Today In Patriots History June 4: the last NFL player to not wear a face mask

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Who needs a stinking face mask?​

Happy posthumous birthday to Pat Studstill, who would have been 86 today
Born June 4, 1938 in Shreveport, Louisiana
Died October 16, 2021 at the age of 83 in Los Angeles
Patriot punter, 1972; uniform #2
Claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Rams on September 6, 1972

The Patriots signed Pat Studstill for what would be the final season of his NFL career at the age of 34. He played in all 14 games with 75 punts, averaging a career low 38.1 yards.

When he entered the NFL from the University of Houston in 1961, Studstill was signed as an undrafted rookie to return punts and kickoffs. He was also backup depth at receiver, lining up as either a flanker or split end. Over the course of his NFL career Pats the Louisiana native led the league in an incredible 11 different single season categories. As a rookie with Detroit it was the number of kick returns for a touchdown . The next season he led the NFL in punt returns, punt return yards, and average (15.8 yards per return). In '65 he became the Lions punter and led the league for the first of three times in number of punts, with 78. The following season he made the Pro Bowl for the second time, leading the league with 1,266 yards receiving. That works out to 90.4 yards a game, in an era when the rules where nowhere near as conducive to the passing game as they are now. He also tied an NFL record for the longest pass reception (99 yards), which can obviously never be broken. A year later he had an NFL-best 44.5 yards per punt, as well as the season's longest punt (78 yards).

Pat also would have led the league in receptions in 1966, but for a choice that is unfathomable today. Studstill was dealing with a knee injury but asked to sit the game out (Detroit was already eliminated from the playoffs) - so that he could go to the Pro Bowl! In the final week of the season Hall of Fame WR Charley Taylor had eight receptions to surpass Studstill for most catches on the year. In midseason Studstill had six consecutive 100-yard games, totaling 816 yards on 39 receptions - an average of 20.9 yards per catch and 136 yards receiving per game - all on a losing team with somebody named Karl Sweetan as the starting quarterback.

While at the Pro Bowl, Studstill met and played for Rams coach George Allen, who was impressed enough to trade for him the following year. Allen left to become head coach for Washington in 1972, and new Rams HC Tommy Prothro wanted Studstill to focus strictly on punting. A year later Prothro waived Studstill, and Pat became a Patriot.

Studstill sustained a knee injury during the Patriots mini camp in May of 1973. Pat said that the injury required surgery, but in typical Sullivan family fashion the Patriots disputed the injury, and refused to honor his contract for the 1973 season. That marked the end of his NFL career.

Besides the fact that he had versatility (punter, punt returner, kick returner, flanker, split end and halfback) that would make Bill Belichick drool, coupled with excellent speed (9.8 seconds in the 100-yard dash in college), Pat Studstill is also known for being the last NFL player to not wear a face mask.

As good as a player as he was, Pat Studstill came very close to never playing in the NFL. He was miscast by his coach at the University of Houston to play quarterback, a position he hated. The coach begrudgingly acquiesced to a request to switch to play wide receiver and punter. The coach didn't like it, and he liked the fact that Studstill then got married even less. The coach had said 'if anybody on this team gets married, I will take him off scholarship'. He benched Studstill for no on-field reason during his junior season, and played him for all of about ten minutes as a senior.

Fortunately one of the assistants put in a call to a Detroit scout. Studstill left his job working for a regional freight company and hitchhiked from Texas to Detroit for a tryout. He was recruited to be a defensive back, but wasn't very good at the position he had never before played. The Lions were impressed with his speed though, so they used him on punt and kick returns, and eventually at receiver. In his first preseason game he caught a 78 yard pass and in another he ran a kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown. Studstill made the roster, and the rest is history.

During the offseasons in LA, Studstill worked in real estate, and while in New England he expanded his portfolio to include pensions and profit sharing plans for closely held corporations., fields that he worked in for about ten years.

Backtrack to Detroit for a moment. One of the big movies in 1968 was Paper Lion, based on George Plimpton's book about trying out for the Lions. Most of the parts were portrayed by real NFL players - including Studstill. His wife encouraged Pat to try doing more movies, or commercials. In 1981 he auditioned for a role in a Chevrolet ad, and got the part.

"They put me in a big ol' Stetson hat and a suit. I'm driving this Chevrolet Impala down some road. I look out the window, and the camera's right there, and I say, 'This is it.'​

"That TV commercial ran all year long and I made about $20,000. I said, 'This is what I want to do!'​

"Since then I've made over 300 commercials. I get a better retirement from that than I do with the NFL."​

Studstill also appeared in a few made for TV movies, single episodes on Magnum, PI, a recurring role on Dukes of Hazard, and worked stunts and behind the camera as the technical consultant on the original 1974 version of The Longest Yard.


