Today In Patriots History April 18: Zach Sudfeld

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
The Studfeld Trophy
Pats Annual Preseason Hall of Fame Award​

Happy 36th birthday to Zach Sudfeld
Born April 18, 1989 in Santa Cruz
Patriot tight end, 2013; uniform #44
Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Nevada on May 3, 2013
Pats résumé: one partial season, three games (zero starts); zero receptions, 45 offensive snaps, five special team snaps


Zachary Jonathan Sudfeld was a 6'7 short-lived phenom who was an undrafted free agent signing out of Nevada in 2013. Initially he was considered to be nothing more than camp fodder, stuck way down on the depth chart behind Gronk, Aaron Hernandez, Michael Hoomanawanui, Daniel Fells and Jake Ballard.


Sudfeld impressed in the offseason - including a TD and two-point conversion in preseason week two. Then Hernandez went full psychotic and was infamously released, Ballard was unable to physically recover from his knee injury, and Fells underwhelmed in camp. With that Zach Sudfeld went from a nobody to a fan favorite, and survivor of final roster cuts as the team's third tight end.


The fairy book tale didn't last long though. In the first game of the regular season a short pass to the right bounced off his hands for an interception. After being inactive for a game, in week three a pass thrown his way in the end zone was picked off. Then in week four he fumbled away an onside kick and his New England Patriot career was over.


In three games Sudfeld had zero receptions on three targets, with two of those passes resulting in interceptions.


Since Rex Ryan is Rex Ryan, he couldn't help himself and of course he claimed the rookie off waivers - and of course he made him a team captain to go out for the coin flip when the Jets played the Patriots. Sudfeld appeared in 27 games for the Jets in 2013-14, totaling ten receptions for 148 yards and zero touchdowns. He spent 2015 on IR after tearing his ACL in minicamp, and was released at the end of training camp in 2016 - ending his NFL career.


His legacy lives on, however. Patriot fans now have the annual Zach Stud-feld Award, given to a new player who is wildly overrated by fans and the media during training camp and preseason games. (In full disclosure, I must admit that I too have suffered from Zach Sudfeld syndrome. I can still vividly remember times when I was fully convinced that Markell Carter and Kanorris Davis would soon become solid contributors, and starters a year or two down the road.)

No rookie wants to be on the receiving end of that glare.
Sudfeld's bobble allowed Buffalo to cut the deficit to 17-14.​

Getting to know New England Patriots rookie tight end Zach Sudfeld

Back in April, Zach Sudfeld was just another tight end in a very crowded positional room.

www.masslive.com

Sudfeld continues the preseason’s biggest surprise story

FOXBORO — How is this for a dramatic example of the way Zach Sudfeld’s football career has changed?In his first two preseason games with the Patriots, the big tight end has caught more passes than he…

www.providencejournal.com

Zach Sudfeld Has Shined Catching Football With Patriots, But Stats Say Blocking Could Become His Best Skill - NESN.com

Forget being the breakout star in New England — Zach Sudfeld may be the breakout star of the NFL this summer. Sudfeld has been impressing ever since first putting on a Patriots uniform and debuting for media members in OTAs and minicamp. The legend of “Studfeld” has only grown since fans first...

nesn.com

Patriots rookie free agent Zach Sudfeld fills big void

FOXBORO — When it comes to assessing rookies during training camp and the preseason, it’s best not to overreact, overblow, oversell or overhype. Only, the task becomes difficult when yo…

www.bostonherald.com

Patriots release TE Zach Sudfeld

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots announced the release of rookie tight end Zach Sudfeld on Thursday, which could be an indication Rob Gronkowski is set to return.

www.espn.com

https://nesn.com/2013/10/patriots-release-tight-end-zach-sudfeld-officially-announce-austin-collie-signing/amp/

In a series of moves, the Patriots announced a surprising roster transaction.

Zach Sudfeld was released by New England on Thursday afternoon as the team announced it has signed Austin Collie and placed Vince Wilfork on injured reserve.

The undrafted tight end was a star during the summer in OTAs and training camp. He struggled during the preseason and regular season. He was targeted twice during the season but did not record a reception.

Sudfeld’s release could be a good sign for Rob Gronkowski‘s return. The move leaves just Gronkowski, Matthew Mulligan and Michael Hoomanawanui on the roster.

