Today In Patriots History March 25, 1998: Pats refuse to match Jets offer for Curtis Martin

March 25, 1998:
Patriots refuse to match Jets offer for restricted free agent running back Curtis Martin


The first hint came last summer when Curtis Martin was asked how he felt about being the most grossly underpaid player in the professional football.

"I'm not really happy about it, " 'the New England Patriots', all-pro tailback said in a matter-of-fact tone, "but I'm hoping my agent will be able to do something to rectify the situation between now and Labor Day."

"But what will you do if Gus Sunseri can't convince owner Bob Kraft hat he should negotiate?" Martin was asked.

"I'll have to try to not let it bother me," replied Martin in a voice that sounded a bit more steely. "I've got a contract that I intend to honor."




As everybody knows, Kraft did not tear up the $247,000 deal Martin had agreed to accept in his third pro season when he joined the Pats as a rookie in 1995.

In retrospect, that may have been the beginning of the end of their warm and fuzzy relationship.

The end of the beginning came last month when Martin replaced Sunseri with Eugene Parker, who let his fingers do the dialing to Bill Parcells of the New York Jets.

The final act of the football soap opera came yesterday in Orlando, Fla., where Kraft announced the Pats would not attempt to match a six-year, $36-million offer the Jets made to Martin last week.




Instead, Kraft said the Pats had decided to accept the Jets' first- and third-round picks as compensation for the restricted free agent.

"We had an emotional attachment to Curtis," Patriots' owner Robert Kraft said of Martin, who has gained more than 1,000 yards in each of his first three years in the league. "But we're going to take the draft picks and let him move on."





There is no doubt the sudden and surprisingly acrimonious departure of Martin, who declined an offer to discuss his feelings about leaving the Pats with coach Pete Carroll the other day, leaves a gaping hole in New England's backfield.

Kraft and Carroll may be able to fill Martin's spot on the roster with a proven free-agent veteran like Chris Warren, Terry Kirby or Gary Brown, but the Pats' running attack simply won't be as good as it was.


The Patriots used the first round draft pick on Robert Edwards, who ran for 1,115 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie - but then blew out his knee in a scry freak injury at the Pro Bowl, and never played for the Pats again.

The third round pick was used on fullback Chris Floyd, who gained 76 yards from scrimmage in three seasons with the Patriots.

This was very disappointing... While shrewd, it was really some vile maneuvering by Bill Parcells, and a real low point in the Kraft era...

The Foxboro Front Office got pantsed...

One of the most fascinating topics in Patriots history. As a 15 year old in 1998 without the resources we have now, I had no idea about their salary cap situation. But my theory after reading articles throughout the years was that Bob Kraft was hoping that no team was going to bother with Martin being a restricted FA as Bob didn't want to pay him a new deal being strapped for cash. Also, he knew he had to later pay Bledsoe, McGinest, Glenn, Law and Milloy. Martin missed time in 1997 and Bob was told by the analytics guys that Martin had too much mileage on him.

Martin's side was that the Pats severely low balled him and were playing games. The Pats side was that Martin wanted QB money and felt he was more important than Drew Bledsoe. Carroll warned management that if this doesn't get done soon, Martin was going to find a way out. Nobody believed him.

Parcells had inside info just two years removed from being the HC, so he knew the Pats salary cap situation. After hearing Martin's negotiations weren't going anywhere, that's when he stepped in with the poison pill. The Pats had the ability to match, but the catch was that Martin could opt out and be a unrestricted FA in 1999 where I believe the Pats couldn't franchise him. The other caveat was that they wouldn't get any compensation if he left. It's so fascinating because letting a RB walk in that era was pretty unheard of. Ricky Watters was the other RB that the 49ers previously let walk.

This was the beginning of the end of the late 90's Pats teams. Bledsoe gets injured in 1998 and Robert Edwards has the biggest freak injury in NFL history lead to the Pats meltdown in 1999.

Didn’t the jets put a poison pill in the offer?

Yeah, that was a great way to celebrate my recent birthday and upcoming HS graduation. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

would not have been so horrible if the Pats didn't whiff on the picks they got in return

PATSYLICIOUS said:

Didn’t the jets put a poison pill in the offer?

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Yes. I'm shocked the NFL didn't veto this because Parcells had inside info on the Pats cap situation. He knew the Pats wouldn't have been able to match with or without the poison pill.