Pat Studstill: Returning, Receiving and Punting for the Lions and Rams | The Coffin Corner

Punt? Catch? Return kicks? Studstill did it all for Lions

Despite not being drafted and having played just ten minutes his senior year in college with the Houston Cougars, Pat Studstill became a fan favorite with the Detroit Lions in the 1960’s as one of the team’s most versatile and valuable players. From 1961 through 1967, the speedy Studstill, who...

www.vintagedetroit.com

Profiling Pat Studstill

Lions great Pat Studstill holds one of the more obscure records in all of football

www.footballperspective.com

Patrick “Pat” Lewis Studstill Jr. Obituary - The Detroit Free Press

Patrick "Pat" Lewis Studstill Jr. Patrick "Pat" Lewis Studstill Jr., 83, passed away October 16, 2021, in the comfort of his Los Angeles home. He...

www.freep.com

 

[jmt57]

A little more Pat Studstill trivia.

For most of the 1970s he was married to a woman named Sandra Will, who had bit parts in a few Hollywood movies. She is more well known for being married to Keith Carradine, a few years after she and Studstill split up. (To avoid confusion, this Carradine is not the one who starred on the television show Kung Fu and Kill Bill Volume Two. That was David Carradine, the one that died of autoerotic asphyxiation.) Keith Carradine was originally more well known as a musician; he wrote and performed the slow ballad 'I'm Easy' for the 1975 movie Nashville, for which he won an Oscar and Golden Globe. Keith Carradine also portrayed Wild Bill Hickock on Deadwood, Penny's father Wyatt on The Big Bang Theory, and most recently President Conrad Dalton on Madam Secretary.

Back to Sandra Will. She in turn is infamous for hiring a detective during her divorce with Carradine, and then having an affair with the private eye. The detective, known as 'The Hollywood Fixer', was arrested for illegal wiretapping of Carradine, and the case snowballed into a huge story in both entertainment tabloids as well as the mainstream press. That all led to arrests of members of the Beverly Hills and Los Angeles Police Departments for their corrupt roles in the scheme, including racketeering charges.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
A pair of mediocre mid-round draft picks​

Happy 32nd birthday to Geneo Grissom
Born June 4, 1992 in Hutchinson Kansas
Patriot DE, 2015-2018; uniform #92
Pats 3rd round (97th overall) selection of the 2015 draft, from Oklahoma

Geneo Grissom appeared in all but one game his rookie season, with 130 snaps (11.9%) as a backup on defense, and 142 snaps (28.9%) on special teams. In 2016 he was cut at the end of training camp and signed to the practice squad. Grissom was re-signed on October 15 when Jonathan Freeney went on IR. He played in 11 games in 2016, plus all three playoff games. Geneo appeared in just 11 snaps on defense for the season, but had the sixth-most special teams appearances (250 snaps, 55.9%). Grissom was one of ten players with over 15 snaps in Super Bowl 51, with 17.

2017 was similar back and forth. Grissom began the season on the practice squad after being cut at the end of training camp. Three weeks later he was promoted when Vincent Valentine went on Injured Reserve, then went back to the practice squad when Martellus Bennett was signed in early November. Ricky Jean Francois was cut on December 2nd, and Grissom was elevated and spent the rest of the year on the main roster. In eight games he appeared in 26 defensive snaps, and 153 special team snaps.

In 2018 Grissom made the roster out of training camp, but appeared in just four of the first nine games. His only extended action (20 defensive snaps) came in the week two loss to Jacksonville. Grissom's final game as a Patriot was the week nine SNF victory over Green Bay.

Over the course of four seasons the Patriots went 29-9 in the 38 games that Grissom played. He had 14 tackles (7 solo), 3 tackles for a loss, one quarterback hit and one sack. Grissom was on the field for 190 defensive snaps (130 in his rookie season) and 610 special team snaps. His best game came in the 2017-18 playoffs versus Tennessee when he had two sacks and a tackle for a loss. After being cut he worked out for the Jets, Jaguars and Packers before signed with the Colts, but saw no playing time in four games with Indy. He was signed by New Orleans just after the 2019 draft but released at the end of training camp, ending his NFL career.

Patriots rookie Geneo Grissom puts value in versatility - The Boston Globe

The big defensive lineman can play the interior or the edge, and even dabbled at tight end in college.

www.bostonglobe.com

Along with his wife, Grissom hitting the books | Metro West

Former third-round pick Geneo Grissom released by Patriots

The Patriots have made another eyebrow-raising release as they cut their roster down to 53 players on Saturday. Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran is reporting that the team has decided to part ways with Geneo Grissom, a 2015 third-round pick out of Oklahoma. Grissom was a valued special teams...

www.csnne.com

Patriots sign DL Geneo Grissom and DL Anthony Johnson to the 53-man roster; Place LB Jonathan Freeny and TE Greg Scruggs on Injured Reserve

The New England Patriots announced today that they have signed DL Geneo Grissom and DL Anthony Johnson to the 53-man roster from the practice squad. In addition, the Patriots have placed LB Jonathan Freeny and TE Greg Scrugss on the injured reserve list.

www.patriots.com

Is Geneo Grissom Ready To Step Up For Belichick, Patriots?

