. But preseason? Preseason? No. Preseason was a jog around the track.​

Preseason was nothing.​

So, once again, imagine being on the sideline, 13 minutes and 34 seconds into the second quarter, when you think nothing of note is happening and, in truth, everything of note is happening. For those who were there, watching up close, the vision is unlikely to ever vanish the mind’s eye. Ever.​

Steve Grogan, the Patriots’ quarterback, takes the snap from Lenkaitis and drops back three steps. He glances quickly toward the right, where Don Calhoun is curling out of the backfield. He pumps once, then turns his head and fires a dart across the middle, three steps in front of his intended target, wide receiver Darryl Stingley. Grogan will one day be a very solid NFL signal caller, but here—at the start of his fourth season—he remains a work in progress. Balls tend to leave his hand a hair too early. They also, at times, seem to sail.​

This ball sails.​

Stingley, a speedster out of Purdue, was approaching his 27th birthday and coming off a season during which he caught 39 balls for 657 yards and five touchdowns. He was known for his kind, peppy demeanor, but also for his toughness. Many an NFL wide receiver feared to venture toward the middle of the field. This was well before look-don’t-touch rules were adopted by the league; before corners and safeties would be penalized for sneezing on a wideout. Nope, back in 1978 to enter an opposing secondary was to stroll through the streets of Rio at midnight as a tourist. You were, with near certainty, going to get mugged.​

So Stingley, being Stingley, crossed into the Raider secondary, and as he extended his arms to grab an un-grabbable ball, head up, legs kicked out, free safety Jack Tatum charged forward. Known as “The Assassin” for a propensity toward violence, Tatum lowered his right shoulder and bulldozed directly into Stingley’s neck and head. The wide receiver fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes, as Tatum walked off.​

“It was horribly vicious,” says Lesley Visser, who covered the game for the Boston Globe. “Brutal.”​

What followed is … what? Donald Fink, the Raiders team physician, rushed onto the field, where he squatted alongside Stingley and looked for hope. Stingley could not feel his toes. Or his fingers. For 10 minutes he was motionless, and for 10 minutes the Patriots sideline was silent. Many of the players took knees. Others stood in disbelief, staring into the sky, anxious for a twitch, for an elbow flex, for a head raise. “All I can think about is Darryl,” Pete Brock, a backup center, said afterward. “God, I hope he will be alright.”​

“Guys get hurt—we all know that,” says Nick Lowery, who kicked for New England that season. “But that was different because it was so raw and ruthless. You don’t see that and walk away unscathed.”​

As angry as the tragic event makes Patriot fans feel to this day, it was also an embarrassing moment in the history of the franchise.

Toomay: A Madden in Full, Part 2

In Part 10 of his series on the 1977 Raiders, Pat Toomay completes his examination of John Madden.

www.espn.com

Only a play or two before Stingley went down, John Madden, who was growing more and more upset because all night long the Patriots had been probing the Raiders middle with passes, turned to the guy beside him and said, "They'd better stop doing that or somebody's going to get hurt!"​

It happened in the second quarter -- a hurried pass launched over the middle for Stingley, who was slanting into the secondary. It was high and too far in front of him. Leaving his feet, Stingley was prone in the air, arms outstretched, as the ball sailed past him. In my memory, there he hangs.​

For his part, Jack Tatum seemed fooled. Having started back to his right, he pulled up as the ball was released. The receiver, he realized, was coming from the opposite direction. Jack turned, but managed only three or four strides before the action was upon him. He crouched over, sort of leaning into Stingley as the Patriots receiver drifted toward him. They collided. Stingley, in an awkward position, fell to the turf. There was no explosive hit. No flying helmet. Yet Stingley was down. He wasn't moving. He wasn't getting up.​

Trainers from both teams rushed out on the field. They tended to Darryl for a long time. Then an ambulance was summoned. Darryl was carefully loaded up and carted off. The game resumed, but under a sickening pall.​

After the game, Madden went directly to the hospital. It was Madden's first instinct to go to Stingley. At the hospital, Stingley had been found to have fractured vertebrae in his neck and was being fitted with a halo brace to stabilize the injury. Our physicians, thankfully, had risen to the occasion. Having overseen a safe transport, they had summoned the appropriate specialists. Experts were now at hand.​

But even at the hospital something was dissonant, out of sync. Expecting to find himself among concerned New England officials, Madden found himself alone. No one from the Patriots was there. Not the owner. Not the coach. No one.​

Grabbing a phone, Madden called the Oakland airport. Immediately, he was patched through to the New England charter, taxiing out to take off. A more than animated discussion followed. The plane returned to the gate. The business manager was put off.​

In the hospital, Stingley was conscious, as doctors worked to fit the halo. Having donned surgeon's garb, Madden appeared beside him, leaning close. "Everything's going to be all right," he whispered. If only it had been true.​