FCB02062 said:

would not have been so horrible if the Pats didn't whiff on the picks they got in return

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I've thought about that as well. Had Robert Edwards been a stud or Fred Taylor fell to them, we'd never have this conversation. Take the Colts trading Marshall Faulk to the Rams one year later. Although it was a really pointless trade, Edgerin James was quickly in the conversation as one of the best in the league. Colts should've paid Faulk and drafted Champ Bailey where DB was an obvious ned. That would've been something else.

Pape said:

This was very disappointing... While shrewd, it was really some vile maneuvering by Bill Parcells, and a real low point in the Kraft era...

Click to expand...

It absolutely was disappointing as it was really difficult back in the day to find a stud RB. It still is today, but even more so then. If you didn't have a running game you were screwed. We found that out in 1999. That was brutal.

Pape said:

The Foxboro Front Office got pantsed...

Click to expand...

From what I've read, the front office truly believed that nobody would've had interest in Martin because of how many carries he's had in his young career dating back to Pittsburgh. They kind of laughed off Carroll's concerns thinking Martin had zero leverage which led to Carroll wanting full control when he went to USC and later Seattle.

In a weird way, this blunder by Kraft led to him hiring BB and giving him full control. Had the Pats re-signed Martin, the butterfly effect happens with the Jets being like 9-7 or 10-6 in 1998 and probably a early playoff exit. Pats are probably 11-5 and the 2 or 3 seed. Same in 1999. Pats would've been 10-6 had Adam not shanked multiple game winning field goals. They probably aren't in that position with Martin and end up 11-5 or even 12-4. BB may have taken the Oakland job and Brady is either in Oakland or signs as a street FA with SF.

By the way, thanks for the kudus. Much appreciated.

TheRainMaker said:

Yes. I'm shocked the NFL didn't veto this because Parcells had inside info on the Pats cap situation. He knew the Pats wouldn't have been able to match with or without the poison pill.

I've thought about that as well. Had Robert Edwards been a stud or Fred Taylor fell to them, we'd never have this conversation. Take the Colts trading Marshall Faulk to the Rams one year later. Although it was a really pointless trade, Edgerin James was quickly in the conversation as one of the best in the league. Colts should've paid Faulk and drafted Champ Bailey where DB was an obvious ned. That would've been something else.

Click to expand...

Robert Edwards was a stud. Unfortunately his career virtually ended after his rookie year and a freak injury during the Pro Bowl beach volley ball game. There are no sure things in the NFL.

Happy 39th birthday to Steve Belichick
Born March 25, 1987 in Summit, New Jersey
Patriot coach, 20012-2023
Hired as a defensive coaching assistant on May 10, 2012
Pats résumé: twelve seasons on NE coaching staff; three-time super bowl champion




At first I was disappointed in his being hired. It looked like blatant nepotism, like a little league coach making sure his kid batted leadoff and played whatever position he wanted, all while passing over more qualified candidates to the detriment of the team. At the time the only thing we knew about the kid was a bad haircut, and being busted for weed in 2006. But give credit where credit is due; Steve did put his time in and developed into a quality position coach.


Coaching History

New England Patriots
2012-15: Defensive Assistant
2016-18: Safeties
2019: Defensive Backs
2020-21: Outside Linebackers
2022-23: Linebackers

University of Washington
2024: Defensive Coordinator

University of North Carolina
2025-present: Defensive Coordinator






Nov 1, 2019:








Feb 5, 2024:
















Dec 23, 2024:









Oct 30, 2006:

March 25, 2012:
Chad Johnson Ochocinco agrees to restructure his contract, takes a pay cut.


Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has said all the right things. He has been adamant he wants to remain a Patriot and that he enjoyed this season. He said winning was important, even while contributing just 15 catches and earning nearly $6 million.

Now, Ochocinco has put his money where his mouth is, while also giving himself a chance to make the team out of training camp.

The mercurial receiver has agreed to restructure his contract, according to a source, taking his $3 million base salary and turning it into just $1 million. In doing so, Ochocinco makes earning a spot on the roster not about money, but merely about talent. If he’s good enough among the 10 pass-catchers, he’ll stay, regardless of his salary.


Taking that big pay cut wasn't enough. Even with the lower investment and risk for the team, he didn't even make it to training camp; the Pats released him on June 7.

Which is perfectly understandable. The previous season he caught less than half the passes thrown his way (46.9%), while averaging exactly one reception per game. He looked completely lost at times, turning one way while the ball was being thrown the other way, and dropping other catchable passes.