Is 2017 finally Geneo Grissom's time to step up for the Patriots defense?

boston.cbslocal.com

My Super Bowl Moment: Geneo Grissom - University of Oklahoma

"It's an unbelievable feeling. You watch this game growing up as a little kid, and to actually play in it and actually win it is unbelievable. It's a dream c...

soonersports.com

Happy 60th birthday to Teddy Garcia
Born June 4, 1964 in Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Patriot kicker, 1988; uniform #7
Pats 4th round (100th overall) selection in the 1988 draft, from NE Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Monroe)

For every successful special teams draft pick such as Stephen Gostkowski, there are a couple misses like this one. In 1986 Tony Franklin made the Pro Bowl, leading the league in field goals made on 32/41 attempts. In '87 he started to regress, connecting on just 15 of 26 tries - and only 10 out of 21 attempts from the 30 yard line or beyond. Raymond Berry was looking for a replacement.

The 32-year old Franklin was let go and the Patriots drafted Garcia, with hopes that he would be as productive on special teams as punter Rich Camarillo. Garcia was awful though, making only six of 13 field goal attempts (46%) - and somehow also managed to connect on just 11 of 16 point afters. He filled in for a few games with the Vikings and Oilers over the next two years, and then spent two seasons in NFL Europe.

Happy 54th birthday to Ronnie Harris
Born June 4, 1970 in Granada Hills, California
Patriot PR/KR/WR, 1993-1994; uniform #84
Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent from Oregon on May 3, 1993

Ronnie Harris ran track while at the University of Oregon, posting the second fastest indoor 50 meter time ever recorded at 5.7 seconds. He appeared in six games for the Patriots, with 26 punt returns (8.7 yards per return), six kick returns (15.0 yards per return) and one reception for 11 yards. He ended up playing in 69 games over seven NFL seasons, mostly with Seattle and also some with Atlanta. His career highlight play was a crucial key 29 yard catch in the Falcons upset victory in the 1998 NFCCG over the Minnesota Vikings; that reception set up the game tying touchdown, with Atlanta defeating the 16-1 Vikings in overtime. Harris now works as a senior healthcare representative for Pfizer, and is a youth minister in the state of Washington.

Happy 29th birthday to LeShun Daniels
Born June 4, 1995 in Warren, Ohio
Patriot RB, 2017 offseason; uniform #39
Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent on May 5, 2017

The former University of Iowa Hawkeye spent time with the Chargers, Washington and Green Bay after being cut by the Patriots on September 3, 2017. He appeared in four games for Washington, getting three carries on 14 offensive snaps. LeShun now works as a financial adviser in Chicago.

Other pro football players born on this date with New England connections:

Bernie Finn (6/4/07 - 9/26/93);
went to Holy Cross and was a wing back in the thirties.

Len Watters (6/4/98 -1 2/10/86);
end was one of six players from Springfield College to ever play in the NFL.

Johnny McQuade (6/4/95 - 12/24/80);
from Manchester NH, Johnny a back on the 1922 Canton Bulldogs.

Tom Kennedy (6/4/20 - 11/19/06);
born in Pittsfield, Tom played tackle briefly for the Detroit Lions in the forties.

Deck Shelley (6/4/06 - 12/17/68); back from the thirties played for the Providence Steamroller.




Other pro football players born on this date include:

- Jim Lachey, 61 (6/4/63); after Doug Williams led Washington to a superbowl victory, Jay Schroeder asked to be traded. Joe Gibbs obliged, sending the QB to the Raiders for Lachey in one of the more lopsided trades in NFL history. Lachey went on to be a first team All Pro selection at left tackle in each of the next three seasons and win a super bowl ring, while Schroeder soon faded away.

- Bryan Hinkle, 65 (6/4/59); starting OLB with the Steelers for most of the 80s.

- Ed Newman, 73 (6/4/51); four-time Pro Bowl guard for the Dolphins is now a judge in Miami.

- Alex Brown, 45 (6/4/79); Bears defensive end played in 143 games, with 45.5 sacks.

 

[Pape]

Today in Patriots History
Who needs a stinking face mask?​

Happy posthumous birthday to Pat Studstill, who would have been 86 today
Born June 4, 1938 in Shreveport, Louisiana
Died October 16, 2021 at the age of 83 in Los Angeles
Patriot punter, 1972; uniform #2
Claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Rams on September 6, 1972

The Patriots signed Pat Studstill for what would be the final season of his NFL career at the age of 34. He played in all 14 games with 75 punts, averaging a career low 38.1 yards.