Meanwhile, a second disaster was averted. On the New England charter, now airborne and headed east, players were struggling to understand Stingley's injury when an engine started gushing fuel. Immediately, the flight was diverted to San Francisco. A dozen fire trucks lined the runway as the plane touched down.​

Former Patriot Darryl Stingley dies at 55

CHICAGO (AP) — Darryl Stingley, paralyzed after a vicious hit during an NFL exhibition game nearly 30 years ago, died Thursday. He was 55. Stingley was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after he was found…

www.lowellsun.com

The two players never reconciled. In 1996, they were supposed to meet for a TV appearance, but Stingley called it off after being told it was to publicize Tatum’s book: “Final Confessions of NFL Assassin Jack Tatum.”​

The Darryl Stingley incident

In early August of 1978, the New England Patriots reached an agreement on a contract extension with wide receiver Darryl Stingley. The Patriots were on the road at the time, in Oakland, California, fo

www.thebostonpilot.com

Aug. 12, 1978

While attempting to catch a pass in an exhibition game, Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley is belted by Raiders safety Jack Tatum and suffers a broken neck, including damage to his vertebrae and spinal cord. Stingley is permanently paralyzed.

www.espn.com

'Horribly vicious': Revisiting the hit that forever stamped football as a violent game

Forty years ago, Darryl Stingley took a hit from Jack Tatum that left him paralyzed. It also changed how NFL players and fans view the game.

www.nytimes.com

Darryl Stingley
7:59 Highlight Video




How Derek Stingley Jr. and John Madden's families became 'intertwined' | SNF | NFL on NBC
5:01 video from 2024 on "how the late John Madden's efforts off the field created a lasting bond between
Derek Stingley Jr. and his family, a connection that started in the late 1970s and continues to this day".




Darryl Stingley
4:13 video interview with Darryl Stingley for TBS in 1986, prior to the Patriots' first appearance in the Super Bowl.




Tatum - Stingley
6:52 mashup video from 2017 with a variety of clips over the years, including Mike Tirico interviewing Bill Belichick,
Chris Berman on SportsCenter, Jack Tatum, Ron Borges (as a 'writer for the Oakland Tribune, 1978-1982'), and more.




9/24/1978 New England Patriots at Oakland Raiders highlights, National Football League Week 4
1:53 Highlight Video of the Pats-Raiders meeting again a month later.
The Patriots, in their all-white uniforms, won 21-14 at Oakland.
​

Sickening.

One of the (many) reasons I truly hope there is a God is that scum like Jack Tatum would then be burning in Hell.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Eternal Claim to Fame:
Caught Tom Brady's first NFL Complete Pass​

Happy 50th birthday to Rod Rutledge
Born August 12, 1975 in Birmingham, Alabama
Patriot tight end, 1998-2001; uniform #83
Pats 2nd round (54th overall) selection of the 1998 draft, from Alabama
Pats résumé: four seasons, 63 games (31 starts); four postseason games; Super Bowl 36 champion

​

Rodrick Almar 'Rod' Rutledge played in 63 games with 31 starts over four seasons with the Pats. At 6'5 and 262 lbs, he was primarily a blocking tight end. (In three years at Alabama he had only 23 catches for 259 yards and one touchdown.) Rutledge had 27 receptions for 204 yards and one touchdown in his four season with the Patriots; he also played in four playoff games for the Pats, with no receptions. His final game with the Patriots was on February 3, 2002 in the Super Bowl 36 Silence of the Rams.


One of those 27 catches carries special significance in the history of the franchise: it was the first pass completed by TB12.

Rutledge became a free agent in 2002, and signed with the Houston Texans. He suffered a mid-season foot injury, and was placed on injured reserve. Prior to the start of the 2003 training camp Rutledge was released - and that was the end of his NFL career, at age 27.


Jan 30, 2019:

Eighteen years later, Rod Rutledge still basks in being first to catch pass from Tom Brady

Rutledge enjoys his special place in NFL history, even if the pass he caught was just a 6-yard here-you-go in the last minutes of a Thanksgiving Day blowout loss.

theathletic.com

It happens two or three times a year, and especially this time of year: Rod Rutledge’s phone will begin jiggling and vibrating, with hurried text messages bringing news that the former New England Patriot has been mentioned on some television or radio program.​

Rutledge, now 43 years old and the owner of rental properties in his native Birmingham, Ala., never has to send back a return text asking how it was that his name happened to be brought up.​

He knows.​

He always knows.​

“That’s when somebody’s doing trivia time,” Rutledge said by telephone from Birmingham, about a two-hour drive from Atlanta, where his former team will play the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night in Super Bowl LIII.​

