Today In Patriots History May 28: Doug Satcher and the 1966 Draft

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Today in Patriots History
Doug Satcher​

Happy 80th birthday to Doug Satcher
Born May 28, 1945 in Sandersville, Mississippi
Patriot linebacker, 1966-1968; uniform #58
Pats ninth round (75th overall) selection in the 1966 AFL draft, from Southern Miss
Pats résumé: three seasons, all 42 games (23 starts)


Douglas Kenneth Satcher played in all 42 games during his three years with the Patriots, and was the starting RLB in '68. He was the lone bright spot in what was the worst draft class in franchise history.

Doug Satcher -- Mississippi State Sports Hall of Fame

Doug Satcher​

Football: 1963-1965​

Baseball: 1964-1965​

Inducted: April 30, 1983​

Doug Satcher will be best remembered as one of the school's all-time great linebackers. Few people in the history of Southern Miss football could dominate the way Satcher could.​

Not only did Satcher possess the physical tools to get the job done, he also possessed the intelligence to go along with it.​

Aug 26, 1967: Washington RB A.D. Whitfield, (25), fumbles the pigskin on the Boston Patriots 30 yard line where it was recovered by Patriots Tom Addition, (out of view),
in the first period of their exhibition game at Harvard Stadium. Identifiable players are, Patriots Ron Hall, (23), left foreground; Ed Toner, (75), center;
Doug Satcher, (58), on the ground behind Whitfield, and Washington's Steve Thurlow, (44), left rear. The Patriots came up a bit short, losing 13-7.




The 1966 Boston Patriots Draft​

1st round, third overall
OT Karl Singer, Purdue
Consider this: in the same year that Singer was drafted third overall in the AFL, he was thought of so lightly that he was not selected in the NFL Draft until the 19th round. I understand not wanting to get in a bidding war with an NFL team, but come on. The Purdue Boilermaker started just one single game - on a weak team - before being released after three seasons. Not one team, AFL or NFL, had any interest in signing him to a contract after that.

2nd round, 10th overall
OT Jim Boudreaux, Louisiana Tech
Three seasons, 12 games, zero starts. No interest from any AFL or NFL teams, so he followed that up by playing one year of minor league football.

3rd round, 19th overall
DT Hal Lucas, Michigan State
Signed with the NFL's St Louis Cardinals. Lucas should have signed with the Patriots, because he deserved to be part of the early Pats folklore. He left $300,000 on the table when he walked out of summer camp and quit, upset about having to drop 20+ pounds to reach a team-mandated 280 pound weight limit. He never played a single down in the NFL, although he too played one year in the Continental Football League.

4th round, 27th overall
Traded to the Jets in 1965
The Patriots received QB John Huarte for this pick, who only got into games as a holder for place kicks or in garbage time. Huarte had zero starts and zero touchdown passes in two seasons.

5th round, 35th overall
DT John Mangum, Southern Mississippi
Two seasons, 28 games, one start. Then signed with the expansion Cincinnati Bengals, but did not make their roster.

6th round, 43rd overall
OT Dan Irby, Louisiana Tech
Did not make roster, never played in AFL or NFL. Spent season with Lowell Giants of the Atlantic Coast Football League, never played football again after that.

7th round, 52nd overall
OT Jim Battle, Southern University
Signed with Clevleand instead. Played for one season; six games, zero starts.

8th round, 65th overall
DB Sam Montgomery, Southern University
Signed with Green Bay. Never played in the AFL or NFL, did play some minor league football.

9th round, 75th overall
LB Doug Satcher, Southern Miss
Three seasons, 42 games, 23 starts

10th round, 84th overall
OT Dennis Brewster, Brigham Young
Signed with Chicago. Never played in the AFL or NFL, did play some minor league football.

11th round, 91st overall
Traded to Jets in 1965 for LB Mike Dukes
Played in 11 games with four starts in 1965; never played in NFL or AFL after that.

12th round, 101st overall
LB **** Fugere, Cincinnati
Signed with Chicago. Never played in the AFL or NFL.


The Patriots made eight more selections after this. The only one that ever played a down in either the AFL or NFL was TE **** Capp, selected with the 147th overall pick. Capp was released by the Pats at the end of training camp; he later played in 16 games over two seasons for the Packers and Steelers. That may have been the 17th round at the time, but to put this in perspective, pick #147 nowadays is an early fifth round selection.