When he entered the NFL from the University of Houston in 1961, Studstill was signed as an undrafted rookie to return punts and kickoffs. He was also backup depth at receiver, lining up as either a flanker or split end. Over the course of his NFL career Pats the Louisiana native led the league in an incredible 11 different single season categories. As a rookie with Detroit it was the number of kick returns for a touchdown . The next season he led the NFL in punt returns, punt return yards, and average (15.8 yards per return). In '65 he became the Lions punter and led the league for the first of three times in number of punts, with 78. The following season he made the Pro Bowl for the second time, leading the league with 1,266 yards receiving. That works out to 90.4 yards a game, in an era when the rules where nowhere near as conducive to the passing game as they are now. He also tied an NFL record for the longest pass reception (99 yards), which can obviously never be broken. A year later he had an NFL-best 44.5 yards per punt, as well as the season's longest punt (78 yards).

Pat also would have led the league in receptions in 1966, but for a choice that is unfathomable today. Studstill was dealing with a knee injury but asked to sit the game out (Detroit was already eliminated from the playoffs) - so that he could go to the Pro Bowl! In the final week of the season Hall of Fame WR Charley Taylor had eight receptions to surpass Studstill for most catches on the year. In midseason Studstill had six consecutive 100-yard games, totaling 816 yards on 39 receptions - an average of 20.9 yards per catch and 136 yards receiving per game - all on a losing team with somebody named Karl Sweetan as the starting quarterback.

While at the Pro Bowl, Studstill met and played for Rams coach George Allen, who was impressed enough to trade for him the following year. Allen left to become head coach for Washington in 1972, and new Rams HC Tommy Prothro wanted Studstill to focus strictly on punting. A year later Prothro waived Studstill, and Pat became a Patriot.

Studstill sustained a knee injury during the Patriots mini camp in May of 1973. Pat said that the injury required surgery, but in typical Sullivan family fashion the Patriots disputed the injury, and refused to honor his contract for the 1973 season. That marked the end of his NFL career.

Besides the fact that he had versatility (punter, punt returner, kick returner, flanker, split end and halfback) that would make Bill Belichick drool, coupled with excellent speed (9.8 seconds in the 100-yard dash in college), Pat Studstill is also known for being the last NFL player to not wear a face mask.

As good as a player as he was, Pat Studstill came very close to never playing in the NFL. He was miscast by his coach at the University of Houston to play quarterback, a position he hated. The coach begrudgingly acquiesced to a request to switch to play wide receiver and punter. The coach didn't like it, and he liked the fact that Studstill then got married even less. The coach had said 'if anybody on this team gets married, I will take him off scholarship'. He benched Studstill for no on-field reason during his junior season, and played him for all of about ten minutes as a senior.

Fortunately one of the assistants put in a call to a Detroit scout. Studstill left his job working for a regional freight company and hitchhiked from Texas to Detroit for a tryout. He was recruited to be a defensive back, but wasn't very good at the position he had never before played. The Lions were impressed with his speed though, so they used him on punt and kick returns, and eventually at receiver. In his first preseason game he caught a 78 yard pass and in another he ran a kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown. Studstill made the roster, and the rest is history.

During the offseasons in LA, Studstill worked in real estate, and while in New England he expanded his portfolio to include pensions and profit sharing plans for closely held corporations., fields that he worked in for about ten years.

Backtrack to Detroit for a moment. One of the big movies in 1968 was Paper Lion, based on George Plimpton's book about trying out for the Lions. Most of the parts were portrayed by real NFL players - including Studstill. His wife encouraged Pat to try doing more movies, or commercials. In 1981 he auditioned for a role in a Chevrolet ad, and got the part.

"They put me in a big ol' Stetson hat and a suit. I'm driving this Chevrolet Impala down some road. I look out the window, and the camera's right there, and I say, 'This is it.'​

"That TV commercial ran all year long and I made about $20,000. I said, 'This is what I want to do!'​

"Since then I've made over 300 commercials. I get a better retirement from that than I do with the NFL."​

Studstill also appeared in a few made for TV movies, single episodes on Magnum, PI, a recurring role on Dukes of Hazard, and worked stunts and behind the camera as the technical consultant on the original 1974 version of The Longest Yard.


Pat Studstill: Returning, Receiving and Punting for the Lions and Rams | The Coffin Corner

Punt? Catch? Return kicks? Studstill did it all for Lions

Despite not being drafted and having played just ten minutes his senior year in college with the Houston Cougars, Pat Studstill became a fan favorite with the Detroit Lions in the 1960’s as one of the team’s most versatile and valuable players. From 1961 through 1967, the speedy Studstill, who...

www.vintagedetroit.com

Profiling Pat Studstill

Lions great Pat Studstill holds one of the more obscure records in all of football

www.footballperspective.com

Patrick “Pat” Lewis Studstill Jr. Obituary - The Detroit Free Press

Patrick "Pat" Lewis Studstill Jr. Patrick "Pat" Lewis Studstill Jr., 83, passed away October 16, 2021, in the comfort of his Los Angeles home. He...

www.freep.com

At first glance I thought this was going to be about #75 Jess Richardson...