The Power of Keeping Giving Local | Athens Area Community Foundation

“I think giving is kind of in our DNA. My parents, Ethel’s parents — we come from a family of givers,” explained Rod. “I think it was rooted in our parents and passed on to us and we passed it on to our children.”

athensareacf.org

For Rod and Ethel Rutledge, it’s not just about making a donation.​

It’s about sharing their love of giving.​

“I think giving is kind of in our DNA. My parents, Ethel’s parents — we come from a family of givers,” explained Rod. “I think it was rooted in our parents and passed on to us and we passed it on to our children.”​

The Rutledges are honoring that legacy of giving with the Rutledge Lathen Fund at the Athens Area Community Foundation.​

2001 Patriots Media Guide

Rod Rutledge Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Rod Rutledge Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Rod Rutledge

Rodrick Rutledge | Combine Results | TE - Alabama

NFL Scouting Combine and Pro Day scores, percentiles and metrics for Rodrick Rutledge, TE, Alabama.

nflcombineresults.com

 

[sb1]

Even though he was a Raider I had a lot of respect for Coach Madden. Class act

 

[jmt57]

Even though he was a Raider I had a lot of respect for Coach Madden. Class act

Especially in comparison to how the Sullivans mistreated Stingley after the fact.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Greg Spires​

Happy 51st birthday to Greg Spires
Born August 12, 1974; from Cape Coral, Florida
Patriot defensive end, 1998-2000; uniform #94
Pats 3rd round (83rd overall) selection of the 1998 draft, from Florida State
Pats résumé: three seasons, 42 games; 9½ sacks; one postseason game, two sacks


Despite leading the team in sacks (six, tied with Willie McGinest), Spires was a surprise cut and did not make the 2001 roster. He was a pass rushing specialist, with one third of his tackles (17) resulting in a sack in 2000; he also had three forced fumbles that year. Perhaps Bill Belichick wanted more versatility at defensive end. On the other hand Spires had previously shown just that, moving from linebacker to nose guard to defensive end while in college at Tallahassee.

Spires did have a few notable games while in New England. he recorded two sacks in his first playoff game, a 25-10 loss at Jacksonville on January 3, 1999. He also had two sacks on Peyton Manning in a 24-16 victory over the Colts on October 8, 2000. Altogether he played in 42 regular season games for the Patriots, with 50 tackles, 9½ sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass deflection.

He then spent one season with Cleveland and six with Tampa Bay. Spires was a dependable player for the Bucs, starting at left defensive end for six seasons for Jon Gruden. He earned a ring for Tampa's 48-21 victory over Oakland in Super Bowl 37, following the 2002 season.


The fact that Spires played so well that year, soon after being let go by the Patriots, on another team that proceeded to win the super bowl - and continued to start with them for six years - begs an answer to the question of 'why exactly did we cut this guy again'?




Sep 3, 2001:

Patriots release Greg Spires

Spires, 26, started two of 16 games for the Patriots last season and recorded 17 tackles, including six sacks. The 6-1, 265-pound defensive end was selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft. The Florida State product played in 42 games over three seasons and made three starts for the Patriots. He accumulated 47 career tackles, including 9.5 sacks for 74.0 yards, and had four passes defensed.​

Dec 4, 2004:

Game Day Spotlight: Greg Spires

Aug 10, 2016:

NFL Player’s Ex-Wife Blames Bank for Stalking

DEDHAM, Mass. (CN) – The ex-wife of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Greg Spires claims in court that her bank released her private financial records, allowing Spires to stalk and harass her. Dara Spires says in a Norfolk Superior Court lawsuit that the Tremont Credit Union carelessly...

www.courthousenews.com

May 14, 2019:

Former Patriots player Greg Spires accused of violating a protective order in New Hampshire

A judge set bail at $50,000 for a former New England Patriots player accused of violating a protective order

www.boston.com

March 9, 2021:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Top 10 free agency signings in team history

With the start of free agency looming, let's take a walk down memory lane. We already covered the worst Buccaneers signings, now let's look at the best.

thepewterplank.com

2000 Patriots Media Guide

Greg Spires Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Greg Spires Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Greg Spires

Greg Spires - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[40yrpatsfan]

Stingley was such a good receiver. This was the greatest tragedy in Patriots history.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Charley Frazier​

In memory of Charley Frazier, who would have turned 86 today
Born August 12, 1939 in Houston, Texas
Died August 16, 2022 at the age of 83
Patriot WR, 1969-1970; uniform #81
Acquired in a trade with the Houston Oilers on March 24, 1969
Pats résumé: two seasons, 23 games (13 starts); 14.0 yards per catch, seven touchdowns