More of what the forum was discussing on March 25, 2012:

TheRainMaker said:

Yes. I'm shocked the NFL didn't veto this because Parcells had inside info on the Pats cap situation. He knew the Pats wouldn't have been able to match with or without the poison pill.

I've thought about that as well. Had Robert Edwards been a stud or Fred Taylor fell to them, we'd never have this conversation. Take the Colts trading Marshall Faulk to the Rams one year later. Although it was a really pointless trade, Edgerin James was quickly in the conversation as one of the best in the league. Colts should've paid Faulk and drafted Champ Bailey where DB was an obvious ned. That would've been something else.

Click to expand...

Word, i had thought it was a situation we had little control over. Not that we didn’t **** things up on our own, but we ran into so many tough breaks after that sb run. Parcells stealing curtis, glenn seemed like he was never available after his rookie year, career ending injuries to robert edwards and katzenmoyer after like 1 year each. Couple those with some piss poor drafting overall and that’s how things spiraled.

It all ended up being for the better though as Carroll probably remains the coach at least a couple more years otherwise and Bb winds up with the jets.

Stu Pidassle said:

Robert Edwards was a stud. Unfortunately his career virtually ended after his rookie year and a freak injury during the Pro Bowl beach volley ball game. There are no sure things in the NFL.

Click to expand...

There is where I disagree. He was a meh athlete. Granted the Pats OL wasn't very good run blockers, but he was dead to rights if the blocking wasn't there ala Sony Michel in 2019. He wasn't much of a shake and bake guy rather running in a straight line. There was a 7 game stretch where he was getting stifled consistently averaging 2.3 yards per carry. It was bad. He had his best game in a blowout loss against the Rams. 49ers was good game, but then stuffed again against NY and Jacksonville in the Wild Card game. With that said, Pats make the playoffs in 1999 with Robert Edwards running the football. Terry Allen and Kevin Faulk were awful.

Also, the freak injury was during a flag football game.

PATSYLICIOUS said:

Word, i had thought it was a situation we had little control over. Not that we didn’t **** things up on our own, but we ran into so many tough breaks after that sb run. Parcells stealing curtis, glenn seemed like he was never available after his rookie year, career ending injuries to robert edwards and katzenmoyer after like 1 year each. Couple those with some piss poor drafting overall and that’s how things spiraled.

It all ended up being for the better though as Carroll probably remains the coach at least a couple more years otherwise and Bb winds up with the jets.

Click to expand...

Had Glenn, McGinest and Martin been available in 1997, they are the #2 seed. They beat Pittsburgh in the Divisional round and host Denver in the AFCCG.

Pats had some awful injuries after the 1996 season. We never knew when Glenn and McGinest were going to play. Katzenmoyer looked like he was going to be a pretty good player. Drafting sucked as even Bledsoe acknowledged on Edelman's podcast.

BB's hand was forced after the 1999 season. He would've had to accept the job with NY. The rumor was he turned down the job in 1998. I initially mixed up the years - thought it was 1999.

March 25, 1960:
Boston Patriots sign Western Illinois HB Larry Garron

Larry Garron went to Western Illinois, leading the Leathernecks to three consecutive NAIA Conference championships. He intended to go on to medical school, but his college coach - Lou Saban - invited Garron to tryout for his new team in the inaugural American Football League season. After battling tonsillitis and injuries Garron did not initially make the roster, but did proceed to get in on four games in the 1960 season.

Garron added weight to his frame in the offseason and it paid dividends. In 1961 Garron shared rushing duties with Billy Lott and Ron Burton, averaged 5.6 yards per carry, scored five touchdowns and was named to his first All-Star team.




For an encore Garron averaged 5.9 yards per carry in 1962, and scored the second touchdown of his career on a kickoff return. His all-purpose yardage increased from 1,168 yards to 1,314, despite missing three games due to injury.


In 1963 Garron's workload increased. He averaged 16.1 yards on 26 receptions with two touchdowns, while also more than doubling his amount of carries. Garron had a career-high 1,168 yards from scrimmage, and led the AFL with 1,884 all-purpose yards. He was a major factor in the AFL East title game, the franchise's first-ever postseason game. On two occasions his receptions (59 yards and 17 yards) set up field goals, as the Patriots won their first playoff game in team history, 26-8 at Buffalo.