 

[Pape]

Today in Patriots History
A pair of mediocre mid-round draft picks​

Happy 29th birthday to LeShun Daniels
Born June 4, 1995 in Warren, Ohio
Patriot RB, 2017 offseason; uniform #??
Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent on May 5, 2017

The former University of Iowa Hawkeye spent time with the Chargers, Washington and Green Bay after being cut by the Patriots on September 3, 2017. He appeared in four games for Washington, getting three carries on 14 offensive snaps. LeShun now works as a financial adviser in Chicago.

Per the 2017 game books, LeShun Daniels wore # 39 in the preseason...

Not sure if you want to add that to your little bio on him because it was only preseason, not a regular season game

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Stephen Starring arrested​

June 4, 1988: WR Stephen Starring is arrested for indecent exposure at a John Elway charity golf event in Colorado.
He was later fined $500 and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.

Stephan Starring, a reserve wide receiver for the New England

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) _ Stephan Starring, a reserve wide receiver for the New England Patriots, was arrested following an indecent-exposure incident involving two women hotel employees, authorities said.

apnews.com

IN BRIEF : Starring Guilty of Indecent Exposure

Wide receiver Stephen Starring of the New England Patriots has been convicted by an Arapahoe County Court jury on two counts of indecent exposure.

www.latimes.com

Starring was arrested after allegedly exposing himself to two women at an Aurora hotel while attending a golf tournament to raise funds for the John Elway Foundation.​

June 4, 2009:

Patriots sign Patrick Pass

The Patriots today added a familiar face to the backfield, signing running back Patrick Pass, who spent seven seasons in New England from 2000-2006. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The 31-year-old Pass has been out of football since 2007, when he suited up for one game with the Giants, and...

www.boston.com

The Patriots today added a familiar face to the backfield, signing running back Patrick Pass, who spent seven seasons in New England from 2000-2006. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.​

​

The 31-year-old Pass has been out of football since 2007, when he suited up for one game with the Giants, and hasn’t played in more than three games in a season since 2005.​

​

While with the Patriots, Pass played in 78 regular season games and 10 playoff games, starting at fullback in Super Bowl XXXIX against the Eagles and appearing in each of the team’s two other Super Bowl victories. Pass has 1,096 career yards from scrimmage (526 yards rushing, 570 yards passing) and has scored four touchdowns.​

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*********​

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The Patriots today also released defensive lineman Kenny Smith, linebacker Angelo Craig, running back Omar Cuff, and safety Marcus McClinton.​

Patriots re-sign RB Patrick Pass

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Running back Patrick Pass is returning to the New England Patriots. The team said Thursday that it has signed a contract with Pass, who won three Super Bowls in seven seaso…

www.fosters.com

Pass appeared in one game with the New York Giants in 2007 and was out of football in 2008. He's a longshot to make a Patriots roster that includes running backs Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris and BenJarvus Green-Ellis.​

- Smith was a DT from Alabama and 3rd round pick by New Orleans in 2001; he played in 30 games for the Saints from 2001-03. Smith was part of the Pats training camp in 2007, was re-signed before spending 2008 on injured reserve.
- Craig was a DE who had been a 2008 7th round draft pick by the Bengals, from the University of Cincinnati. He was on the Pats practice squad for the last month of the '08 season, and later spent parts of two seasons in the CFL.
- Cuff went undrafted in 2008. The RB from Delaware was originally signed by the Titans, and then was on the practice squads for the Browns, Chiefs, Buccaneers and Patriots.
- McClinton was a free safety from Kentucky with some red flags: he missed five games due to three separate injuries for the Wildcats as a junior in 2007.
- Pass was released just a week later, and retired from pro football. In 2020 he resurfaced as head coach of the Massachusetts Pirates, an Indoor Football League team playing in Lowell.


June 4, 2010:
Patriots.com | Patriots sign OL Thomas Welch

Welch, an offensive lineman from Vanderbilt, was selected by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft with the 208th selection overall. He was selected with the first of four seventh round picks by the Patriots.​

​

At 6-7, 310-pounds, he was a two-year starter that saw action at both tackle positions. He began his college career as a tight end before moving to tackle following his redshirt season.​

Patriots ink another draft pick

Seventh-round pick Welch inks a four-year deal.

www.boston.com

Welch will battle for a job in training camp with a crowded group at tackle. There are three players there who started for long stretches in 2009 (Matt Light, Nick Kaczur, Sebastian Vollmer), and a fourth (Mark LeVoir) who got plenty of playing time.​

​

What could help the 6-foot-7, 310-pounder would be if Kaczur's appearance at guard during minicamp last week is more than just a cameo at the position in Logan Mankins' absence.​

June 4, 2014:

Patriots Sign LB James Anderson, Release WR Mark Harrison

The Patriots have signed former Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers linebacker James Anderson.

www.boston.com

The Patriots have signed former Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers linebacker James Anderson.​

​

The team released former Rutgers wide receiver Mark Harrison to make room.​

​

Anderson (6-3, 220 pounds), a veteran of eight NFL seasons, has experience as both a strong and weak outside linebacker. He’s tallied 556 career tackles and 12 sacks. He started all 16 games last season for the Bears, his only year in Chicago. He led the Bears in tackles with 102.​

​

Harrison never got off the ground in New England. He had been sidelined in 2013 after signing as a rookie free agent. The Patriots placed him on the reserve/non-football injury list. In the team’s OTA practice open to the media last week, he dropped a Tom Brady pass that hit him in his hands.​

Yeah, doing that will not endear you to your quarterback or coaches.
Just a few weeks earlier the future looked much brighter.