Charley "The Razor" Frazier came to Boston as part of the trade that sent Leroy Mitchell to the Oilers, and Larry Carwell to the Pats. Frazier was an AFL All-Star in 1966 when he averaged 19.8 yards per catching with 12 touchdowns and 1,129 yards receiving (in a 14-game season. But by 1969 the Pats were rebuilding, had Mike Taliaferro at quarterback, and Frazier was thirty years old. Even so he led the team with seven touchdown receptions (tied with RB Carl Garrett for the most TDs overall that year). The following season the Pats added Bake Turner, who became the starting wide receiver opposite Ron Sellers, and Frazier's playing time dwindled. He was waived early in the 1971 training camp, finishing his two seasons in New England with 28 receptions for 392 yards and seven touchdowns. Over his nine seasons as a pro Frazier averaged 16.7 yards per catch, with 207 receptions for 3,452 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Sept 14, 1969: Charley Frazier makes the tackle on Bill Thompson in week one.
This was one of four interceptions thrown by Mike Taliaferro, as former
Pats head coach Lou Saban got a bit of revenge in Denver's 35-7 victory​

Texans Ambassador Profile: Charlie Frazier

Former teachers often have a knack for seeing their old students after they've graduated. Former Houston Oilers wide receiver Charlie Frazier is no exception.​

Frazier, who followed up his nine-year professional football career with stints as a college coach and an educator at Houston's John Reagan High School, often runs into old pupils when signing autographs and meeting with fans as a Texans Ambassador.​

As a college product of his hometown Texas Southern University, Frazier played with the Oilers during their AFL years, starring for the team from 1962 until 1968. Nicknamed "The Razor," Frazier made the Pro Bowl in 1966 after catching 12 touchdown passes and recording 1,129 receiving yards, two totals that ranked among the top three in the league.​

After leaving the Oilers in 1968, Frazier played two seasons with the Boston Patriots before retiring from football and moving home to Houston. He spent the next eight years working for various college football programs, spending a year at Rice and one at Tulsa before heading to TCU for six seasons. He then settled back in Houston, assuming his teaching job at Reagan before retiring for good in 2006.​

Former Texas Southern athlete Charley Frazier passes away at 83

Former Texas Southern track & field athlete and NFL wide receiver Charley Frazier passed away on Tuesday at the age of 83. His passing came just four days

hbcusports.com

Texas Southern Great, NFL Player Charlie Frazier Dies at 83

Texan Southern's track and field great passed at 83.

www.si.com

Texas Southern University's track & field and professional football great Charlie Frazier passed at 83. Frazier was a native of Angleton, Texas, and starred in track star with fellow TSU great Homer Jones.​

Frazier ran a 9.4 sec. 100-yard dash and 20.8 sec. 220-yard sprint at Texas Southern. The speedster teamed with Homer Jones, Barney Allen, and Lester Milburn to win the sprint medley (3:22.4), quarter-mile (41.2), and half-mile (124.4) relays at the Drake Relays in 1961.​

He was incredibly fast. Frazier went undrafted in 1962 but earned a roster spot with his hometown Houston Oilers, where he played until 1968. In 1966, he caught 12 touchdowns and over 1,200 receiving yards and was voted to the 1966 AFL All-Star team. Frazier left Houston to compete with the American Football League's Boston Patriots (now New England) from 1969-70.​

Charlie Frazier coached at Houston's John Reagan High School and college sports at Rice, Tulsa, and Texas Christian universities.​

1970 Boston Patriots Media Guide

Charley Frazier Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Charley Frazier Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Charley Frazier -- Pro Football Archives

Charley Frazier - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Derrick Burgess​

Happy 47th birthday to Derrick Burgess
Born August 12, 1978 in Lake City, South Carolina
Patriot OLB/DE, 2009; uniform #53
Acquired in a trade with Oakland on August 6, 2009, in exchange for a 2010 3rd and 5th round draft pick
Pats résumé: one season, 16 games (six starts); five sacks,

The Patriots traded for Burgess after the start of training camp in 2009, a move born out of desperation due to a gap that was never adequately filled when Mike Vrabel was shipped off to KC in the Matt Cassel trade.

Burgess was nothing special on the field; was late reporting to camp the next year; seemed to have either a bad attitude, or was a misfit in the Pats defensive scheme; and was cut before the start of the 2010 season.


In other words, Derek Burgess was a letdown and a disappointment.


Burgess had been a Pro Bowler with the Raiders in 2005 (16 sacks) and 2006 (11 sacks), but never showed that type of productivity with the Pats. Philadelphia signed him to a contract in 2010, but he lasted only one game with the Eagles. During his one season in Foxboro he had five sacks, 34 tackles, four tackles for a loss, 12 QB hits, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Derrick Burgess played in a total of 102 NFL games from 2001 to 2010, with 52 sacks.


August 6, 2009:

Patriots trade for Derrick Burgess

The Patriots have traded for Oakland defensive end/outside linebacker Derrick Burgess.

www.boston.com

May 28, 2010:

Where does Derrick Burgess fit?