If Sudfeld clears waivers, he could return to the team’s practice squad.​

The Patriots preseason hall of fame: Remembering the guys who seemed destined for stardom only to disappear - The Boston Globe

Zach Sudfeld? Shockmain Davis? Bam Childress? Choose your favorite candidate.

www.bostonglobe.com

Thread 'Zach Sudfeld released'

Oct 3, 2013

I presume this means three things:

(1) They'll try and get him on the PS.
(2) They're going to promote a DL.
(3) GRONK.

• ctpatsfan77
• Replies: 104
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

Thread 'Jets claim Sudfeld'

Oct 4, 2013

Of course

@RavensInsider: Tight end Zach Sudfeld claimed by the New York Jets, according to a league source

• BadMoFo
• Replies: 92
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

Champion of Children – Gio Journal

giojournal.com

Giving back to children in need is in Zach Sudfeld’s DNA. When the former tight end for the New England Patriots and New York Jets was one year old, his grandparents started the non-profit humanitarian organization Assist International. At 13, he accompanied them on a tour of orphanages they’d helped establish in Romania. “We took to the streets and I saw kids my own age or younger living in sewers for warmth, eating garbage, and begging for food,” recalls the NFL player. “These kids looked just like me, yet their clothes were torn and tattered, they had no parents, no food, no home, no hope. You could see despair in their eyes, and it left a mark on me.”​

As an adult, Sudfeld’s mission was clear. Along with his wife Kara, he helped found Child:Assist, an arm of Assist International that helps orphaned and vulnerable children in poor, developing and war-ravaged countries receive health care, education and a safe place to call home. By donating his time, energy, money and passion, Sudfeld has helped the organization open an orphanage in Uganda, bring medical supplies to hospitals in India, sponsor orphans in Romania and relocate children living in a Sudanese refugee camp.​

Zach Sudfeld Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

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

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
David Green​

Happy 53rd birthday to David Green
Born April 18, 1972; from Bedford, New York
Patriot running back, 1995; uniform #38
Signed as an undrafted free agent from Boston College on May 1, 1995
Pats résumé: two games


David G. Green went to Boston College and rushed for 1,018 yards at 5.1 yards per carry his senior year. In the 1994 Aloha Bowl he ran for 127 yards in a victory over #8 Kansas State. Green appeared in the first two games of the 1995 season for the Patriots on special teams, but never got a chance to touch the ball.


Green is most well known for a play he wishes everyone would forget. In 1993 #17 Boston College defeated #1 Notre Dame 41-39 in what is arguably - despite the legend of Hail Flutie - the greatest football game in BC history. The following week the Eagles moved up from #17 to #11 in the national rankings. The next game was a winner-take-all showdown for the Big East title, with undefeated #5 West Virginia at Alumni Stadium. The Eagles dominated the game but were unable to put the Mountaineers away. BC was driving for a clinching TD, already up 14-10 - but a fumble by Green at the 37-yard line with under 2 minutes left gave West Virginia life. The Mountaineers drove down the field to score a go-ahead touchdown, denying the Eagles their first New Year's Day bowl game, and a Big East title.


Fast forward to the 1995 season: Green was cut at the end of camp, and signed to the practice squad. Before the season began he replaced RB Dino Philyaw on the active roster, and appeared in the first two games. However, Green suffered a knee injury in a week two loss to Miami, and spent the rest of the season on injured reserve. He was unable to pass the physical prior to the 1996 training camp and was released - thus ending his very brief NFL career.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Us fans here named him "Studfeld", that is until his untimely bounce off pick by the enemy, etc.

 

[jmt57]

Other pro football players with New England connections born on April 18:


Walt Sweeney (4/18/1941 - 2/2/2013)

Sweeney is one of only two football players from Cohasset to make it to the NFL. He played his college ball at Syracuse and was the second overall pick in the 1963 AFL draft by San Diego. Sweeney was a nine-time Pro Bowl and two-time All Pro right guard for the Chargers. He played for 13 years and missed just one game during that time, in his final season. The hard living Sweeney probably suffered from the old school NFL bias that prevented many AFL players from being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Merlin Olsen once said that if he had to play against Sweeney every week, "I'd rather sell used cars."


