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Today in Patriots History
Laurence Maroney
Ron Sellers
Laurence Maroney
Ron Sellers
Happy 35th birthday to Laurence Maroney
Born February 5, 1985 in St. Louis
Patriot RB, 2006-2009; uniform #39
Pats first round (26th overall) selection of the 2006 draft, from Minnesota
The 2005 season was a bit of a letdown for the Patriots. After consecutive 14-2 seasons culminating in a Super Bowl championship, in '05 the Pats started 6-5, finished with four fewer wins at 10-6, and lost by 14 in the division round. New England ranked 30th with 3.4 yards per rush, and a replacement for Corey Dillon would soon be needed. Dillon's rushing yardage dropped in half from 2004 to 2005, and his yards per carry fell from 4.7 to 3.5. He would turn 32 early in the 2006 season and his body was showing the wear from being tackled more than 2,600 times.
Laurence Maroney and Marion Barber formed one of the best college running back duos of the 21st century at the University of Minnesota. The pair rushed for 4,934 yards in 2003 and 2004, with Dallas drafting Barber in 2005. Maroney rushed for 1,464 yards in 2005, bringing his three year total as a Gopher to 3,933 yards and 6.0 yards per carry, with 33 touchdowns.
Maroney was the second running back taken in the 2006 draft, behind only Reggie Bush at #2. Unfortunately for the Pats other running backs selected later in the first (DeAngelo Williams, Joseph Addai) and second rounds (Maurice Jones-Drew) had more productive careers.
That's not to say Maroney was a bust. He was solid in the beginning, with over 900 yards from scrimmage in both of his first two seasons, with 13 touchdowns; he also averaged 28.0 yards returning kickoffs in 2006. Maroney had two very good games in the 2007 postseason, rushing for 122 yards and a touchdown against both Jacksonville and San Diego - but was able to gain just 36 yards on 14 carries in the loss to the Giants.
Maroney missed nearly the entire 2008 season after suffering a broken bone in his shoulder in week two. There was speculation that the Pats tried to hide the injury, as well as rumors that Maroney leaked that information to the press after being portrayed as being soft. Maroney returned in '09 as the lead back in a running back by committee, sharing playing time with Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, Kevin Faulk and BenJarvus Green-Ellis.
In 2009 Denver was in need of a running back to split carries with Knowshon Moreno, and the Patriots had such an excess at the position that Maroney was inactive for week one. The Pats sent Maroney to the Broncos to be reunited with Josh McDaniels in exchange for a fourth round pick.
Laurence Maroney trade analysis | Mike Reiss, espn
Maroney was entering the final year of his contract, so this is a sign that the Patriots didn’t expect him to be back in 2011.
Maroney, who was limited by a thigh injury of late, was inactive for the team’s season-opening win. Yet even upon his return to health, he might have remained inactive as the 34-year-old Taylor had wrestled the No. 1 spot on the depth chart away from him.
Also, Morris had leapfrogged Maroney because of his added value as a lead-blocking fullback, occasional ball-carrier, and contributor on special teams units.
With Faulk entrenched as the team’s third-down back, that left Maroney fighting for the No. 4 spot on the depth chart.
Because coaches often look for special teams value in that spot, Green-Ellis is a better fit than Maroney.
Given that set of dynamics, plus the chance to pick up a fourth-round draft choice, the Patriots saw enough value in the deal to pull the trigger.
Maroney, who was limited by a thigh injury of late, was inactive for the team’s season-opening win. Yet even upon his return to health, he might have remained inactive as the 34-year-old Taylor had wrestled the No. 1 spot on the depth chart away from him.
Also, Morris had leapfrogged Maroney because of his added value as a lead-blocking fullback, occasional ball-carrier, and contributor on special teams units.
With Faulk entrenched as the team’s third-down back, that left Maroney fighting for the No. 4 spot on the depth chart.
Because coaches often look for special teams value in that spot, Green-Ellis is a better fit than Maroney.
Given that set of dynamics, plus the chance to pick up a fourth-round draft choice, the Patriots saw enough value in the deal to pull the trigger.
Maroney played in just four games for Denver and was a healthy scratch for the final seven games. He was not re-signed the following offseason, never receiving a nice payday in free agency - and never again played in the NFL.
Laurence Maroney ranks 15th in franchise history with 2,430 career rushing yards, and is tied with Antowain Smith for 12th with 21 rushing touchdowns. His 4.2 yards per carry ranks ninth among players with at least 250 rushing attempts, and fourth for those with at least 500 carries.
Happy 73rd birthday to Ron Sellers
Born February 5, 1947 in Jacksonville, Florida
Patriot WR, 1969-1971; uniform #34
Pats first round (sixth overall) selection of the 1969 draft, from Florida State
Ron Sellers made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, scoring six touchdowns and averaging 26.1 yards per catch while totaling 705 yards receiving. Over three seasons he played in 35 games with 30 starts, with 1,477 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns. Sellers averaged 18.7 yards per catch while with the Patriots; that ranks as the third highest in franchise history for players with at least 75 receptions, behind only Harold Jackson and Stanley Morgan. At the time he left New England his touchdown reception ranked sixth in club history (31st now).