Mark Harrison as possible TE fit

One of the themes that came up consistently in an offseason study exploring other NFL teams was the idea of searching in-house for every possible answer before signing an external free-agent.

www.espn.com

The former Rutgers Scarlet Knight is 6-foot-3 and 231 pounds, which is about as big as it gets for a receiver and almost puts him into a "move tight end" classification. Harrison had some things going for him coming out of Rutgers but went undrafted and then didn't pass a physical with the Bears (foot injury). The Patriots signed him on May 20 and he ended up spending last year on season-ending injured reserve.​

Besides dropping a pass that hits you in the hands, being late never helps the cause of a player that is far from being a lock to make the roster.

Source: Mark Harrison was late to OTAs before being released

Mark Harrison will have to show what he’s capable of in a different city.

www.masslive.com

But the decision to part ways with Harrison might have been fueled by something else.​

​

Harrison was entering the year as a part of a group of wide receiver who were battling for one of the last one or two spots at the position, and did not help his cause by showing up late to an organized team activity this week, according to a source.​

​

While OTAs are voluntary, showing up late when you are the bubble is not a good look.​

Harrison ended up never playing a single down in the NFL. Anderson made 579 tackles over the course of his ten-year NFL career, but was waived by the Pats in late August. He has now embarked on another sports career.

Former Virginia Tech and NFL standout seeking to become big hitter in different sport

James Anderson first played football for the Hokies and later played a decade in the NFL. Now he is continuing his athletics pursuits in the world of golf as a long drive competitor.

news.vt.edu

A little more than a year ago, Anderson, who graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in studio art and a master’s degree in education, embarked on a career as a long drive competitor. To those unfamiliar with golf and with long drive competitions, the rules are simple: use a United States Golf Association-approved driver, swing as hard as possible, and try to hit a golf ball as far as possible while – and here’s the difficult part – also landing it within a grid roughly 45 to 60 yards wide.​

June 4, 2015:

Inside look at Patriots rookie Joe Cardona's contract reflects unique situation

New England Patriots long-snapper Joe Cardona was the final fifth-round pick in the NFL to sign his rookie contract.

www.espn.com

New England Patriots long-snapper Joe Cardona was the final fifth-round pick in the NFL to sign his rookie contract. It is a four-year pact, as is customary for drafted rookies, but the deal has a slightly different look than most rookie contracts, likely tied to Cardona's potential service in the US Navy.

Specifically, Cardona's deal includes a signing bonus of $100,000, which is less than the $189,532 his draft slot calls for.

However, the contract also includes $100,000 more in roster bonuses that are tied to him being on the 53-man roster, injured reserve list or physically unable to perform list between 2015-17. This structure provides the team a bit of security in the event Cardona has to serve his Naval commitments, while it gives Cardona the upshot of earning more on his contract than either of the two players drafted in the two picks ahead of him.

June 4, 2019:

Pats cut TE Seferian-Jenkins on 1st day of camp

Veteran TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who had signed a one-year deal with the Patriots in April, has been released.

www.espn.com

The New England Patriots have released veteran tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins.​

​

Seferian-Jenkins had signed a modest one-year, $895,000 contract on April 10, and he was vying for a roster spot at a position where the Patriots are transitioning without the retired Rob Gronkowski. The contract included just $50,000 in guaranteed money.​

​

Seferian-Jenkins wasn't at the team's mandatory minicamp Tuesday, with coach Bill Belichick foreshadowing his release by saying that all players who were required to be present had reported.​

​

The 26-year-old Seferian-Jenkins, who has 116 career receptions for 1,160 yards and 11 touchdowns in 43 games over five seasons, also wasn't present during a voluntary practice in May that had been open to reporters.​

​

Veteran Benjamin Watson headlines the Patriots' depth chart at tight end, but he will miss the first four games of the season because of an NFL suspension for banned substances.​

Matt LaCosse, Ryan Izzo, Stephen Anderson and Andrew Beck round out the depth chart.​

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Seferian-Jenkins had 11 catches for 90 yards and a touchdown before going on injured reserve in early October with a core muscle injury that required surgery. He became a free agent when the Jacksonville Jaguars declined his $500,000 option for 2019.​

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He joined the Jaguars on a two-year, $10 million deal before last season after resurrecting his career with the New York Jets. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut him after a September 2016 drunken driving arrest, which ultimately resulted in a two-game suspension by the NFL at the start of the 2017 season.​

Patriots are releasing tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins

Seferian-Jenkins is taking a month off to work on “personal issues’’ and hopes to be ready to come back to football in July.

www.boston.com

The Patriots are releasing tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, a league source confirmed.​

​

Seferian-Jenkins is taking a month off to work on “personal issues’’ and hopes to be ready to come back to football in July. The door is not closed between the tight end and the Patriots in the future, the source said.​

In his five NFL seasons Austin Seferian-Jenkins played more than nine games only once, missing nearly as many games (37) as he played in (43). The 6-foot-5-inch, 262 pound former second rounder from Washington had 116 career catches for 1,160 yards and 11 TDs. ASJ never re-signed with the Patriots or any other NFL team.