John Sinnott, 67 (4/18/1958)

Sinnott was a left tackle who spent four seasons in the NFL with the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants. He appeared in nine games with seven starts for the Colts in 1982. Sinnott graduated from Dedham High School and Brown University, with a degree in civil engineering. He was a vice president and Business Unit Leader at Gilbane Building Company in Providence, and recently hired as director of production for South Coast Improvement Company (SCIC), a design-build general contractor serving states in the eastern region of the United States from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean.


Steve Cheek, 48 (4/18/1977)
Cheek attended UMass and was a punter in 2004 with the Kansas City Chiefs. He also spent time with the Eagles, Giants, Texans, Niners and Panthers. Cheek was also in NFL Europe for two years.


James Marten, 41 (4/18/1984)
Marten is a left guard and left tackle from Boston College. He was selected by the Cowboys in the third round (67th overall) in the 2007 draft. He spent time with the Cowboys, Raiders, Bears and Dolphins from 2007-2010, but appeared in only one NFL game.

 

[Froob]

Studfeld

 

[Mike the Brit]

I'm a double sufferer from Studfeld Syndrome. Not only did I think that Zach was the real deal, but I wanted them to sign brother Nate, an NFL starting quarterback hiding as a career backup ...

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
More April 18 Trivia​

April 18, 1979:
Bob Dee passes away from a heart attack while on a business trip in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Dee was only 45, and he left behind three sons and a daughter.

Despite still being a solid starter and one of the better players in the AFL, Bob Dee decided to call it a career after the 1967 season. This was back in the days when most pro football players worked offseason jobs, and Bob had a business offer that was too good to refuse. After previously working in real estate, he opened Jet Line Services, and spent the rest of his life in the hazardous waste cleanup business.

I grew up two blocks away from Bob Dee, and he would regularly come to speak at annual Little League and Cub Scout meetings. He was a mentor to a mutual neighbor by the name of Alan McKim, who later started his own waste disposal business. Founded a year after Bob Dee's death in 1980, Clean Harbors is now a publicly traded company with a market cap of over $11 billion, with annual revenues of almost $6 billion.

Bob Dee was posthumously inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame in August 1993. His spot in Patriots history is so huge that he was just the fourth player ever inducted. The team also retired his jersey number, 89 - he is the only Patriots to ever wear that number - while his helmet resides in The Hall at Patriot Place.




April 18, 1979:
New head coach Ron Erhadt hires Billy Kinard as defensive backs coach.

A second round draft pick by Cleveland in 1956, Kinard was a college and pro coach from 1961 to 1980, after four seasons in the NFL. Kinard was the head coach at Ole Miss from 1971-73, when the football program first became integrated.




April 18, 1989:
DE Kenneth Sims is re-signed to a one-year contract.

'89 would be the final year of the playing days for the first overall pick of the 1982 draft.


Also, Bill Brown dies at the age of 52 in Hempstead, New York. The original #54 played in all 14 games in the inaugural 1960 season for the Boston Patriots at middle linebacker.




April 18, 1996:
Free agent LB Rich McKenzie is signed to a one-year deal; he would be waived in August.




April 18, 1997:
Patriots re-sign restricted free agent DE Ferric Collons to a two-year, $1.25 million contract, matching Philadelphia's RFA offer sheet.

Collons played in 64 games for the Patriots from 1995-1999.




April 18, 1998:
Day One, Rounds 1-3 of the 1998 NFL Draft
The Theatre at Madison Square Garden, New York

QBs Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf go 1-2.

- 1.18: RB Robert Edwards, Georgia
(Randy Moss slipped to 1.21)
- 1.22: S Tebucky Jones, Syracuse
- 2.52: WR Tony Simmons, Wisconsin
- 2.54: TE Rod Rutledge, Alabama
- 3.81: FB Chris Floyd, Michigan
- 3.83: DE Chris Spires, Florida State




April 18, 1999:
Day Two, Rounds 4-7 of the 1999 NFL Draft
The Theatre at Madison Square Garden, New York

- 4.122: sent to Tennessee the previous day, as part of a deal to trade up to draft Kevin Faulk
- 5.154: G Derrick Fletcher, Baylor
- 6.180: S Marcus Washington, Colorado (pick previously acquired from Ravens for Lovett Purnell)
- 6.191: sent to Seattle the previous day, as part of a deal to trade up to draft Damien Woody
- 7.227: QB Michael Bishop, Kansas State
- 7.241: WR Sean Morey, Brown (compensatory pick for loss of Keith Byars and Sam Gash)




April 18, 2005:
Pats sign free agent Wesly Mallard to a one-year contract. The OLB appeared in three games for New England.




