"Oh right, he played for the Patriots."

fnordcircle said:

Ok this is a weird one because he was a big part of our receiving corps for a few years in the late 90s, or am I thinking of a different Shawn Jefferson?

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Well he's a guy most average Patriots fans don't appreciate or talk about.
You never hear him mentioned but I was a fan.

Irving Fryar. Man I hated seeing that he had such an awesome career with the dolphins. He should have been one of the all-time greats. But I think we shipped him out when he beat up his wife or something like that.

Based on when I was born and became aware of football, Jim Plunkett.

Well, we all remember Albert Haynesworth (how can I forget one of the few Patriots I found it difficult to root for?), but what about Johnathan Sullivan (first-round pick, arrived from the Saints, left without impact a month in to the season)?

Or Gerard Warren, who surprised me when he was in New England by saying how much he loved the game and just wanted to go on playing for as long as he could -- not at all the reputation that he had as a major draft bust in Cleveland. Googling, I came across this nice story that filled in the background:

LJRomanoff said:

View attachment 23518

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OK, then:

Mike the Brit said:

OK, then:

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No one ever forgets that Flutie played for the Patriots.

Dave Meggett comes to mind immediately for me. Had a career year with us in 1995 or 1996.

ChrisR2223 said:

Well he's a guy most average Patriots fans don't appreciate or talk about.
You never hear him mentioned but I was a fan.

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I remember him mostly because there was a game he had the dropsies around 1996 or so. Parcells was seen screaming at him on the sideline and he went out shortly after and caught one before getting lit up and (I think) knocked out, but he held onto the ball.

He was good for us though.

EarthWind Moreland

Marion Butts.

Post knee injury. 248 pounds thrown backwards by corners.

The name, however, was all pro.

Jonas Gray.

Since 1976 when I started watching until 2000:

1. Harold Jackson (mostly known as an Eagle or Ram, he put up All-Pro years with 1,000 yard seasons; surprised he spent 4 years in NE, seemed shorter to me)
2. Ernie Holmes (one of the dirtiest most feared players in football, part of Pittsburgh's Steel Curtain)
3. Chuck Foreman (Pro Bowler, 3x 1,000 yard rusher, with Vikings)
4. Mark van Eeghan (Pro Bowler, 3x 1,000 yard rusher, spent many years with Raiders during their great years, key player for them)
5. Steve McMichael (One of the biggest Patriot regrets ever; let him go; went on to become sack specialist, perennial Pro Bowler, spent 15 years in the league, never a bench player, always a starter, Chicago Bears)
6. Derrick Ramsey (mostly known as a Raider, Russ Francis's replacement, 2 years in NE, best year too with 66 catches)
7. Tom Condon (NFL's top agent now, 11 year starter with KC, 1 year with NE)
8. Tony Franklin (known mostly as barefoot kicker for the Eagles)
9. Rich Camarillo (left NE became perennial Pro Bowler with Cardinals)
10. Jeff Feagles (left NE became 2x Pro Bowler with many teams)
11. Matt Bahr (many years as the Browns kicker)
12. Guy Morris (Eagles center for 12 years, All-Pro in 1981, spent last 4 years with NE)
13. Sean Farrell (big 1st Rd pick for the Bucs, 5 years in Tampa, 3 in NE, All-Pro in 1984)
14. Mike Baab (9 years with the Browns, 2 with Patriots, perennial starter)
15. Zeke Mowatt (Mr. Patriot Missile himself, thanks Zeke, 7 years with Giants, 1 disastrous year with Patriots)
16. Kevin Turner (5 year starter with Eagles, 3 with Patriots)
17. Rich Baldinger (12 year starter with KC, 1 year with NE)
18. Mike Pitts (very high draft pick for Atlanta, 10 years in NFL, 1 year with NE, 48.5 sacks)
19. Bob Kratch (5 years with Giants, All-Pro in 1994 with Patriots, Played 20 games in NE, 1 1/2 seasons)
20. Ricky Reynolds (7 years with Bucs, 1992 All-Pro with Bucs, 3 years with NE)
21. Blair Thomas (2nd pick in draft by Jets, tore both ACLs, didn't recover, bust)
22. William Roberts (Giants lineman for 10 years, Pro Bowl 1990, NE for 2 years)
23. Zefross Moss (starter for 7 years with Indy and Detroit, 3 in NE)
24. Henry Thomas (93.5 sacks, many Pro Bowls and All-Pros, 10 years with Vikings, spent 4 years with NE--can't believe he spent that many years with us)
25. Henry Ellard (16 years in NFL, all but one with Rams, 13777 yards received over career)
26. Greg Spires (drafted by Patriots, spent first 3 seasons in NE, became sack specialist for 6 years with Bucs)
27. Terry Allen (10 years in NFL, 1 year with NE, 4 straight 1,000 yard rushing seasons, Pro Bowl, mainly a Redskin)
28. Sean Morey (9 years in NFL as ST specialist, Pro Bowler with Cardinals)
29. Antonio Langham (1st round 9th pick of Browns, 7 years in league, 1 in NE, bust)
30. Mike Compton (longtime starter in Detroit, 2 years in NE)
31. Anthony Pleasant (14 years in NFL, mainly Browns, 2 years NE)
32. Roman Phifer (8 years as Ram starter, 4 years in NE, 3 more years elsewhere)
33. Terrell Buckley (14 year career, 2 in NE, mainly a Dolphin, 50 career INTs)
34. Bert Emanuel (Falcons Starter for 5 years, 1 year NE)

Rest in peace Junior Seau, sad we couldn't get it done in 2007.

Joker said:

We drafted Plunkett in the 1st round...he got murdered here...it was horrific

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Jim Plunkett was the Heisman Trophy winner and the #1 overall draft pick in 1971 by the Patriots. Optimism was high when he was drafted. Not so much when he left.

Randy Vataha, Jim Plunkett's favoritate target at Stanford, shared a few stories of his life with Jim Plunkett at a meeting I was at in the early 80s.

Randy was drafted in the last (17th!) round by the L.A. Rams. He wasn't planning on playing in the NFL as he was not much of a prospect. The Rams, as was their tradition at that time, gave a girl in the front office the chance to make this final draft pick. Because Randy was cuter than the other option, she chose Randy. He was cut in training camp but signed with the Patriots (after some Jim Plunkett lobbying) to be reunited with Plunkett and stayed for 6 years.

In their first year in the NFL together, Plunkett got sacked hard (let's put it this way; this was not the '78 Patriots offensive line ) and he was concussed. Back in the huddle, he saw Randy and made a Stanford(!) play call which had everyone scratching their heads except Vataha who went deep and caught Jim's pass for a TD.

As I look through the thread, the names that jumped out at me are Lockhart, Ellard and Kratch. I genuinely forgot they played in Foxborough.

Regards,
Chris

A lot of these guys I remember but don't remember how long they were with us. I mean Henry Thomas I get but for that many years, holy crap.

FCB02062 said:

Eugene "the hitting machine" Lockhart, 2 yrs w Pats then several more in prison ! He was overrated lb for Dallas and Pats made a "big" splash signing him as plan b fa

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Plan B Free Agency, what a horrible concept that was - "Sure, players are free to move from team to team. Just as long as their current team doesn't think they'll be able to help them in the future."

TE Michael Roberts

Kenny Moore seems like an obvious response today.