One offseason project was to re-watch the final four games of the 2009 season and attempt to answer the question: Was Derrick Burgess a different player for the Patriots following the time he was sent home with three others for being late to a meeting on a snowy, icy morning?

www.espn.com

August 13, 2010:

Derrick Burgess reinstated; Ty Warren placed on IR

September 5, 2010:

Reaction to cutdown day: Why was Derrick Burgess released?

The release of Derrick Burgess was puzzling, but losing Brandon McGowan to injured reserve will have the most impact.

www.masslive.com

Derrick Burgess Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Derrick Burgess Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Derrick Burgess

Derrick Burgess - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Older August 12 Trivia​

August 12, 1963
Boston Patriots release Bob Dentel and Jay Donovan

Robert Dentel was a three-year letterman (1960-61-62) at the University of Miami. The Pats selected the center in the 15th round of the 1963 AFL draft, 119th overall. Dentel, who was also drafted by the Chicago Bears, never signed with another AFL or NFL team after his release. He did play some minor league football in 1963 and '64, for Indianapolis and Joliet in the UFL, and for the Pittsburgh Valley Ironmen in the Atlantic Coast Football League.

THE SOUTH

Each summer the story, as predictable as a Rebel yell at Ole Miss, floats out of head coaches' offices all over the South. They are going to forget defensive

vault.si.com

Pro Football Archives -- Bob Dentel

Jerome 'Jay' Donovan went to Arlington High School and then played left tackle for Boston College from 1959-1962. Similar to Dentel, the 6'3, 235lb Donovan never played in the NFL or AFL, but did play in the ACFL and other minor leagues from 1963 to 1968. With Bob Dee and Jim Hunt firmly entrenched as starters at defensive end, and Walt Cudzik at center, Donovan and Dentel were longshots to make the 33-man roster as a reserve.

Jay Donovan -- Pro Football Archives

Donovan's remarkable run - Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

So Donovan's team played for the championship in each of his six seasons, winning four times and losing twice, each loss coming in overtime. Take away a bad bounce here, a missed field goal there, and he might have played for SIX STRAIGHT champions. OK, he wasn't at the top level of football, but that must have been a satisfying career.




August 12, 1969:
Patriots cut Barry Gallup, Bill Murphy, Karl Singer and Tom Whittier

Karl Singer's name stands out from this list because he is quite possibly the biggest draft bust in franchise history - which is saying a lot. Singer was the third overall selection of the 1966 AFL draft. The offensive tackle from Purdue started a total of eight games in three seasons with the Pats - and was never signed by a single AFL or NFL team after his release, ending his pro football career at the age of 25.


Barry Gallup was a split end from Boston College who was selected in the 11th round (266th overall) in the 1969 draft. He never played in the AFL or NFL, but did play for the Quincy Giants in the ACFL in 1969, as well as for Hamilton in the CFL in 1970. Gallup worked as a teacher in Swampscott, then as a position coach for BC from 1969 to 1990. He then spent nine years as the head coach at Northeastern before returning to BC as their assistant athletic director from 2000 to 2012.

Barry Gallup - Football Coach - Boston College Athletics

Barry Gallup’s name is synonymous with Boston College football. Now in his 38th year as a member of the staff, Gallup, one of the best receivers in school hi...

bceagles.com

Bill Murphy was a wide receiver started six games for the Pats in 1968, while also playing in the ACFL. Murphy had great hands, but was not only too slow to get open, he also had terrible eyesight and couldn't see a ball thrown his way. The Cornell grad went on to have a very successful career on Wall Street, specializing in commodities futures and later opening his own brokerage firm.

Today in Patriots History -- August 12, Bill Murphy


Tom Whittier was another wide receiver. He played at Texas Southern, before signing with Pittsburgh as an undrafted rookie prior to joining the Patriots. That was the extent of his NFL/AFL experience, though he did play minor league football from 1969 to 1971, then joined the World Football League for their brief two-year existence.




Saturday August 12, 1972, 8:05 pm
Preseason Week 2 at Franklin Field, Philadelphia
Philadelphia Eagles 29, New England Patriots 20

The Pats turned the ball over three times while averaging just 2.4 yards on 30 rushes. Rookie WR Tom Reynolds had five catches for 95 yards, Reggie Rucker had five receptions for 91 yards, and Randy Vataha had a nice 47-yard catch on a pass thrown by Brian Dowling. The defense did a nice job limiting Philly to 88 net yards passing, with Art McMahon getting a pick and Jim Cheyunski with a strip sack for another turnover. Former Patriot Jim Nance had 36 yards rushing an 10 receiving for the Eagles.




Sunday August 12, 1973, 8:00 pm
Preseason Game 3 at Schaefer Stadium
New York Giants 13, New England Patriots 7

The Pats were shutout until Paul Gipson scored on a one-yard run with three ticks left on the clock. Jim Plunkett got the start and went 9-17 for 89 yards, with one interception. Brian Dowling entered the game in the second quarter and went 1-8 for 19 yards, with another pick.