Oops. Upon review, ASJ fumbled the ball short of the goal line in the Jets 2017 week six game in Foxborough. Not only was the touchdown overturned, but the ball went
out of the end zone for a touchabck - resulting in a turnover and Patriots' 1st and ten at the twenty yard line. That was the differnce in the game as the Pats won, 24-17.​

June 4, 2021:

Report: Patriots sign veteran WR who once ran 4.28 in the 40

The Patriots have added another receiver to the roster

www.masslive.com

The New England Patriots have acquired a former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver. No, it’s not Julio Jones.​

​

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots have signed receiver Marvin Hall. The signing appears to be official, with Hall being spotted wearing a No. 14 jersey during Friday’s OTA session.​

​

Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent with the Oakland Raiders in 2016, Hall has bounced around with a number of teams, but had his best seasons with the Lions in 2019 and 2020. Hall caught 17 passes for 290 yards over 11 games with Detroit in 2020 before getting waived in December. He then landed with the Cleveland Browns and appeared in one game, catching one pass in that outing.​

​

An undersized receiver at 5-foot-10, Hall is best known for his speed. Back in 2016, Hall reportedly ran a hand-timed 4.28-second 40-yard dash at Washington’s pro day.​

​

Hall joins a receiver group that now includes: Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, N’Keal Harry, Jakobi Meyers, Tre Nixon, Gunner Olszewski, Matthew Slater, Devin Smith, Kristian Wilkerson and Isaiah Zuber.​

​

During his NFL career, Hall has spent time with a total of six teams, the Raiders, Cardinals, Falcons, Bears, Lions and Browns.​

The Patriots released Hall with an injury settlement on August 25.

 

[captain stone]

Today in Patriots History
A pair of mediocre mid-round draft picks​

Happy 32nd birthday to Geneo Grissom
Born June 4, 1992 in Hutchinson Kansas
Patriot DE, 2015-2018; uniform #92
Pats 3rd round (97th overall) selection of the 2015 draft, from Oklahoma

Geneo Grissom appeared in all but one game his rookie season, with 130 snaps (11.9%) as a backup on defense, and 142 snaps (28.9%) on special teams. In 2016 he was cut at the end of training camp and signed to the practice squad. Grissom was re-signed on October 15 when Jonathan Freeney went on IR. He played in 11 games in 2016, plus all three playoff games. Geneo appeared in just 11 snaps on defense for the season, but had the sixth-most special teams appearances (250 snaps, 55.9%). Grissom was one of ten players with over 15 snaps in Super Bowl 51, with 17.

2017 was similar back and forth. Grissom began the season on the practice squad after being cut at the end of training camp. Three weeks later he was promoted when Vincent Valentine went on Injured Reserve, then went back to the practice squad when Martellus Bennett was signed in early November. Ricky Jean Francois was cut on December 2nd, and Grissom was elevated and spent the rest of the year on the main roster. In eight games he appeared in 26 defensive snaps, and 153 special team snaps.

In 2018 Grissom made the roster out of training camp, but appeared in just four of the first nine games. His only extended action (20 defensive snaps) came in the week two loss to Jacksonville. Grissom's final game as a Patriot was the week nine SNF victory over Green Bay.

Over the course of four seasons the Patriots went 29-9 in the 38 games that Grissom played. He had 14 tackles (7 solo), 3 tackles for a loss, one quarterback hit and one sack. Grissom was on the field for 190 defensive snaps (130 in his rookie season) and 610 special team snaps. His best game came in the 2017-18 playoffs versus Tennessee when he had two sacks and a tackle for a loss. After being cut he worked out for the Jets, Jaguars and Packers before signed with the Colts, but saw no playing time in four games with Indy. He was signed by New Orleans just after the 2019 draft but released at the end of training camp, ending his NFL career.

