Today in Patriots History
NFL career highlight reel: a false start, missed a long pass, and a muffed punt,
Happy 28th birthday to Riley McCarron
Born June 16, 1993 in Dubuque, Iowa
Patriot WR, 2017-2018
Signed to the practice squad on September 22, 2017
Riley McCarron was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Iowa by Houston on May 12, 2017. The speedy 5'9, 198 lb receiver was waived as part of final roster cutdowns, and signed to their practice squad the next day. The Texans released McCarron two weeks later, and he spent the rest of 2017 on the Patriots practice squad. It was a similar situation a year later other than the location, with the Pats signing Riley to their practice squad a day after the team had to get down to the 53-player roster limit. Four days later he was promoted to the active roster, when Duke Dawson was placed on IR with a hamstring injury.
In the season opener against the Texans on September 9th he was on the field for 15 offensive snaps, with only one pass (an overthrown deep ball) thrown in his direction; he also had a false start on the opening drive (which was no problem, as Gronk caught a TD on the next play). McCarron was also on the field for eleven special teams snaps, mostly handling punt return duties. The first three resulted in fair catches, but in the fourth quarter he muffed a punt that gave Houston the ball back on the New England 16 yard line. With 2:08 to play the Texans scored to close the gap to 27-20, but the Pats defense was able to hold on the final drive to preserve victory.
The ball hits Riley McCarron in the facemask before bouncing away on his attempted punt return in the fourth quarter of his NFL debut.
The next day McCarron was waived. He was re-signed to the practice squad before the end of the week, then placed on IR three days after that. The Patriots released Riley a week after the super bowl victory against the Rams, and he has not been with another NFL team since then. McCarron now works as an associate at an
investment real estate brokerage firm in Chicago, Horvath & Tremblay.
The receiver was released a day after making a major mistake in the season opener.
www.bostonglobe.com
The Daily Iowan: What was the mindset heading into that Nebraska game in 2016? Riley McCarron: That was kind of a roller coaster of a season for us. We had some tough losses and then we kind of picked it up at the end and had that big win at Michigan. So, we just wanted...
dailyiowan.com
DI: After college, how did that NFL experience go for you?
McCarron: It was an awesome experience as well, man. I never thought I would have the chance to play in the NFL or be a part of an NFL organization, that’s for sure. But to have that opportunity was awesome. I’m very thankful, grateful that I even got the opportunity to work with someone like coach Wes Welker down in Houston and then to play for a prestigious organization like the New England Patriots was incredible, man. I never thought it would happen and I just enjoyed the heck out of it, just to be alongside all those great players and those hard workers. I learned a lot, not only about football but about life, work ethic, and what goes into it. It was a wild ride but one I was glad I was able to experience.
DI: And then, what was it like playing under coach [Bill] Belichick?
McCarron: It was incredible. Obviously, you see him on the TV all the time. I grew up, one of my best friends was a Patriots fan so I always heard about Belichick and all his Super Bowls and obviously he is a really great head coach but to be a part of his organization for a couple years and to be in his team meetings every day and be coached by him and see how all the little details that go into every little thing and you realize why everything is so important. I learned so much about him like I said not only about football but life and why people like him and others in that organization are so successful it’s not a surprise it’s not luck it’s the way they do things.
DI: What’s your favorite memory of coach Belichick?
McCarron: I don’t know if I can just pinpoint one memory, but I just appreciated the way that he was consistent with how he coached. He practiced what he preached, and he had a proven track record and obviously a ton of success. So, anytime there’s someone like that you can learn from, how great of an opportunity is that. So, I just commend him and how he ran his organization and just thankful I could be a part of it for a couple years.
DI: In 2018 the Patriots made a trip to the Super Bowl, what was that experience like?
McCarron: It was incredible man. I mean obviously like I said earlier I never thought I would play in the NFL, let alone be a part of a team in the Super Bowl. Just a crazy experience, I mean obviously I didn’t play in it but just to be a part of the organization and everything and experience everything firsthand what an absolutely crazy experience to say the least.
DI: Were you able to get a ring after that?
McCarron: Yeah, I ended up with the ring and what an incredible experience and incredible thing to have and just kind of remind me of that experience and that team and that part of my little window of my life, or my football career.
DI: And then after that Super Bowl, what did you end up doing?
McCarron: I’ve had a number of injuries over the years and I’ve had seven or eight surgeries just from football injuries throughout my career starting back at Iowa and then all the way up through the NFL and I just had decided that it was time to hang it up. It was a grind. I was trying each year to just hang on and make a practice squad or make the team and I was ready to move on and experience the next part of my life man. I was ready to finally find somewhere I can call home and actually live there for a full year and you know what just in a way to live like a normal person and have a lot more free time. But yeah, it came down to the injuries and it’s a grind and it’s a lot of work, so I respect all the guys out there that are still grinding it out.
Boston Patriots Coach Clive Rush, left, and Mike "Cat" Ballou of UCLA, the Pats' second-round draft pick, enjoy a good laugh during press conference announcing the signing of Ballou.
Ballou, a 6-3 238-pound linebacker, was a two time All American for the Bruins, leading the team in tackles the last two seasons. (Photo from June 16, 1970)
Happy birthday to other pro football players with New England connections:
-
Nick Easton, 29 (June 16, 1992); Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Ravens
out of Harvard in 2015, Easton was traded to San Francisco 49ers at the end of that preseason. He was acquired by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2016 midseason and started the last five games at center; in 2017 Easton started the first 12 games of the season at left guard. Easton then spent 2018 on Injured Reserve with a neck injury. In March of 2019 the Saints signed Easton to a four-year $24 million contract, and has been their starting left guard for the last two seasons.
-
Robert Watts, 67 (June 16, 1954); went to Vermont Academy in Saxtons River (a tiny village in southeastern Vermont), and Boston College. The linebacker was drafted by the Saints and later played for the Raiders and CFL Toronto Argonauts before knee and back injuries prematurely ended his pro football career.
Robert Watts, Class: 1977 Induction: 1997 Sport(s): Football - A four-year varsity contributor, he moved from his freshman assignment at tight end to a three-year
www.bceagles.com
June 16 is a slow day for NFL players born on this date as well, led by OJ's driver of the Ford Bronco, and the last NFL player that was born in Cuba.:
-
Al 'AC' Cowlings, 74 (6/16/47); a boyhood friend and college teammate of OJ Simpson - and the infamous driver of the white Ford Bronco - Cowlings never performed up to his status as the 5th overall pick of the 1970 draft.
Where are they now? A look back at key figures in O.J. Simpson's life.
www.latimes.com
-
Luis Sharpe, 61 (6/16/60); 16th overall pick of the 1982 draft started 189 games for the Cardinals from 1982-1994, before addiction derailed his life. Sharpe is also the last of just four NFL players to have been born in Cuba.
archive.azcentral.com
Scottsdale police on Tuesday arrested former Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Luis Sharpe inside a Scottsdale hotel room on suspicion of two outstanding warrants involving narcotics violations.
www.eastvalleytribune.com
-
Larry Brown, 72 (6/16/49); TE/OT won four rings while appearing in 167 games for the Steelers from 1971 to 1984.
"Larry Brown Pittsburgh Steelers" usually conjures images of Super Bowl XXX, but there's another Larry Brown who helped the Steelers win Super Bowls.
steelcurtainrising.com
-
Matt Turk, 53 (6/16/68); three time Pro Bowl punter played in 244 NFL games.
Jacksonville Jaguars punter Matt Turk is history -- in a good way. The 43-year-old is the last active National Football League player born in the d
www.thepostgame.com
nflcombineresults.com
www.theringer.com
