June 8 in Pats History: Brandon King

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Brandon King​

Happy 28th birthday to Brandon King
Born June 8, 1993 in Alabaster, Alabama
Patriot special teamer, 2015 - present; uniform #36
Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent from Auburn (via Highlands Community College) on May 9, 2015

Brandon King has overcome extreme odds to play in the NFL. He first played linebacker for two years of college at Highland Community College in podunkville Kansas. To put that in perspective when I search that on the internet, the first thing that stands out is its proximity to Casey's General Store, and the population of town is exactly 1,012. He is the latest in a long line of Patriot special team standouts that includes Bob Gladieux, Mosi Tatupu, Larry Whigham, Larry Izzo, Nate Ebner and Matthew Slater.

King was able to transfer from Highland CC to Auburn, but he never started a single game for the Tigers. He was not invited to the NFL Combine, was ranked as the 72nd prospect at safety by NFL Draft Scout, 87th by 24/7 Sports, and his only opportunity to make an impression was at Auburn's Pro Day - against nine other fellow Tigers.

His signing by the Patriots after an invitation for a tryout at rookie minicamp was considered by most to be just a camp body for others to work against in drills. Although King did not survive final training camp cuts, he was immediately signed to the practice squad. Brandon was then promoted to the 53-man roster after Bradley Fletcher was released.

In the 2015 season King appeared in 13 games, strictly on special teams. He was on the field for 267 ST snaps, which ranked third behind only Nate Ebner and Matt Slater; his 12 ST tackles ranked second for the Pats.

King followed that surprise debut up by making the week one roster in 2016. In his first four seasons he played in 57 regular season games, missing only four games due to injuries. Brandon King has developed into a special team standout, on the field for 1,083 special team snaps. He has also appeared in all 11 of New England's playoff games during those four seasons, earning two Super Bowl rings. The Patriots rewarded King's performance by re-signing him to a two-year contract extension with a $400,00 signing bonus in 2018, and then another extension that places him under contract through 2021. A quad injury he first suffered in 2019 led to his being placed on PUP at the start of training camp, and he did not play for the Patriots at all in either 2019 or 2020 due to that injury. The feel-good story about a guy that managed to make it to the NFL may be nearing an end though. With the Patriots giving special team ace Cody Davis a healthy contract this past offseason, Brandon is facing an uphill battle to make it onto the 2021 roster.

Official New England Patriots Roster

VIew the official team roster of the New England Patriots.

www.patriots.com

Feb 4, 2018:

Super Bowl 2018: Brandon King's unusual NFL journey

Former Thompson High School and Auburn standout Brandon King will be playing for his second Super Bowl ring on Sunday.

www.al.com

March 8, 2018:

Brandon King's extension highlights challenging dynamic for restricted FAs

Patriots core special-teamer Brandon King chose stability and security over possibly making more money by playing things out as a free agent.

www.espn.com

Dec 16, 2018:

Brandon King embraces special role in NFL

Brandon King didn't start a game at Auburn, but he's playing in his fourth NFL season.

www.al.com

May 17, 2019:

Brandon King signs contract extension with Patriots

The New England Patriots have signed Auburn alumnus Brandon King to a two-year contract extension.

www.al.com

April 14, 2021:

Patriots' Brandon King On OTAs: 'If Bill [Belichick] Tells Me To Report, I'm Reporting'

A movement is afoot in the NFL, as the players for the Broncos, Buccaneers and Seahawks -- at the urging of the NFLPA -- have chosen to not participate in their organized team activities (OTAs) this spring.

boston.cbslocal.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Rommie Loudd​

Happy birthday to Rommie Loudd, who would have been 88 today
Born June 8, 1933 in Madisonville, Texas
Patriot LB, 1961-1962; uniform #60
Patriot LB coach 1966-67
Director of Player Personnel, 1968-1971
Director of Pro Scouting, 1971-1973
Died May 9, 1998 at the age of 64

Loudd had been a late draft pick out of UCLA by the Niners in '56, but he never played for them; the following year he and two others were arrested, and Loudd was convicted of sexual misconduct. (That's a very polite way of saying what happened.) After time in the CFL he later played in 27 games over two seasons for the Patriots, and then became a defensive coach for the Boston Sweepers of the old Atlantic Coast Football League for two seasons. Loudd then rejoined the Pats in 1966 as their linebackers coach; he was the first African American to hold a coaching position in the AFL. Loudd then moved to the front office for six years.

Despite the lack of success of the Pats while he was an executive with the team, Loudd became part owner and general manager of the Florida Blazers of the WFL in 1974. While there he was arrested for embezzling sales tax money, and then he attempted to land an NFL franchise in Orlando. He was arrested by a federal agent posing as a potential financial backer for his football team and served three years in prison before being paroled.