In 99 games with the Patriots, Garron scored 42 touchdowns (8th most in team history), totaled 5,483 yards from scrimmage (10th most in team history), with 7,805 all-purpose yards (ninth). After all these years Garron also still ranks ninth all-time in team history with 2,981 yards rushing, fifth in kickoff return yards (2,299), and seventh in kickoff return average (25.8 yards). When he retired he held the team record for yards per rush in a single game (11.6), which occured on the same day he ran a kickoff back 80 yards. Larry Garron still holds the Patriot record for longest rush (85 yards).


Larry Garron was a four-time AFL All-Star, the team MVP in 1963, member of the Patriots All-AFL, All-Decade Team of the 1960s, and a member of the American Football League Hall of Fame. His 5.9 yards per carry in '62 is still a franchise record to this day. Garron ranks third among all-time AFL players in career all-purpose yards gained (7,805), third on average kickoff return yardage (25.8), and second for career kickoff return touchdowns.


Larry also had some talented sporting sons and nephews, including nephews Donald Garron (who won the 1981 Massachusetts All State 220 yard championship in 22.37), and Rufus Harris, who had a tryout with the Boston Celtics in 1980. Two of his sons, Arnold and Andre, are in the University of New Hampshire Athletics Hall of Fame. Andre played for the Kansas City Chiefs as a running back and kick returner for two seasons in the late 1980s. Arnold also played in the NFL one year with the Patriots, and one year for Washington as a defensive back.











March 25, 1984:
Patriots sign TE Beau Coash

Ben Coash had been with the Pats in their previous training camp, and played for the USFL's Boston Breakers in 1983. He is also, to the best of my knowledge, the first former college lacrosse player to join the Patriots. Coash went on to get his MBA from Harvard, and is now an institutional portfolio manager in the Fixed Income division at Fidelity.



LinkedIn -- Beau Coash

Beau Coash -- Money Show






March 25, 1994:
Pats re-sign free agent center Mike Arthur

The Patriots had claimed Arthur off waivers from Cincinnati on September 1, 1993. That proved to be a valuable acquisition after starting center Bill Lewis sustained a knee injury in week two, and was unable to play for the next six weeks. Arthur ending up playing in 13 games in '93, with 11 starts. He became the full time center in '94, playing in 12 games with 11 starts.

In 1995 Bill Parcells drafted Dave Wohlabaugh in the fourth round to be the Pats new center. Satisfied with his progress, Tuna traded Arthur to Green Bay on August 11 for TE Jeff Wilner and WR Bill Schroeder - neither of whom made the Pats roster. Schroeder suffered a broken foot and was released; he went back and re-signed with the Packers, and played in the NFL until 2004, with 304 receptions and 28 touchdowns. Arthur played two years for Green Bay, his final NFL season coming in 1996.


From 1988 to 1990, Mike Arthur was the centerpiece of the Texas A&M football team. A three-year starter for the Aggies at center, Arthur was the leader of one of the best rushing attacks in Aggie history.

In 1990, Arthur earned All-American and consensus All-Conference honors at center, and was also a Semi-Finalist for the Outland Trophy that year, contributing to an Aggie offense that ranked 6th nationally with an average of 471.1 yards per game and 4th nationally in rushing offense with 319.1 yards per game – a SWC record. The ’90 season came to a close with a 65-14 dismantling of BYU in the Holiday Bowl, still the biggest blowout in postseason history.

Arthur’s achievements in college led to a solid professional career as an offensive lineman. Drafted in the 5th round by the Cincinnati Bengals, Arthur spent six seasons in the NFL with the Bengals, New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers.


1994 Patriots Media Guide -- Page 39








March 25, 1994:
Patriots sign free agent linebacker Steve DeOssie

This move reunited another former Giants player with the Pats new coach Bill Parcells. DeOssie was the third unrestricted free agent to sign with the Patriots this offseason, joining his former Giants teammates Bob Kratch and Myron Guyton.

DeOssie played in every game for the Pats in 1994-95 before being waived on August 25, 1996. From there he transitioned seamlessly into the local Boston sports media, working on WHDH television and WEEI radio.

March 25, 2025:
Patriots sign free agent WR Stefon Diggs

Mike Vrabel was probably hoping to make a splash in his first season here in New England, and the Patriots pulled off a deal on Tuesday night that certainly created one.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team agreed to a 3-year, $69 million deal for veteran receiver Stefon Diggs, which also reportedly includes $26 million in guaranteed money.


For New England, it’s certainly a risk. Diggs is coming off an ACL injury that sidelined him just eight weeks into last season, although the team clearly has no concerns there having had him reportedly take a physical during his visit to Foxboro last week.