Saturday August 12, 1978, 9:00 pm
Preseason Week Two at Oakland-Alameda Stadium
New England Patriots 21, Oakland Raiders 7

Jack Tatum paralyzes Darryl Stingley

Who cares about the score.

See the original post.




Sunday August 12, 1979, 1:00 pm
Preseason Week Two at Schaefer Stadium
Los Angeles Rams 15, New England Patriots 3
26,324 in-stadium; 18,631 no-shows; 2 hours, 41 minutes

Steve Grogan got the start and went a pitiful 3-13 for 29 yards, with one sack for ten yards. The Pats were 4-16 on third down, and the two teams combined for 14 punts. The running game was a lone bright spot, with Don Calhoun averaging 5.0 yards on five carries, Horace Ivory 4.6 yards on eight runs, and Mosi Tatupu 6.7 yards on three rushes. Tom Owen went 6-13-58 in relief of Grogan, while Matt Cavanaugh was even worse than Grogan going 1-7 for 20 yards. The Rams also scored on a first quarter safety when Mike Patrick's punt was blocked and rolled out of the end zone following Grogan's sack.




Saturday August 12, 1989, 7:00 pm
Preseason Week One at Sullivan Stadium
New York Giants 20, New England Patriots 17

Tony Eason went 11-17 for 95 yards in the start, but was sacked twice and threw a pick. The Pats went three-and-out on their first two drives, then Eason threw his pick on the next possession to kill a promising drive. Mosi Tatupu scored on a three-yard run on the next possession, overall the running game was nowhere to be found, averaging 2.4 yards per carry. Doug Flutie went 6-13 for 69 yards and Marc Wilson finished it up completing 7-11 for 64 yards, including a 7-yard TD to TE Willie Scott.

Saturday August 12, 1995, 8:00 pm
Preseason Week Two at Foxboro Stadium
New England Patriots 21, Minnesota Vikings 14
Attendance: 56,241 (plus 4,051 no-shows); time 3:07

The Vikings took a 14-13 lead on a 43-yard field goal with 3:06 left to play. Dino Philyaw caught the ensuing kickoff at the ten yard line but went backwards, tackled near the goal line. Minnesota was flagged for encroachment on the play though, and Troy Brown brought the re-kick out to the 33. On the first play from scrimmage Scott Zolak threw a 67-yard touchdown to Hason Graham, and Andre President caught the pass from Zolak for a successful two-point conversion. The Vikings advanced the ball to the New England 19 with just over a minute to play, but Carlos Yancy intercepted a pass at the five yard line to seal the win.




Monday August 12, 1996, 8:05 pm
Preseason Week Two at Texas Stadium, Irving Texas
New England Patriots 31, Dallas Cowboys 7

The Patriots intercepted two Dallas passes while not turning the ball over themselves to cruise to an easy win. New England was 8-15 (53%) on third down, while limiting Dallas to 4-14 (29%) on their third down opportunities. The Patriots gained 123 yards on the ground, led by Dave Meggett (8 carries for 35 yards) and Curtis Martin (48 yards rushing, 11 yards receiving). Jay Barker looked good in relief of Drew Bledsoe, connecting on 3 of 4 passes thrown for 59 yards, including a sweet 33-yard reception to Hasan Graham. Jimmy Hitchcock and Corwin Brown had interceptions for the Pats defense.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
21st Century August 12 Trivia​

Friday Aug 12, 2005, 7:30 pm:
Preseason Week One at Paul Brown Stadium
New England Patriots 23, Cincinnati Bengals 13

In 94° temperature the Pats started slow start, with a punt and pick on their first two drives with Rohan Davey (4-7, 42 yards, one pick) at QB. But the Patriots scored on each of their next four possessions, including a 14-play, 82-yard drive at the end of the half, then 16-play, 61-yard drive culminating in a field goal to start the second half. Matt Cassel - who threw his first touchdown pass since high school - looked much than Davey finished 13 of 21 for 135 yards, and also scrambled for 46 yards. Tom Brady was given the night off.

Asante Samuel picked off Carson Palmer on the first play of the game, one of three takeaways by the Pats defense. CB Chad Scott also had an interception, and DE Marquise Hill had three tackles and a strip sack-fumble recovery.

Patriots Beat Bengals 23-13

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady got the night off on Friday night, giving way to a battle for who will play behind him during the Patriots 23-13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

www.patsfans.com

August 12, 2006:
Pats re-sign free agent Gemara Williams, who had been released three weeks earlier after a failed physical

The 5'8 corner from the University of Buffalo ended up spending the season on IR with the Pats, and on the Pats practice squad in 2007. he later spent two seasons in the CFL, but never got on the field for a snap in a regular season NFL game.