Patriots rookie Geneo Grissom puts value in versatility - The Boston Globe

The big defensive lineman can play the interior or the edge, and even dabbled at tight end in college.

www.bostonglobe.com

Along with his wife, Grissom hitting the books | Metro West

Former third-round pick Geneo Grissom released by Patriots

The Patriots have made another eyebrow-raising release as they cut their roster down to 53 players on Saturday. Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran is reporting that the team has decided to part ways with Geneo Grissom, a 2015 third-round pick out of Oklahoma. Grissom was a valued special teams...

www.csnne.com

Patriots sign DL Geneo Grissom and DL Anthony Johnson to the 53-man roster; Place LB Jonathan Freeny and TE Greg Scruggs on Injured Reserve

The New England Patriots announced today that they have signed DL Geneo Grissom and DL Anthony Johnson to the 53-man roster from the practice squad. In addition, the Patriots have placed LB Jonathan Freeny and TE Greg Scrugss on the injured reserve list.

www.patriots.com

Is Geneo Grissom Ready To Step Up For Belichick, Patriots?

Is 2017 finally Geneo Grissom's time to step up for the Patriots defense?

boston.cbslocal.com

My Super Bowl Moment: Geneo Grissom - University of Oklahoma

"It's an unbelievable feeling. You watch this game growing up as a little kid, and to actually play in it and actually win it is unbelievable. It's a dream c...

soonersports.com

Happy 60th birthday to Teddy Garcia
Born June 4, 1964 in Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Patriot kicker, 1988; uniform #7
Pats 4th round (100th overall) selection in the 1988 draft, from NE Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Monroe)

For every successful special teams draft pick such as Stephen Gostkowski, there are a couple misses like this one. In 1986 Tony Franklin made the Pro Bowl, leading the league in field goals made on 32/41 attempts. In '87 he started to regress, connecting on just 15 of 26 tries - and only 10 out of 21 attempts from the 30 yard line or beyond. Raymond Berry was looking for a replacement.

The 32-year old Franklin was let go and the Patriots drafted Garcia, with hopes that he would be as productive on special teams as punter Rich Camarillo. Garcia was awful though, making only six of 13 field goal attempts (46%) - and somehow also managed to connect on just 11 of 16 point afters. He filled in for a few games with the Vikings and Oilers over the next two years, and then spent two seasons in NFL Europe.

Happy 54th birthday to Ronnie Harris
Born June 4, 1970 in Granada Hills, California
Patriot PR/KR/WR, 1993-1994; uniform #84
Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent from Oregon on May 3, 1993

Ronnie Harris ran track while at the University of Oregon, posting the second fastest indoor 50 meter time ever recorded at 5.7 seconds. He appeared in six games for the Patriots, with 26 punt returns (8.7 yards per return), six kick returns (15.0 yards per return) and one reception for 11 yards. He ended up playing in 69 games over seven NFL seasons, mostly with Seattle and also some with Atlanta. His career highlight play was a crucial key 29 yard catch in the Falcons upset victory in the 1998 NFCCG over the Minnesota Vikings; that reception set up the game tying touchdown, with Atlanta defeating the 16-1 Vikings in overtime. Harris now works as a senior healthcare representative for Pfizer, and is a youth minister in the state of Washington.

Happy 29th birthday to LeShun Daniels
Born June 4, 1995 in Warren, Ohio
Patriot RB, 2017 offseason; uniform #39
Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent on May 5, 2017

The former University of Iowa Hawkeye spent time with the Chargers, Washington and Green Bay after being cut by the Patriots on September 3, 2017. He appeared in four games for Washington, getting three carries on 14 offensive snaps. LeShun now works as a financial adviser in Chicago.

Other pro football players born on this date with New England connections:

Bernie Finn (6/4/07 - 9/26/93);
went to Holy Cross and was a wing back in the thirties.

Len Watters (6/4/98 -1 2/10/86);
end was one of six players from Springfield College to ever play in the NFL.

Johnny McQuade (6/4/95 - 12/24/80);
from Manchester NH, Johnny a back on the 1922 Canton Bulldogs.

Tom Kennedy (6/4/20 - 11/19/06);
born in Pittsfield, Tom played tackle briefly for the Detroit Lions in the forties.

Deck Shelley (6/4/06 - 12/17/68); back from the thirties played for the Providence Steamroller.




Other pro football players born on this date include:

- Jim Lachey, 61 (6/4/63); after Doug Williams led Washington to a superbowl victory, Jay Schroeder asked to be traded. Joe Gibbs obliged, sending the QB to the Raiders for Lachey in one of the more lopsided trades in NFL history. Lachey went on to be a first team All Pro selection at left tackle in each of the next three seasons and win a super bowl ring, while Schroeder soon faded away.

- Bryan Hinkle, 65 (6/4/59); starting OLB with the Steelers for most of the 80s.

- Ed Newman, 73 (6/4/51); four-time Pro Bowl guard for the Dolphins is now a judge in Miami.

- Alex Brown, 45 (6/4/79); Bears defensive end played in 143 games, with 45.5 sacks.

**** GeeNo Gruesome. And **** the ****ing IDIOT who ****ing drafted him too.

 

[jmt57]

**** GeeNo Gruesome. And **** the ****ing IDIOT who ****ing drafted him too.

"Gruesome".

I like it. The words 'Gee-No' still give me nausea.