From there, the next question is whether or not Diggs is OK with being a guy who is a significant part of the offense, but not necessarily the guy who takes the lion’s share of the targets.


Given his history, that’s going to be the key question when he takes the field here in Foxboro next season.

That’s not to say Drake Maye having someone like him to throw to isn’t going to be a significant upgrade. It absolutely will be the case. However, other targets like Hunter Henry, Demario Douglas, and whoever emerges from there between Kendrick Bourne, newcomer Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, and last year’s draft selection, Ja’Lynn Polk, will have quite a few other guys also looking for opportunities.


Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has been down this road, having worked with Randy Moss during his time here. Spreading the ball around will definitely be a priority, although with Diggs now in the fold, the competition around him will certainly be interesting to follow.


But when healthy, Diggs can certainly change the game. He’s a player who prior to last season averaged over 1,000 per season for six consecutive seasons before getting hurt midseason in 2024. If he’s even close to where he was, he’s the type of player who absolutely changes things, forcing opponents to have to account for him. That potentially opens up the Patriots’ passing game considerably, especially for someone like Maye who has the arm to use every part of the field.

For now, New England came into this offseason hoping to get a little more explosive on offense. It’s safe to say that, despite the baggage Diggs might bring with him, they’ve now done just that.

March 25, 2008:
The Patriots re-signed OT Wesley Britt and OLB Pierre Woods
Both players were exclusive rights free agents.

Britt played in 17 games for the Patriots from 2006 to 2008, with two starts. These days he is a lobbyist who is more well known for being the husband of Alabama senator Katie Britt. Woods was a special teams standout who played in 54 games with eight starts for the Pats from 2006 to 2010, plus seven postseason games.


Patriots re-sign T Wesley Britt and LB Pierre Woods -- Patriots.com
Britt, 26, has played in 14 career games with two starts, all with the Patriots from 2006-2007. Last season, Britt played in four games while being listed among the day-of-game inactives on 12 occasions. He made one start in 2007, opening as a second tight end in New England's regular season finale.

Woods, 26, was signed by the Patriots as a rookie free agent out of Michigan on May 8, 2006. The 6-foot-5-inch, 250-pound linebacker led the Patriots with 21 special teams tackles in 2007 and has totaled 32 career special teams stops in 24 career regular season games. He has also made seven special teams tackles in six career playoff games. Last season, Woods played in every game and totaled multiple special teams stops in five contests.


Behind the Scenes with OT Wesley Britt -- Patriots.com, Oct 13, 2006










March 25, 2019:
Bruce Beatty passes away at the age of 91 in Tampa

Beatty was a Patriots special teams ('69) and offensive line ('70-'72) coach from 1969-1972, in the Clive Rush-John Mazur era. The Canton, Ohio native earned a BS and MA in education from Miami of Ohio, where he played end and defensive back for the 1948 and 1950 MAC championship Red Hawks. From there Beatty spent 18 seasons as an offensive line coach for Ara Parseghian at Miami of Ohio and Northwestern, then entered the pros in 1968 as the special teams coach for the Buffalo Bills.

After his four seasons with the Pats, Beatty coached for the Houston Oilers ('73-74), Detroit Lions ('75-76), Buffalo again ('77), in the German Football league, and later for the USFL's Washington Federals ('83-84). Bruce had the misfortune of not only never coaching a playoff team in his twelve years of pro football, not one of those teams even had a winning record.


Bruce Beatty Bio -- Canton Repository, July 28, 2016









March 25, 2021:
Patriots re-sign ERFA FB Jakob Johnson, and officially announce the re-signing of free agent RB James White










Patriots Re-Sign RB James White and FB Jakob Johnson -- Patriots.com, March 25, 2021










Jakob Johnson was poised for a training camp competition last summer, but when Dan Vitale opted out of the season, the fullback gig was all his. Johnson wound up playing 37% of the offensive snaps, as well as 43% of the plays on special teams.

With Vitale back on the field, there could be a positional battle this summer if the veteran doesn’t wind up a salary cap casualty. Dalton Keene may also factor in, as he has experience in the backfield and will be fighting for a roster spot with Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith added to the tight end depth chart.


The Patriots re-signed James White this week and they’ve now secured a deal with another member of their backfield.

Johnson played every game last season and started 11 times. He caught 8 passes for 35 yards and a touchdown while also playing 170 special teams snaps. With Johnson and White back in the fold, Rex Burkhead is the only member of the 2020 backfield no longer with the club.