April 18, 2012:
Left tackle Matt Light is a no-show at OTAs, fueling speculation he will retire.

Matt Light Noncommittal About Retirement Decision, Hasn't Been at Gillette Stadium for Offseason Workouts - NESN.com

BOSTON — Patriots left tackle Matt Light sidestepped questions about his potential retirement Wednesday, but it was clear that he hasn't been overly involved with the daily workings of the team's offseason plan. Light was on hand for BTIG's Commissions for Charity Day, which was working in...

nesn.com

Matt Light hasn't made a decision on retirement

Light, who is contemplating retirement, was unaware that the team's offseason program began on Monday.

www.masslive.com

Matt Light won't say if he's playing or retiring

After 11 seasons as a starting offensive tackle for the Patriots, Matt Light sounds like he knows whether he wants to keep going or call it a career.

www.nbcsports.com

April 18, 2013:
DT Myron Pryor is released.

A sixth round draft pick in 2009, Pryor appeared in 24 games from 2009-2011. He missed all of 2012 due to an injury, and never played in the NFL again after that.




April 18, 2017:
In a busy news day the Patriots make multiple transactions.

- Pats waive guard Tre' Jackson.
The club had drafted Jackson in the fourth round of the 2015 draft, and he appeared in 13 games with nine starts as a rookie. A lingering knee injury resulted in his starting 2016 on PUP, and he missed the entire season while recovering from knee surgery. Jackson was released prior to the draft, and claimed by the Rams - but they too released him a few days later. Jackson never did play in the NFL again.
- James White, fresh of his heroics in Super Bowl 51, is re-signed to a 3-year, $12 million contract extension through 2020.
- Restricted free agent CB Malcolm Butler is re-signed to a one-year contract.
- WR Danny Amendola signs a reduced contract.
- ERFA tight end Matt Lengel is re-signed to a one-year contract.
- Pats extend offer sheet to Buffalo restricted free agent RB Mike Gillislee.

Thread 'Nick Caserio's Annual Pre-Draft Press Conference'

Apr 18, 2017

On the calendar today is the annual pre-draft press conference from Pats’ director of player personnel Nick Caserio. It was streamed live at 11:30; I would assume the video will be up on the team's website later today.

edit to add: H/T to @reamer - the video is now available on the team website:

Nick Caserio 4/18: 'Our goal is to put the best team together for 2017'

• jmt57
• Replies: 29
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

Thread 'Patriots extend offer to Bills RFA RB Mike Gillislee'

Apr 18, 2017

Buffalo fans must be pulling their hair out after watching Chris Hogan in the playoffs, and now this.

• jmt57
• Replies: 297
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

Thread 'Another year with Amendola: WR signs reduced contract'

Apr 18, 2017

Another year with Amendola . . .




This is a good thing we all knew was likely coming. All defense in this draft . . .

• VrabelMayeWin
• Replies: 114
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

Thread 'Malcolm Butler Signs His Tender.'

Apr 18, 2017

Puts them in position to trade him before the draft if that's what's going to happen.

• manxman2601
• Replies: 119
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

Thread 'Big News Day: G Tre' Jackson Waived (and TE Matt Lengel signed)'

Apr 18, 2017

Big News Day. Tre Jackson Waived




Pats have increasingly been looking at interior OL in this draft.

• manxman2601
• Replies: 52
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

Thread 'James White gets a 3 year contract extension'

Apr 18, 2017

Reason to post this:



Day of big news continues. Great news actually. Wonder what this means for Dion Lewis.

• AtomicDawg
• Replies: 164
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

April 18, 2024:
OT Calvin Anderson renegotiates his contract, creating $990k in cap space.

Patriots agree to renegotiated contract with OL Calvin Anderson

The Patriots have made a move to gain a little cap space.

www.nbcsports.com

Anderson would be placed on injured reserve on August 27, and released with an injury settlement three days later.