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Today in Patriots History
1986: Irving Fryar's sliced hand
results in missing Pats AFCCG at Miami
1986: Irving Fryar's sliced hand
results in missing Pats AFCCG at Miami
This was an unbelievable story - literally as well as figuratively - that dominated the local sports media, leading up to the biggest game in franchise history over the past 20-plus years. If the internet had been a thing then, this news story would have broken it.
The Patriots had just won their first postseason game since 1963, when they defeated Buffalo in an AFL East tiebreaker game that extended the season one week. That had happened in the franchise's infancy, at a time when the vast majority of Pats fans were too young to have witnessed it. The fact that this team had not only made the playoffs, but had won twice, as road underdogs, had New England in a raucous frenzy. The positive vibes were off the chart.
Three days earlier the Pats scored ten points in less than ten seconds, with Mosi Tatupu jarring the ball loose on a kickoff, that Jim Bowman recovered in the end zone for a touchdown - resulting in the Pats defeating the Raiders in Los Angeles. There was joyful jubilation throughout the region, in anticipation of the Squish the Fish Game.
Then the Patriot Ledger got a tip that WR Irving Fryar had gone to a hospital in Stoughton, with a knife wound that severed a tendon in his hand. Shortly thereafter his wife, newlywed and five months pregnant, also went to the same hospital with wounds. Fryar's incredulous explanation was that he had somehow cut his hand that severely by putting a carving knife into the kitchen drawer.
The Patriots had already flown down to Miami ahead of their game against the Dolphins, then Fryar grabbed a flight to join the team. Coach Raymond Berry was having none of it, saying “In light of the situation, I said I don’t want to know any details, so I don’t have to answer any questions.” Roland James took Fryar's place as punt returner against Miami - and fumbled both of his returns away to the Dolphins. Fortunately it didn't matter, as the Pats forced six Miami turnovers to finally win in south Florida.
FRYAR CUTS FINGER; WILL MISS PLAYOFF
According to the team physician, Dr. Bertram Zarins, Fryar was rushing to make the team bus, which was leaving Foxboro, Mass., not far from Fryar's home in Easton, Mass., for the team's flight to Miami.
''He was putting a knife away into a drawer. He put it in backwards and the handle hit the drawer, the blade hit his hand,'' said the doctor, in a telephone interview from Boston.
According to Dr. Zarins, Fryar received several stitches for the injury at Massachussetts General Hospital, where the finger was put in a splint.
Doubtful for Super Bowl
''It is too painful to play with,'' the doctor said. ''He wouldn't be able to. The chances are doubtful he could play in the Super Bowl as well.'' Dr. Zarins said that if a ball hit the fingers ''it would rip the stitches apart.'' Once it heals, the doctor said, the injury would not affect Fryar's career.
The Patriots have not had a serious game injury in their last four starts and had planned to take a full team into the Dolphins' game.
In Fryar's absence, Stephen Starring, who caught only 16 passes this season, will start at one wide receiver spot while the veteran Stanley Morgan will be at the other.
The injury to Fryar leaves the Patriots with only three healthy wide receivers. They will practice with Greg Hawthorne, a running back, as an extra wide receiver.
The Patriots have not worked out this week and will hold their first practice Thursday.
Because they are a wild-card team and have had to play each week in the playoffs, they have not had a full week to rest since the exhibition season. Counting exhibition games, they have played a game for 22 straight weeks, which way why Coach Raymond Berry gave them three days off after their victory Sunday against the Raiders in Los Angeles.
Two months ago, Irving Fryar scored on a 77-yard... - UPI Archives
Two months ago, Irving Fryar scored on a 77-yard punt return, stopped in the end zone and gave a sweeping bow to his wife sitting in the stands....
www.upi.com
Two months ago, Irving Fryar scored on a 77-yard punt return, stopped in the end zone and gave a sweeping bow to his wife sitting in the stands. Now, the New England wide receiver's right hand is bandaged, covering a knife wound that severed a tendon and knocked Fryar out Sunday's AFC championship game.
The Patriot Ledger in Quincy, Mass., reported Friday that Fryar was wounded Wednesday during an argument with his wife of one year, Jacqueline Fryar. She was examined for what were described as bruises at Goddard Memorial Hospital in Stoughton, Mass., a few minutes after her husband arrived there.
Mary Hill, executive vice president of Goddard Memorial Hospital, confirmed that Jacqueline Fryar was examined at the hospital for bruises shortly after her husband arrived.
She said Mrs. Fryar, who is four or five months' pregnant, was examined by a physician, who found that the fetus was fine. The hospital official said that Mrs. Fryar did not say how she had been bruised and was not asked.
Fryar, who has been married for a year, told reporters Wednesday he suffered the cut when a knife slipped as he was putting it into a drawer.
Fryar, the NFL's No. 1 draft pick in 1984 told reporters Wednesday he suffered the cut when a knife slipped as he was putting it into a drawer.
Fryar flew to Miami to join the team Thursday morning but has since returned to New England 'to resolve some personal issues which developed this week,' according to a press release issued Friday by the team.
'The Patriots have pledged their full support and resources to help the Fryars,' the statement said.