The Patriots will have plenty of competition at the fullback position this offseason. On Thursday, the team signed exclusive rights free agent Jakob Johnson to a one-year deal, according to ESPN. Johnson started 11-of-16 games last season for the Pats. He scored his first NFL touchdown and was mainly used in the run game.

Johnson, 26, came to the Patriots as a part of the NFL’s International Pathway Program. The fact that he’s carved out a role on the team makes him a success story. Under that program, the NFL places players from other countries on NFL rosters. The league incentivizes the teams to keep those players by allowing them to not count against the team’s practice squad limit.

Johnson is from Germany and was considered a long shot to stick with the Pats. He improved leaps and bounds, however, during his first offseason with the team in 2019. He ended up being signed off the practice squad that season and appeared in four games before landing on injured reserve. Last season, Johnson was the Patriots' full-time fullback, replacing James Develin.

Johnson will have some competition this offseason. Dan Vitale has opted back in after missing last season. Vitale is a veteran of four NFL seasons as a fullback — two with Cleveland and two with Green Bay. There’s also Dalton Keene. Last season, Keene played tight end but he did play fullback at Virginia Tech and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Patriots try him at that position as well.


Johnson, who was born and raised in Germany, forged an unlikely path to the Patriots' roster after joining the team through the NFL's International Pathway Program in 2019. The 26-year-old appeared in every game last season as James Develin's successor, mainly serving as a lead blocker while also catching eight passes for 35 yards and one touchdown.

With Danny Vitale expected to return from his COVID-19 opt-out, Johnson will face competition for his roster spot this summer. Second-year tight end Dalton Keene also could factor into the fullback battle after playing as an H-back at Virginia Tech.

Snaps could be scarce for Keene and fellow 2020 third-round draft pick Devin Asiasi after the Patriots spent big on tight ends in free agency, signing both Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry.


Sept 23, 2019:

Happy 45th birthday to Niko Koutouvides
Born March 25, 1981 in New Britain, CT
Patriot special teamer/linebacker, 2010-2012; uniform #90
Signed as a veteran free agent on August 15, 2011
Pats résumé: two seasons, 22 games (1 start), plus five postseason games


At Purdue the linebacker was a first team All-Big Ten and teammate of Drew Brees and Matt Light. He was selected by Seattle in the fourth round of the 2004 draft. Koutouvides spent four seasons with the Seahawks, one in Denver and two in Tampa Bay, developing his niche as a standout special teams player.

The Patriots signed him in August of 2011 but was let go at the end of training camp. The Pats re-signed Niko in November the day after Albert Haynesworth was released, and he remained with the Pats for the rest of the season. In 2012 he was once again released at the end of camp and then re-signed, this time appearing in 14 games. In August of 2013 the Pats cut Koutouvides just prior to the start of the season. That marked the third straight time he had been released by the Patriots just before the season kicked off. He finished his Patriot career with one start in 22 regular season games, and also appeared in five playoff games. Overall he played in 125 NFL games over five years, plus 13 post-season games – including two Super Bowls.

In 2013 Koutouvides became a principal and co-founder of Skala Partners, a real estate investment, development and management company in southwestern Connecticut.

For more on this former Patriot and New England native, check out Mike Reiss’ Dec 10, 2011 column:




















Greek-American Niko Koutouvides on His NFL Career and the Super Bowl -- The National Herald







2012 Patriots Media Guide -- Page 123

Happy 67th birthday to Luther Henson
Born March 25, 1959 in Sandusky, Ohio
Patriot nose tackle, 1982-1984; uniform #70 ('82-83), #60 ('84)
Claimed off waivers from Cincinatti on March 1, 1982
Pats résumé: three seasons, 21 games (2 starts)


A two time All-Big 10 defensive tackle at Ohio State, Luther Martin Henson originally signed in his home state as an undrafted rookie with Cincinnati. After Henson was cut by the Bengals, Ron Meyer, in his first year as New England’s head coach signed the big man to fortify the defensive line. Henson made an impact, upgrading the interior pass rush. The defense allowed six fewer points per game from the previous season and the Pats improved, from 2-14 to a playoff berth in ’82.

Luther Henson played in 21 games over three seasons for the Patriots, registering three sacks. He later returned to Ohio, joining a former college teammate in a successful auto dealership. Since 2012 Henson has been the Sales Director at Columbus Car Trader in Ohio[/URL].