On July 13, 1972 the Patriots traded Sellers to Dallas for a third round draft pick. He began the season as a backup but eventually replaced Bob Hayes in the starting lineup. In a postseason playoff game he caught the winning touchdown from Roger Staubach to defeat the 49ers 30-28, capping a 17-0 fourth quarter comeback with 52 seconds left to play. His final NFL season was with Miami in 1973, winning a Super Bowl over Minnesota.
While with the Patriots Sellers worked at a Boston-based regional stock brokerage. In 1975 he opened his own life insurance agency and has worked in the securities industry ever since. Ron Sellers was named to the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1973, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988.
Florida Sports Hall of Fame - Ron Sellers
College Football Hall of Fame - Ron Sellers
Ron Sellers was the greatest college pass receiver of his time. In three seasons at Florida State he caught 212 passes for 3,598 yards. His career yardage was a national record in 1968 and lasted 19 years. When he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988, 20 years after his last game, he still held 16 school records. His best performance came in 1968 against South Carolina with 16 catches. In other games in his career he caught 14 passes (three times) and 13 passes (three times). His 14 receptions against Penn State in 1967 set a Gator Bowl record. Against Wake Forest in 1968 he caught five touchdown passes. It's no wonder Ron was twice All-America.
Ron Sellers Bio: Hall of Fame class, 1977 | Seminoles.com
Ron Sellers was one of the finest receivers in the history of college football and many of his records lasted well into the pass-happy offenses used by schools in the 1990s. Sellers caught 212 passes for 3,598 yards from 1966-69 both of which have held up for at least 35 years. He averaged a remarkable 7.1 catches per game over his FSU career. He was a consensus All-American as a junior in 1967 after leading the nation with 1,228 yards and finishing second in receptions with 70.
For his encore he turned in the greatest single season receiving performance in FSU history. He caught 86 passes for 1,496 yards and 12 touchdowns – all school records.
For his encore he turned in the greatest single season receiving performance in FSU history. He caught 86 passes for 1,496 yards and 12 touchdowns – all school records.
FSU all-time countdown: #8, WR Ron Sellers
Born in Jacksonville, Florida, by the time Sellers was fielding college offers he had helped his high school win a state basketball championship and most people thought his athletic future would unfold on the hardwood. At 6-4 180, he was– by conventional standards– the wrong build to be a football player.
"Funny," Sellers said in a 1968 Sports Illustrated article, "but if I hadn't been so thin I probably would have gone to college on a basketball scholarship. But people kept telling me I was too light to play football; that I'd get killed. It made me mad and I decided I'd show everybody. And so when FSU offered me a football scholarship, I took it."
"Funny," Sellers said in a 1968 Sports Illustrated article, "but if I hadn't been so thin I probably would have gone to college on a basketball scholarship. But people kept telling me I was too light to play football; that I'd get killed. It made me mad and I decided I'd show everybody. And so when FSU offered me a football scholarship, I took it."
Jingle Joints should be judged by his cover | Sports Illustrated
"I don't know," said Sellers. "I think I just lull people to sleep with my long stride. They don't think I'm going as fast as I am, then pffft."
People see Sellers for the first time, standing around or warming up, and invariably they are confused. How could this guy be so good? For sure, with his long, skinny bowed legs and thin frame, he's the most unlikely looking player on the field. Sellers can run 50 yards in 5.5 seconds, but always he looks as though at any moment his arms and legs will go flying off in entirely different directions. A Houston defensive back nicknamed him "Jingle Joints."
People see Sellers for the first time, standing around or warming up, and invariably they are confused. How could this guy be so good? For sure, with his long, skinny bowed legs and thin frame, he's the most unlikely looking player on the field. Sellers can run 50 yards in 5.5 seconds, but always he looks as though at any moment his arms and legs will go flying off in entirely different directions. A Houston defensive back nicknamed him "Jingle Joints."
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Ron has been inducted into 10 Sports Hall of Fames and was FSU’s first football player to be inducted into the National College Football Hall of Fame (1987). Ron was honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in all three post season bowl games during his career at FSU – the Gator Bowl, Peach Bowl and Sun Bowl.
In 2007, Ron was honored by being named to The State of Florida’s “100 Greatest High School Football Players in Florida History.”
In 2007, Ron was honored by being named to The State of Florida’s “100 Greatest High School Football Players in Florida History.”
Happy birthday to Eric Patterson, who would have been 27 today
Born February 5, 1993 in Tampa (1993-2019)
Patriot CB, 2015 offseason
Signed as an undrafted rookie from Ball State on May 9, 2015
Eric Patterson was only with the Patriots for a month, released prior to the start of training camp. He later spent time with the Colts, Rams and Browns, appearing in three NFL Games. Patterson was fatally shot by an intruder in his home on June 8, 2019.
Sunday February 5, 2012 at 6:30
Super Bowl 46 at Lucas Oil Stadium
New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17