Thursday Aug 12, 2010, 7:30 pm:
Preseason Week One at Gillette Stadium
New England Patriots 27, New Orleans Saints 24

Tom Brady started the game and played the entire first quarter, finishing the game 5-8 for 67 yards. The Patriots scored a field goal and a touchdown on Brady's two offensive drives, including a 14-play, 93-yard drive that culminated in a 6-yard toucdown run by BenJarvus Green-Ellis. During the TD drive Brady completed a 23-yard pass to Randy Moss, a 20-yard pass to Brandon Tate, and a 21-yard pass to Julian Edelman. Jules led the team with six receptions for 90 yards.

Eleven draft picks made their debut with the Patriots. First round pick Devin McCourty and 2nd round pick Brandon Spikes started on defense, and tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez started on offense. It was also the first game for Taylor Price, Zoltan Mesko, Ted Larsen, Thomas Welch, Brandon Deaderick, Kade Weston and Zac Robinson saw action in reserve. Six new veteran free agents also made their debut: RB Thomas Clayton, TE Alge Crumpler, G Eric Ghiacuic, DL Damione Lewis, LB Marques Murrell and DL Gerard Warren also saw their first action in a Pats uniform, with Crumpler and Murrell getting starts.

Devin McCourty had two fifty-yard kickoff returns in the second quarter.

Patriots beat Saints 27-24 in preseason opener

Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 28-yard field goal with 53 seconds left to lift the Patriots to a victory at Gillette Stadium in their preseason opener. The Patriots held a 24-7 lead in the third quarter, but the Saints tied it on Garrett Hartley’s field goal with 6:37 left. Wes Welker did not play...

www.boston.com

August 12, 2012:
Logan Mankins is removed from the PUP list

Logan Mankins coming off PUP

Mike Reiss @MikeReiss Patriots practice yet to start, but a positive sign -- OL Logan Mankins in uniform on field. A sign he is coming off PUP Great news! :D

www.patsfans.com

Patriots lineman Mankins practices

When the Patriots gathered back on the practice field Sunday after two days of physical rest, there was a surprise participant: Logan Mankins. The All-Pro left guard was removed from the physically unable to perform list and took part in the session, though only in the individual drills; when...

www.boston.com

Mankins suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament on his left knee in the Week 16 win over Miami last year, when he was asked to play left tackle for the first time in his career, replacing Matt Light. That injury forced Mankins to miss the regular-season finale, the first time in his career he’d missed a game to injury.​

When news came that Mankins had undergone ACL surgery in February, it was reportedly on that same knee.​

Mankins did admit, however, that the Super Bowl was tough for him.​

“I was banged up a little, but everyone was at that point of the year,’’ he said. “Everyone knew something wasn’t quite right, so that’s why we had the MRI after the game to see what was wrong.’’​

Thursday Aug 12, 2021, 7:30 pm:
Preseason Week One at Gillette Stadium
New England Patriots 22, Washington Football Team 13

Patriots 22-13 WSH (Aug 12, 2021) Game Recap - ESPN

Expert recap and game analysis of the New England Patriots vs. Washington NFL game from August 12, 2021 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

Rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson had two touchdown runs, including a 91-yard score with just over a minute to play to help the Patriots beat Washington 22-13.​

All eyes were on the quarterback position for New England, with Cam Newton entering training camp looking to rebound from a disappointing 2020 campaign and cement his spot as the starter after the Patriots used a first-round draft pick on Mac Jones.​

Belichick has said Newton is his starter. But it was Jones who had the better preseason debut. The rookie completed 13 of 19 passes for 87 yards in five series, spreading the ball around with confidence after he took over for Newton late in the first quarter.​

Newton has been the most consistent quarterback in Patriots camp thus far but looked indecisive at times as Washington’s defense applied pressure. He started shaky, going three-and out after misfiring on his first two throws. It included one pass battled away by defensive end Chase Young after he blew past left tackle Isaiah Wynn and hit Newton from behind as he released the ball.​

After Dustin Hopkins missed a 40-yard field goal, Newton got New England moving. Given much more time to operate in the pocket he linked up with Jakobi Meyers on an 11-yarder, found Jonnu Smith on a crossing route for 16 yards, and James White for 17 yards along the sideline. But the drive stalled after a holding call on Smith and the Patriots settled for a 35-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin.​

August 12, 2023:

Patriots make a series of transactions, adding RB and OL

The Patriots made a series of transactions, adding a running back and offensive lineman. Read more on Boston.com.

www.boston.com

The Patriots signed two offensive players and released two defensive players Saturday. They added running back C.J. Marable and offensive lineman Micah Vanterpool and parted ways with linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi and safety Jourdan Heilig.​