March 14, 1987:

ROMMIE LOUDD TRIES TO TRADE BIG DREAMS FOR REAL HAPPINESS

Rommie Loudd has returned to Orlando to pick up the pieces in his life, to be with his family again, to find a job and perhaps to minister to drug abusers, prisoners and ex-convicts. At 53, Loudd c…

www.orlandosentinel.com

May 4, 1998:

Former UCLA Player Loudd Dies

Rommie Loudd, a former UCLA football player who went on to become the first black assistant coach in the American Football League and later personnel director of the New England Patriots, has died of complications from diabetes.

www.latimes.com

Jan 31, 2020:

The Black-Owned NFL Franchise That Never Was

The team was going to be named after Martin Luther King Jr.

slate.com

In the 1970s, Rommie Loudd believed he was going to break pro football’s racial barriers. He ended up in prison, resentful and disgraced.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Allan Clark​

Happy 64th birthday to Allan Clark
Born June 8, 1957 in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Patriot KR/RB, 1979-1980; uniform #35
Pats 10th round (271st overall) selection of the 1979 draft, from Northern Arizona

Allan Clark played in all 16 games his rookie season, returning 37 kicks for 816 yards and averaging 22.1 yards per return. Clark missed the first six games of 1980 with a broken thumb, but he still led the team with ten kickoff coverage tackles. Over two years had 28 carries for 140 yards (5.0 yards per carry) and three touchdowns.

Early in the 1981 training camp Clark tore ligaments in his knee, causing him to miss the entire season. With sports medicine being what it was at that time, Clark was never quite the same player. He played briefly with the Bills and Packers, but 1982 would be his final season in the NFL. Allan did make a comeback with Arizona in the USFL in 1984-85, wrapping up his pro football career.

The New England Patriots Thursday signed veteran tight end... - UPI Archives

The New England Patriots Thursday signed veteran tight end Terry Nelson, but it appears veteran running back Allan Clark will miss the season, officials...

www.upi.com

1989 NAU Athletics Hall of Fame Class Allan Clark (Football, 1975-78)

1989 NAU Athletics Hall of Fame Class Allan Clark (Football, 1975-78)

nauathletics.com

June 8, 2015: Patriots release LB Brandon Spikes
The move came one day after Spikes' vehicle was on I-495 in the early morning with no headlights and rear ended another automobile, causing substantial damage to both cars. Spike's Mercedes was abandoned on the median strip with the driver fleeing the scene.

Patriots release Brandon Spikes after car found abandoned

Mercedes-Maybach found with front-end damage on Sunday as police say it is unclear who was driving and reported collision with a deer

www.theguardian.com

Former Patriot Brandon Spikes Pleads Guilty In I-495 Crash

Former New England Patriot linebacker Brandon Spikes pleaded guilty Wednesday to leaving the scene of an accident last month on Interstate 495.

boston.cbslocal.com

Brandon Spikes says he has changed after life-altering crash

Brandon Spikes considers himself a lucky man -- and a changed man -- to have an opportunity with the Bills after last year's life-altering crash.

www.espn.com

June 8, 2013: Pats sign TE Rob Gronkowski to a six-year contract extension, through 2019



June 8, 2004: New England re-signs Terrell Buckley
The corner had been with the team in 2001-02, but did not make it onto the 2004 roster. For more on Buckley see the June 7 entry.




Other pro football players with New England connections:

- Vince Promuto (6/8/1938-6/3/2021)
Holy Cross
Two-time Pro Bowl RG played in 130 games for Washington from 1960-1970.

Holy Cross mourns the loss of Vince Promuto - Holy Cross Athletics

Holy Cross football legend Vince Promuto passed away earlier this week. He was 82 years old.

goholycross.com

Throwback Thursday: Vince Promuto Talks About The Compassion Of Vince Lombardi

For today's Throwback Thursday moment presented by SUBWAY® restaurants, Redskins.com spoke with Vince Promuto about his season under head coach Vince Lombardi.

www.washingtonfootball.com

Vincent Louis Promuto - Kalis-McIntee Funeral & Cremation Center

Vincent Louis Promuto, 82, passed away surrounded by his loving family on June 1, 2021. Born in the Bronx, NY, Vince was a graduate of Mt. St. Michael Academy and the College of the Holy Cross. He was loyal alumnus throughout his life and a member of each school’s Hall of Fame. At Holy Cross, […]

kalismcintee.com

- Vic Radzievitch (6/8/1903-6/1/1974)
Torrington CT native went to UConn
Vic played eight games for the 1926 Hartford Blues.

UConn's first NFL players - 1926

http://www.oldestlivingprofootball.com/martinleoredoneill.htm He was also our first All-American candidate in 1924. The Hartford Blues were a member of the NFL for 1 year in 1926. They were independent for their 3 other seasons, 1924, 1925, and 1927. The "Four Horsemen", who put Notre Dame on...

the-boneyard.com

- Win Pederson (6/8/1915-1/17/1983)
tackle for the 1946 Boston Yanks
The 70th overall pick of the 1940 draft by the Giants, Windinge Christian Peterson played in the NFL for three seasons, before and after serving three years in the military in WWII.

