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Today in Patriots History
The Staten Island Corner
The Staten Island Corner
Happy 47th birthday to Lewis Sanders
Born June 22, 1978 in Staten Island, NYC
Patriot cornerback/safety, 2008; uniform #29
Signed as an unrestricted veteran free agent on March 6, 2008
Pats résumé: one season, ten games (four starts)
After five seasons with the Browns, two in Houston, one in Atlanta plus an offseason in Jacksonville, the Pats signed the well traveled 30 year old veteran as a free agent early in the 2008 free agency period. The Patriots had been burnt the previous season by their lack of height at cornerback, and at 6'1 Lewis Sanders was envisioned to be a nickel back that could be used against taller receivers.
October 12, 2008 at Qualcomm Stadium: San Diego Chargers WR Vincent Jackson (RIP) #83 can't hang onto the ball, as teammate
Legedu Naanee #11 looks on. Defending the play for the Patriots were Brandon Meriweather #31, Ellis Hobbs #27 and Lewis Sanders #29.
Lewis Sanders appeared in ten games for the Pats with four starts, two at corner and two at safety. Other than Ellis Hobbs, the 2008 CB position was mediocre at best for the Pats. Deltha O'Neal was signed as replacement for the free agency departure of Asante Samuel, but O'Neal was burnt worse than a Canadian on spring break in Florida. Terrence Wheatley was constantly hurt, and fellow rookie Jonathan Wilhite just wasn't quite fast enough for a guy who was 5'9.
Lewis Sanders (not to be confused with teammate James Sanders, who was also a defensive back) was forced to play because of the deficiencies of that group. However he was not offered a contract the following offseason, as the Patriots attempted to upgrade the position (with mixed results) in 2009 by signing Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs. With Wheatley and Wilhite only entering their seasond season, it was too soon to pull the plug on a 2nd and 4th round draft pick. Bodden and Springs' contracts guaranteed them roster spots, so there was no room for another veteran corner. Similarly, safety was set with Brandon Meriweather, Brandon McGowan, James Sanders and rookie Patrick Chung.
Sanders had a workout with Kansas City but did not sign with the Chiefs, and 2008 turned out to be his last year in the pro football. Lewis Sanders finished his NFL career with 98 games played and 29 starts, five interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
March 6, 2008:
Patriots sign CB Lewis Sanders and S Tank Williams -- Patriots.com
Lewis Sanders, 29, is a veteran of eight NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns (2000-2004), Houston Texans (2005-06) and Atlanta Falcons (2007). The 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound cornerback has played in 87 career games with 25 starts and has recorded 172 career tackles (137 solo), one sack, five interceptions for 90 yards, 31 passes defensed, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, while also totaling 51 special teams tackles.
Last season with Atlanta, Sanders played in 14 games with six starts after being signed by the Falcons as an unrestricted free agent on March 7, 2007. He recorded 32 tackles (28 solo) and two passes defensed before being placed on the reserve/injured list with a chest injury on Dec. 17, 2007. He was released by the Falcons on Feb. 15, 2008.
Sept 11, 2008:
Lewis Sanders shares dad’s 9/11 survival story
FOXBORO – Every American over the age of 13 remembers where they were seven years ago today. Patriots cornerback Lewis Sanders will never forget. He was in hell. On the anniversary of the terrorist attacks that altered the…
www.bostonherald.com
Every American over the age of 13 remembers where they were seven years ago today.
Patriots cornerback Lewis Sanders will never forget. He was in hell.
On the anniversary of the terrorist attacks that altered the course of history, Sanders looks back with a mixture of horror and, ultimately, relief.
Sanders’ father, Lewis Sr., was working in his office on the 70th floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower when the first plane, American Flight 11, struck the 92nd floor at 8:46 a.m., causing the building to sway and making him wonder if it was about to collapse.
The next 90 minutes were harrowing for the elder Sanders. The hours that followed were torture for his son. Not until 3 p.m. did the young NFL player realize his father was safely across the Brooklyn Bridge.
“That was a rough day,” Sanders said recently in the Patriots locker room. “A rough day.”
It started in Cleveland, where Sanders had just been placed on injured reserve by the Browns and was rehabbing.
“I had treatment,” Sanders said. “Afterward, I went in the cafeteria and I saw the two towers, and I saw the smoke coming out of one of them. I thought it was just a little plane, nothing serious. Then they zoomed in and I realized it was a big plane. I knew my father had been working there for the last five years, and then another plane flew in while I was watching and it was like . . . whoa.”
March 10, 2009:
Patriots passing on Lewis Sanders
The signing of Shawn Springs probably signals the end of the Patriots career of defensive back Lewis Sanders.
www.boston.com
The Patriots’ signing of Shawn Springs probably signals the end of cornerback/safety Lewis Sanders’ career as a Patriot.
Sanders’s agent, Kevin Pompey, said today that at this point he believes his client is probably not in the Patriots’ plans, after they signed Springs to a reported three-year, $10.5 million contract, with incentives that could push the package to $13 million.
“I haven’t heard from New England,’ said Pompey. “I’m aware of what you’re aware of and based on their signing of Springs and because we haven’t heard from them I can only suspect they’re not interested. I’m basing that on them signing a corner and us not hearing from them. We reached out to them and haven’t heard from them.”
Jan 3, 2019:
From humble start, NFL veteran Sanders finds a spot in the Hall
St. Peter's HS defensive back one of six headed into Island Sports Hall of Fame
www.silive.com
Saturday, Lewis Sanders, University of Maryland All-America, nine-year NFL defensive back and all-around good guy will be inducted into the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame. . . .
By his junior season in high school, he was good enough to pick off 11 passes. And by his senior year, Sanders was so dominant that his talents allowed him to "take over games," Sullivan said. Sanders was also the first player to show up on the practice field in the afternoons, and the last to leave the weight room on "lift days." "He never took a down off," said Sullivan. "Lewis’ biggest asset was his work ethic." . . .
Sanders finished in the Top 10 all-time at Maryland in kickoff return yardage and interceptions. And, following his senior season, he was drafted in the fourth round by the Cleveland Browns.
Now Sanders was at place where plenty of people were faster, and even more of them were bigger and stronger. But he stuck with the Browns for four seasons anyway, through franchise house-cleanings, and trips to the IR. And after Cleveland, he found a spot with Houston, then the Falcons, and finally the New England Patriots. He wasn’t an NFL star, maybe. But the kid from St. Peter’s was a workhorse, who seemed able to always find a head coach who wanted him, even in the most competitive league in the world. . . .
In his first year of retirement from football, he’s already looking around for something to keep him busy. At 31, he’s decided on what might come next.
"I took the fire department test for the county down here," he said from the golf course. "I think that’s something I’d like to do."
Now, there aren’t many NFL veterans who’ve watched their money, taken care of themselves, and then decide their second career will be as a firefighter.
Lewis Sanders Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Get Lewis Sanders Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.
www.pro-football-reference.com
Pro Football Archives -- Lewis Sanders Player Profile
Pro Football Archives -- Lewis Sanders Transactions
Lewis Sanders - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