Marable, 26, originally signed with the Chicago Bears as a rookie free agent out of Coastal Carolina in 2021. The 5-foot-10, 200-pounder spent the last two seasons playing in the United States Football League for the Birmingham Stallions and helped lead the team to back-to-back championships. Last season, he totaled 1,079 all-purpose yards for the Stallions – 525 rushing yards, 235 receiving yards, and 319 return yards. He added three rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns.​

Vanterpool (6-foot-6, 315 pounds), 24, played guard and tackle during his college career at Hawaii from 2017-22. He started all 13 games in 2022 at right guard and was named All-Mountain West second team. Vanterpool signed with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL late in the spring season and was inactive for the final two games.​

The Patriots signed the 24-year-old Fatukasi (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) in January. He originally signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a rookie free agent out of Rutgers in May 2022. He made the 53-man roster out of training camp, played in 13 games, and registered six special teams tackles. Fatukasi finished the 2022 campaign on the Denver Broncos practice squad.​

Heilig, 22, joined the Patriots in May as a rookie free agent out of Appalachian State. The 6-foot-2, 218-pounder played four seasons at Appalachian State as a linebacker. He played in 51 games and finished with 34 total tackles on defense.​

August 12, 2024:

PATRIOTS TRAINING CAMP - Monday Patriots Training Camp Thread 8/12

www.patsfans.com

Patriots Daily News Thread - Patriots Monday News Thread 8/12

www.patsfans.com

Monday Patriots Notebook 8/12: Henry Leaves Sunday's Practice | PatsFans.com

Sunday saw the New England Patriots get back to work following an off day for the players on Saturday, with the team getting set for this week's upcoming joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles.

www.patsfans.com

5 takeaways from Day 13 of Patriots training camp

Drake Maye bounces back after a rough start, Joe Milton throws a pick, why the defense had to run laps, and other things to know.

www.boston.com

The defense was still able to hold both quarterbacks to a 50 percent or less completion rate despite working with a shorthanded secondary.​

Patriots 53-Man Roster Projection 2.0 — After The 1st PS Game | PatsFans.com

Hopefully, the team will find a way to keep Judon on the roster this year. But his eventual replacement, Keion White is ready in Year 2

www.patsfans.com

Sources: Teams inquire about acquiring Patriots LB Judon

Multiple teams have inquired about trading for pass rusher Matthew Judon amid his contract stalemate with the Patriots, sources told ESPN Senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, after New England made a contract offer which he did not accept this summer.

www.espn.com

Matt Judon landing spots: Best fits for disgruntled Patriots star who has reportedly received trade interest

Could Judon's days in Foxborough be numbered?

www.cbssports.com

Patriots re-sign undrafted rookie running back Deshaun Fenwick

The Patriots announced two roster transactions Monday.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

After waiving Deshaun Fenwick earlier this month, the New England Patriots have re-signed the undrafted rookie running back. Fenwick, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds, spent the last three years of his college football career at Oregon State. He tallied 515 rushing yards (5.4 per carry) and five rushing touchdowns, along with nine receptions for 76 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns, in 13 games for the Beavers last season.​

Fenwick joins a running back depth chart in New England that includes Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson, Kevin Harris and JaMycal Hasty.​

The Patriots also announced Monday they have released rookie free agent defensive end John Morgan.​

August 12, 2025:
Patriots sign undrafted rookie free agent RB Shane Watts, and release RB Deneric Prince

Watts is an undrafted rookie from D-Two Fort Hays State. Prince was just signed two days prior, but had been absent from both of the team's practices during his 48-hour stay. The Pats were a bit thin in the backfield after rookie RB Lan Larison was placed on IR on August 9, and rookie FB Brock Lampe landed on IR on July 29.

 

[JohnJH]

I remember when Darryl returned to Schaefer stadium to the longest standing ovation I ever seen. I believe it was over 15 minutes & the fans really saluted him

John Madden who was coaching the Raiders when this occurred, became great
friends with the entire Stingley family & he
helped them in many ways in the coming years

I was a kid when this happened and remember it well. I was dumbfounded to know that after the game, Madden went directly to the hospital and didn't see the Sullivan's or any reps from the Patriots at the hospital. Madden was furious and got on the phone, called the airport, got the tower to make the Patriot's Charter return to the gate and told the Sullivan's to get their asses to the hospital immediately. Which just reminds me of what total scumbag's the Sullivan's were. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Madden who made sure the Sullivan's took care of Stingley the way they eventually did.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

the dirtiest most disgusting play in nfl history especially considering it was a preseason game, but this is what the raiders were known for. jack tatum, phil villapiano, george atkinson, ben davidson, ted hendricks, john matuszak, lyle alzado and more, over the years, were all dirty bastards. just too many to name. that whole franchise can burn in hell.


ps....except my tommy