Sept 20, 1982:







1984 Patriots Media Guide
Pro:Luther played in the first four regular season games in 1983 with two starts (vs Jets 9-18, at Piitsburgh 9-25) before a knee injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season. . . he suffered a right knee injury in the Patriots' 28-23 win over the Steelers and was placed on injured reserve on 9-28. . . in four games in '83 he was in on nine tackles and recorded one QB pressure. . . a good player against the run, Luther should return to be a contributing factor in the Patriots' defense in '84. . . he saw spot duty in various defensive alignments in '82, primarily on goal line and short yardage situations. . . he was in on seven tackles and recorded one QB pressure, one pass deflection and caused one fumble in eight games played during the '82 campaign. . .

College: Played both offensive and defensive tackle while at Ohio State. . . was selected to the first team All-Big 10 as a defensive tackle his junior year ('79). . . awarded the same honor his senior year as a second team selection.

Personal: Married (Melanie). . . father of two sons, Luther David (6) and Jason Martin (3). . . spent past offseason working at his car reconditioning shop that he opened in Columbus, OH. . . lists music and traveling among his favorite pastimes. . . is the only boy in a family of seven children.









Jan 10, 2009:





Aug 7, 2010:







Luther M Henson - LinkedIn
Played for Woody Hayes and Earle Bruce, then went to play in the NFL for the New England Patriots for three years

In memory of Willie Porter, who would have turned 80 today
Born March 25, 1946 in Victoria, Texas
Died March 3, 2019 at the age of 72 in Victoria TX
Patriot CB/KR/PR, 1968; uniform #27
Signed as a free agent sometime during the 1968 offseason
Pats résumé: one season, 13 games (0 starts); 22.6 yard average on 36 kickoff returns; 6.1 yard average on 22 punt returns


Willie Church Porter Jr. was a speedy flanker and kick return man at Texas Southern, playing in the same offense with four other future AFL or NFL players. Porter also excelled at track in college as a sprinter and hurdler. College teammate Leroy Mitchell, who was an All Pro corner for the Pats in 1968, recruited Porter to come play for the Patriots as an undrafted rookie.

Porter’s pro football career got off to a great start In the first game of the 1968 season at Buffalo he ran the second half kickoff all the way back to the Bills’ 45 yard line. On the first play from scrimmage R.C. Gamble (who was filling in for an injured Jim Nance) went the distance for a touchdown. That gave the Patriots their first lead of the game, 10-7. More importantly, after a lackluster first half those two plays gave the Pats a much needed spark and momentum. The defense responded with big turnovers and shut Buffalo out in the second half and the Patriots won, 16-7.







Mike Holovak converted Porter from offense to corner, just as he had done with Mitchell. Porter was utilized primarily on special teams, leading the Pats in punt returns and kick returns, totaling 949 all purpose yards. That turned out to be Porter’s only season in the league, though he also played for the Quincy Giants of the ACFL for one season - which would have made him a teammate of PatFanKen. Porter then returned to his native southern Texas, and spent much of the rest of his life working at an Alcoa plant.


Willie C. Porter Jr., (Church) 72 of Victoria, Texas passed away Sunday March 3, 2019. He was born March 25,1946 to the late Willie C. Porter Sr., and Ruby Pearl Avery Porter. He retired from Alcoa as a General Mechanic.

Happy 30th birthday to Calvin Anderson
Born March 25, 1996 in Philadelphia; raised in Austin, Texas
Patriot offensive tackle, 2023; uniform #76
Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent on May 2, 2019; re-signed on March 14, 2023
Pats résumé: one season, five games (two starts)


March 16, 2023:
Patriots Sign OT Calvin Anderson; Release QB Brian Hoyer -- Patriots.com
The New England Patriots announced today that they have signed T Calvin Anderson as an unrestricted free agent from the Denver Broncos. Terms of the contract were not announced. In addition, the Patriots announced that they have released QB Brian Hoyer.

Anderson, 26, is a veteran of four NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos (2019-22). The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with New England on May 2, 2019 out of Texas but was released on May 13 and claimed off waivers by the New York Jets. After beginning his rookie season on the Jets practice squad, Anderson was signed by Denver to the 53-man roster on Oct. 1, 2019. Overall, he has played in 41 regular season games with 12 starts, one at right tackle and 11 at left tackle. Last season, Anderson played in 14 games with seven starts at left tackle for Denver.


May 19, 2023:



He’s a player who is projected as a swing tackle and can play multiple positions, which is certainly something the Patriots need heading into this year. The Patriots will be returning starter Trent Brown, but they’re otherwise thin at that position.

