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Today in Patriots History
Veteran Free Agent Wide Receivers
Veteran Free Agent Wide Receivers
There is a very long list of veteran free agent wide receiver acquisitions by the Patriots over the last two decades. It seems to be like throwing a plate of spaghetti against the wall to find a few strands that stick. Some of those low risk acquisitions pan out, while many others do not.
Happy 46th birthday to Tim Dwight
Born July 13, 1975 in Iowa City
Patriot WR, 2005; uniform #86
Signed as a free agent to a one-year contract on March 11, 2005
The 5'8 speedster played football and track at Iowa, where he was a Big 10 champion in the 100 meter dash, the 4x100 meter relay, and the 4x400 meter relay. Originally drafted by Atlanta in the fourth round of the 1998 draft, Tim Dwight was a 30 year old veteran entering his eighth NFL season by the time he landed in Foxborough. Mostly known for his skill as a punt and kickoff return man, he did lead the league with 20.9 yards per reception in 1999. From 1999 to 2002 Tim averaged 33 catches for 526 yards in time split between the Falcons and Chargers, but injuries limited him to 16 receptions in his final two seasons in San Diego.
Register Iowa Sports Hall: Tim Dwight ran swiftly to stardom
Tim Dwight rose from a high school and college star in Iowa City to a 10-year career in the NFL.
www.hawkcentral.com
With David Patten departing to Washington after Super Bowl 39, the Pats signed Tim Dwight early in free agency in 2005. Dwight led the '05 team with 32 punt returns, averaging 8.5 yards per return; he also averaged 25.0 yards on ten kickoff returns. Tim was the number four wide receiver on the Patriots depth chart that season (behind Deion Branch, David Givens and Troy Brown), averaging 17.5 yards on his 19 receptions for 332 yards and three touchdowns, and toting 866 all purpose yards.
Tim Dwight played ten years in the NFL, scoring 22 touchdowns while accumulating 9,854 all purpose yards. He also returned six punts and kickoffs for touchdowns, including a 94 yard kick return in Super Bowl 33. In his post-NFL career he has worked as a solar energy advocate.
Tim Dwight's new life as a solar energy advocate
Tim Dwight built cult-like fame for his hard-nosed play as a kick returner in the NFL. Now, he’s playing on another field: Advocating for and promoting the use of solar energy.
www.si.com
From the Patriots.com archives:
March 14, 2005:
Patriots officially sign free agent Dwight
The Patriots officially signed free agent wide receiver Tim Dwight.
Dwight, 29, visited the Patriots at Gillette Stadium last week. He was released by San Diego on Feb. 22, several weeks before he was scheduled to receive a $100,000 roster bonus, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The 5-foot-8, 180-pound wideout had been hampered by injuries in three of his four seasons in San Diego, forcing him to miss 17 games for the Chargers from 2001-04. He has played in all 16 games only once in his career, in 2002.
Dwight missed four games last season with toe and hamstring injuries and was used almost exclusively as a return specialist. He finished the season ranked sixth in the AFC with a 24.4-yard per return average, returning 50 kickoffs for 1,222 yards, both career highs. His 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the New York Jets on Sept. 19 was his second career return for a score. It was also the second-highest kickoff return average of his career, trailing only his 27.0-yard average as a rookie in 1998. He was slowed by a collapsed lung in 2003 that limited him to nine games.
March 15, 2005:
Patriots patient in free agency
The Patriots have taken a patient, calculated approach to free agency in 2005.
April 6, 2005:
Patriots.com News Blitz 4/6/05
Light day in Patriots Nation with just a couple of links. The David Terrell signing continues to grab the most headlines.
Eric McHugh of the Patriot Ledger analyzes the Patriots moves and says the roster redesign basically comes down to replacing Troy Brown and David Patten with Tim Dwight and now David Terrell.
Aug 19, 2005:
Pats vs. Saints: Postgame Notes and Quotes
The New England Patriots fell to the New Orleans Saints 37-27 in preseason play last night at Gillette Stadium. Here are the game notes and player quotes from last night's preseson loss.
TIM DWIGHT: GOING DEEP
Tom Brady connected with Tim Dwight on a 45-yard bomb in the first quarter, marking Dwight's first reception of the preseason. Dwight was signed by the Patriots as a free agent on March 13, 2005, and has a long history of long plays, often resulting in touchdowns. He has recorded seven career touchdown plays of more than 50 yards and five touchdowns of more than 70 yards. The long scores have come via receptions (52 yards, 60 yards), punt returns (70, 70, 84) and kickoff returns (87, 93). The eighth-year veteran enters the 2005 campaign as the only active NFL player to have scored multiple touchdowns in each of the following four categories: receiving (14), rushing (3), punt returns (3) and kickoff returns (2).
Oct 2, 2005:
Pats vs. Chargers: Game Notes
The home winning streak ended at 21 games as the San Diego Chargers defeat the Patriots 41-17.
THE DWIGHT STUFF
Tim Dwight scored his second touchdown of the season on a 30-yard scoring reception in the second quarter, giving the Patriots a 14-10 lead. Dwight, who joined the Patriots as a free agent prior to the 2005 season after spending four years in San Diego, scored his second touchdown in as many games in Foxborough, having also scored in the season opener against the Oakland Raiders on Sept. 8. Dwight has now grabbed 16 career touchdown passes, and his two receiving scores so far this year are his most since 2002, when he also had two touchdown catches.
Nov 13, 2005:
Analysis: Patriots reserves fill the breach
With all the injuries they have suffered this season, the New England Patriots need stout play from their reserves if they are going to make the playoffs, and they got it in Sunday's exciting 23-16 win over the Dolphins in Miami.
After a 29-yard kickoff return by Bethel Johnson, Brady atoned quickly for his interception by hitting WR Tim Dwight for a 59-yard gainer on first down. Dolphins CB Reggie Howard got his hands on the ball and could have made an interception, but Dwight took it away. That play put New England at the Miami 17-yard line. Brady hit Watson in the end zone for a touchdown on the next play.
Jan 1, 2006:
Patriots - Dolphins: Game Notes
The following are game notes from the Patriots 28-26 loss to the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium.
CASSEL SCORES
Rookie quarterback Matt Cassel threw his first touchdown of his NFL career when he completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to Tim Dwight with 6:15 remaining in the fourth quarter.
DROP KICK FLUTIE
Quarterback Doug Flutie dug into his bag of tricks when he used the drop kick technique to convert an extra point attempt in the fourth quarter. The kick came after Cassel's 9-yard touchdown pass to Dwight, and brought the Patriots within five points of the Dolphins, making the score 25-20. According to the NFL Hall of Fame website, Ray McLean of the Chicago Bears was the last player to successfully convert a drop kick in the NFL. He converted an extra point following Ken Kavanaugh's 42-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown during the Bears' 37-9 win over the New York Giants in the 1941 NFL Championship Game. The drop kick came in the fourth quarter of the title game played on December 21, 1941.
In the NFL's official rule book. Rule 3, Section 8 defines the dropkick as, "a kick by a kicker who drops the ball and kicks it as, or immediately after, it touches the ground."
Tim Dwight college highlights
Tim Dwight NFL highlights
Tim Dwight NFL highlights