Patriots general manager Patrick Sullivan said he would have no comment 'until we can sit down with Irving and his wife and see how we can resolve this.'
FRYAR WOUND TIED TO QUARREL
During the spring of his senior year at Nebraska, Fryar was charged with breaking and entering and assault. He reportedly kicked down the door of a former girlfriend's apartment while seeking to retrieve a rocking chair he owned.
An out-of-court settlement was reached on the assault charges and Fryar was fined by the courts for breaking into the woman's room.
Teammate Ron Wooten said of Fryar's current problems, 'I can't empathize with them, but I can sympathize. As newlyweds you hate to see that happen and hopefully it isn't a situation that can't be repaired.'
Wooten said most of the New England players knew the truth about Fryar's injury by Thursday morning. No announcement concerning Fryar had been made to the team by Friday's practice.
'We have various support groups for the team which should be able to help them (the Fryars),' said Wooten, who was not surprised at his teammate's return to New England.
'I'm sure it's emotionally tough for him to be around all the media,' the offensive lineman said.
During his rookie season in 1984, Fryar bruised his ribs in another off-the-field incident. He said the injury occurred when he was playing with two of his dogs.
Fryar Goes Home Amid Discrepancy : Patriot Is Reported to Have Cut Fingers in Domestic Dispute
The New England Patriots announced Friday that wide receiver Irving Fryar, who will miss Sunday's AFC championship game after cutting his right hand, had returned to Boston "to resolve some personal issues which developed this week."
www.latimes.com
Fryar had said he’d cut the tendon of his right little finger and also sliced into the finger next to it while putting a carving knife into a kitchen drawer at home.
On Thursday, however, the Quincy Patriot Ledger reported that Fryar’s wife, Jacqueline, had also been treated and released at Goddard Memorial Hospital in Stoughton, a suburb of Boston.
The Patriot Ledger said that Fryar arrived at 11:14 Wednesday morning and that his wife came in 23 minutes later. Hospital officials wouldn’t say what Jacqueline Fryar’s injuries were, but said that she was five months pregnant and that she wanted to make sure she was OK. The Patriot Ledger reported that Fryar had suffered the cut “in an argument with his wife.”
Fryar, the No. 1 pick in the 1984 NFL draft, caught 39 passes for a 17.2-yard average and 7 touchdowns during the season. He also led the AFC with a 14.1-yard average returning punts, broke two for touchdowns and was named to his first Pro Bowl.
He took a plane here to rejoin his teammates and attended Thursday’s practice, where he told of having cut himself reaching into the drawer.
He was asked what kind of knife it was.
“The kind you use to cut a turkey,” he said.
Friday, the Patriots issued a prepared statement at their hotel, saying that Fryar had returned home.
“The Patriots have pledged their full support and resources to help the Fryars,” it said, although it had made no previous reference to Jacqueline Fryar.
Coach Raymond Berry said: “In light of the situation, I said I don’t want to know any details, so I don’t have to answer any questions,” Berry said.
Several Patriot players claimed to know nothing more. On Friday, after the release was handed out, most of them were still saying they didn’t even know Fryar had left.
Jan 18, 1986: Fryar Works Out With the Patriots
Amid conflicting versions of what caused the knife wound to his right hand, Irving Fryar returned to practice with the New England Patriots this afternoon, apprehensive about the first hard pass that will come his way and upset with reports about his personal life that he contended were untrue.
After he received medical clearance to play in Super Bowl XX against the Chicago Bears a week from Sunday, Fryar, the 23-year-old wide receiver, denied reports that the injury was the result of a violent confrontation with his wife, Jacqueline.
''We have our misunderstandings,'' Fryar said, ''but what happened that was in the paper was not true. I didn't beat her up, and she didn't stab me. There was a misunderstanding. Maybe why I cut my hand was a result of an argument. But there was no beating up and there was no stabbing. . . . I'd rather not get into details. Please.'' The circumstances were clouded by Fryar's original explanation that the wound to the two smaller fingers on his right hand, suffered Jan. 8, had merely been the result of an accident in his kitchen at home as he put a knife away. His explanation was followed by a series of reports that at first said the wound had been the result of a quarrel and eventually said there had been a confrontation between the couple.
Accounts in Conflict
As late as this afternoon, Harold Jackson, the New England receivers coach, said he had gone to speak with the Fryars at their home last Monday night, was told that the injury had been the result of an accident, and believed that version.
Before Fryar spoke today, however, the original version conflicted with a statement issued by the team that said the Fryars ''are working to build a stronger marriage by resolving the issues which resulted in a domestic altercation last Wednesday. In addition, Fryar apologized for misleading the public with an explanation that he said was designed to protect his wife and himself.''
At first, Fryar said some reports had been untrue, but he did not object to them. ''I have a right, but what am I gonna do?'' Fryar said, his voice rising, the words coming out more quickly.
''If I say one thing, they'll print something else,'' he said. ''So what's a man to do? They printed what they printed. Hopefully, it will be in the past. They hurt a lot of people in my family, my wife's family, but I hope it will be in the past. That's it.''
Fryar said he expected stitches to be removed Saturday and a temporary splint on his right little finger to be replaced by a small cast.