Win Pedersen - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Other notable NFL players born on this date:

- Herb Adderley (6/8/1939-10/30/2010); Hall of Fame CB for the Packers won five championships, and was named to five Pro Bowls.

- Stan Brock, 63 (6/8/1959); tackle played in 234 games over 16 seasons, mostly with the Saints, and is the brother of former Patriot OL Pete Brock.

- Whizzer White (6/8/1917-4/15/2002); tailback led the NFL in rushing in 1938 and 1940 - and went on to become a Supreme Court justice from 1962 to 1993.

- Dave Jennings (6/8/1952-6/19/2013); four time Pro Bowl punter, and the only NFL player to come out of St Lawrence University since the thirties.

- Troy Vincent, 50 (6/8/1971); despot who sold his soul to Roger Goodell.

- Buck Gavin (6/8/1891-10/14/1943); makes the list since it's such a great football name, sounding like something out of a bad Hollywood script.

 

[captain stone]

Today in Patriots History
Brandon King​

Happy 28th birthday to Brandon King
Born June 8, 1993 in Alabaster, Alabama
Patriot special teamer, 2015 - present; uniform #36
Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent from Auburn (via Highlands Community College) on May 9, 2015

Brandon King has overcome extreme odds to play in the NFL. He first played linebacker for two years of college at Highland Community College in podunkville Kansas. To put that in perspective when I search that on the internet, the first thing that stands out is its proximity to Casey's General Store, and the population of town is exactly 1,012. He is the latest in a long line of Patriot special team standouts that includes Bob Gladieux, Mosi Tatupu, Larry Whigham, Larry Izzo, Nate Ebner and Matthew Slater.

King was able to transfer from Highland CC to Auburn, but he never started a single game for the Tigers. He was not invited to the NFL Combine, was ranked as the 72nd prospect at safety by NFL Draft Scout, 87th by 24/7 Sports, and his only opportunity to make an impression was at Auburn's Pro Day - against nine other fellow Tigers.

His signing by the Patriots after an invitation for a tryout at rookie minicamp was considered by most to be just a camp body for others to work against in drills. Although King did not survive final training camp cuts, he was immediately signed to the practice squad. Brandon was then promoted to the 53-man roster after Bradley Fletcher was released.

In the 2015 season King appeared in 13 games, strictly on special teams. He was on the field for 267 ST snaps, which ranked third behind only Nate Ebner and Matt Slater; his 12 ST tackles ranked second for the Pats.

King followed that surprise debut up by making the week one roster in 2016. In his first four seasons he played in 57 regular season games, missing only four games due to injuries. Brandon King has developed into a special team standout, on the field for 1,083 special team snaps. He has also appeared in all 11 of New England's playoff games during those four seasons, earning two Super Bowl rings. The Patriots rewarded King's performance by re-signing him to a two-year contract extension with a $400,00 signing bonus in 2018, and then another extension that places him under contract through 2021. A quad injury he first suffered in 2019 led to his being placed on PUP at the start of training camp, and he did not play for the Patriots at all in either 2019 or 2020 due to that injury. The feel-good story about a guy that managed to make it to the NFL may be nearing an end though. With the Patriots giving special team ace Cody Davis a healthy contract this past offseason, Brandon is facing an uphill battle to make it onto the 2021 roster.

Official New England Patriots Roster

VIew the official team roster of the New England Patriots.

www.patriots.com

Feb 4, 2018:

Super Bowl 2018: Brandon King's unusual NFL journey

Former Thompson High School and Auburn standout Brandon King will be playing for his second Super Bowl ring on Sunday.

www.al.com

March 8, 2018:

Brandon King's extension highlights challenging dynamic for restricted FAs

Patriots core special-teamer Brandon King chose stability and security over possibly making more money by playing things out as a free agent.

www.espn.com

Dec 16, 2018:

Brandon King embraces special role in NFL

Brandon King didn't start a game at Auburn, but he's playing in his fourth NFL season.

www.al.com

May 17, 2019:

Brandon King signs contract extension with Patriots

The New England Patriots have signed Auburn alumnus Brandon King to a two-year contract extension.

www.al.com

April 14, 2021:

Patriots' Brandon King On OTAs: 'If Bill [Belichick] Tells Me To Report, I'm Reporting'

A movement is afoot in the NFL, as the players for the Broncos, Buccaneers and Seahawks -- at the urging of the NFLPA -- have chosen to not participate in their organized team activities (OTAs) this spring.

boston.cbslocal.com

Dude ****ing sucks.

 

[jah]

Dude ****ing sucks.

What is your standard for a good special teamer?