Isaiah Wynn is a free agent and has made it known for whatever team is interested that he has some significant contract demands, so where he ends up should be interesting to watch.


This is a great move. Anderson has improved every year. He’s smart with a stellar character. Very smart. Apparently, there are videos of him solving Rubik’s cube puzzles behind his back. His arms are a little short at 33 1/8”. But I think we can expect him to compete well. Mike Munchak worked with this very coachable kid. We benefit from Calvin’s upward trajectory. This was a gold star offseason move to bring in a guy who can start at either tackle position. Cajuste and Steuber are there as backups to Anderson—if they even make the field in uniform.


Adding Anderson provides the Patriots added depth on the offensive line with Isaiah Wynn entering free agency and perhaps on his way out.


Tackle is undoubtedly New England’s biggest need at the moment, so it makes sense that Belichick is addressing it early in free agency. As it stands, Trent Brown and Conor McDermott are the top two tackles on New England’s depth chart.


The Rice University product joins Trent Brown, Andrew Stueber and Conor McDermott as the offensive tackles under contract for the Patriots. Anderson earned a 65/100 grade from Pro Football Focus for 2022. He was penalized only once in 41 career games for the Broncos. Offensive tackle is one of the Patriots' most glaring roster weaknesses, and despite Anderson coming aboard, plenty of work remains before this position has adequate talent and depth.


June 23, 2023:


Nov 3, 2023:
The Patriots’ offensive line carousel continues to spin into Week 9 of the 2023-24 season. New England placed tackle Calvin Anderson (illness) on injured reserve on Friday. He will miss at least four games before he can return to play.

Anderson was listed as the only left tackle behind Trent Brown on the Patriots’ depth chart before the roster transaction. Anderson missed all of training camp and the preseason this summer with an illness that landed him on the non-football injury list in late July.

The 27-year-old started for New England in weeks 1 and 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins. He played 100 percent of their offensive snaps in both matchups.

Anderson went on to play in weeks 3, 4, and 6, but was a healthy scratch against the New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills in weeks 5 and 7. He was ruled ‘out’ by the Patriots ahead of their Week 8 contest versus the Dolphins and now sees himself on IR for the foreseeable future.


April 18, 2024:






May 17, 2024:
Training camp was set to start in three days. Anderson, who had signed with New England as a free agent in the spring, was supposed to help shore up the offensive tackle position. In 72 hours, he was expected to be on the practice field, going through drills in Foxborough.

Instead, Anderson was laid out in the emergency room at Newton-Wellesley Hospital with a 105-degree fever and 50-50 odds on whether he was going to live or die.

The morning of July 22, 2023 marked the start of a harrowing journey for Anderson, one that began in the days after a trip to Africa and included a hospital stay, a brief return to the field, another scare a few months later that forced him to the sideline, and mental health concerns that stemmed from guilt as he watched the Patriots struggle to a 4-13 finish.

Now, fully cleared for a return and looking stronger than ever, the 6-foot-5-inch, 305-pound Anderson is attempting to do something no player in the history of the NFL has ever done — return from a near-fatal bout with malaria to play a full season at a high level.





June 4, 2024:
Coupled in with potentially a “Comeback Player of the Year” situation with Calvin Anderson, who Christopher Price of the Boston Globe reported Anderson’s harrowing bout with malaria last summer that submarined his 2023 season, and it’s possible that the Patriots may have some solutions that allow them to weather an offseason where they couldn’t attract one of the higher-priced players available at the position.


Sept 26, 2024:
A month ago, Calvin Anderson was released by the New England Patriots. Now, he’s signing with one of the NFL’s hottest teams. Earlier this week, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed the veteran offensive tackle, bringing him in after an injury to rookie tackle Troy Fautanu.

It’s a fascinating move given the current state of the Patriots offensive line, which started rookie third-round pick Caedan Wallace at left tackle last week. New England has had issues with its O-line early this season. But given the state of the veteran tackle market, they’re not the only ones looking for help.

Anderson was expected to be in the running for one of the top tackle spots in New England in 2024. However, he was a surprising absence from the team’s 53-man roster at the end of camp. He was initially put on injured reserve before being released with an injury settlement days later.

Anderson now heads to a Steelers team that is 3-0 so far this season behind a resurgent Justin Fields at quarterback. Pittsburgh has been doing some shuffling along the offensive line due to injury. Fautanu had been the starter at right tackle out of the gate, but is now expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a dislocated knee cap. Broderick Jones is set to start in Fautanu’s absence, with Anderson expected to serve as a backup.