The Patriots selected ten of the first 102 players in that draft, and half of them never played a down in either the NFL or AFL. Two picks were traded away, with minimal production received in return. Of the 18 players drafted by the Patriots (the last being just 174th overall, something that would be a late fifth round pick today), twelve never played in either of the two leagues, and only four ever played with the Patriots. The most productive of those four was Doug Satcher, who was the starter for just one season with the Pats.


If you want to know why the Patriots took such a precipitous nosedive after almost going to the first super bowl following the 1966 season, the trail of evidence begins with this draft. The entire draft class started a total of 25 games with the Patriots - with 23 starts coming from one player, Satcher. Even if you add the four games that Mike Dukes (draft pick trade) started, that is still a pathetic statistic.

July 1966 photo of Doug Satcher, from the Boston Public Library Arts Department via the Boston Herald-Traveler​

1966 AFL Draft Transactions -- Pro Sports Transactions

1966 AFL Draft Listing | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the 1966 NFL Draft Results including drafted players and trade timelines and their career stats on Pro-Football-Reference.com

www.pro-football-reference.com

Doug Satcher Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Doug Satcher. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Doug Satcher Player Profile

Pro Football Archives -- Doug Satcher Transactions

Doug Satcher - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
RIP Marquise Hill​

May 28, 2007:
This is a repeat from yesterday, but that is because it was on this date that Marquise Hill's body was discovered, and he was officially declared dead. He had gone missing late in the day on May 27, hence the dual entries.

The body of Marquise Hill was found mid afternoon on May 28, 2007. The 24-year old defensive end was a second round pick of the 2004 draft from Louisiana State University.

Death of Patriots' Hill is ruled accidental drowning

The death of New England Patriots defensive end Marquise Hill, who fell off a personal watercraft Sunday in Lake Pontchartrain, was ruled an accidental drowning Tuesday.

www.espn.com

Hill spent much of his free time and his NFL paycheck helping loved ones rebuild in the hurricane-damaged city where he grew up.​

Aiding others came naturally to him, and distraught relatives on Monday said Hill died a hero after the former LSU star helped save the life of a former high school classmate who could not swim.​

While the woman survived by grabbing a piling and holding onto it until she was rescued, the 24-year-old Hill, who friends described as a good swimmer, drifted away and disappeared until searchers pulled his body from the water on Monday afternoon, about 17 hours after the accident.​

"He was a hero until the end," his cousin, Elaine Hill Blackshire of Alabama, told the Boston Herald for Tuesday's editions. "He made sure he got her to safety. I'm just so sad that he lost his life, but he wouldn't have had it any other way. If he had saved himself, and knowing she couldn't swim, he couldn't have lived with himself.​

"He thought of others first. He was just that kind of person."​

"I lost a brother, man," said Patriots defensive lineman Jarvis Green, a fellow Louisiana native and former LSU player. "He was a funny guy. ... He'd just sit there and talk to you, say some funny things off his head that'd make you laugh. He was good to be around."​

Hill's agent, Albert Elias, said he spoke with Hill's friend and said she either couldn't swim or was having difficulty doing so.​

"Marquise knew this, and being a strong swimmer, he was instructing her as he drifted away in a different direction to stay calm and don't fight the water. He found a buoy or piling behind her and told her to let the current take her to that. She listened to him and it pretty much saved her life," Elias said.​

The woman was sent to Tulane Medical Center, where she told authorities that Hill had tried to keep her calm as the two were drifting away from each other.​

"It's so important to have a life jacket and a signaling device," Atkeson said. "One keeps you afloat and the other helps us find you."​

Elias said the player spent much of his time since Hurricane Katrina helping rebuild the homes of family members including his mother and the mother of his son.​

The Patriots wore number 91 on their helmet in memory of Marquise Hill for the full 2007 season.

Patriots DE Hill killed in jet ski accident

NEW ORLEANS — The body of Patriots defensive end Marquise Hill was found Monday, a day after he was reported missing following a jet ski accident on Lake Pontchartrain.

www.southcoasttoday.com

R.I.P., Marquise Hill (1982-2007)

On Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana. He has been missing since last night. Was riding a jet ski and fell off. Apparently can't swim very well. Coast guard is searching for him. No link but this is being reported on the radio in Louisiana.

www.patsfans.com

The official Memorial Day tribute to Marquise Hill

O.K. So he wasn't the best pro football player you ever saw,Heck he wasn't even a player who looked as if he could ever threaten to crack the starting roster of the Patriots,but what he lacked in talent he had a surplus of being a wonderful human being and family man and that is whats really...

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MARQUISE HILL - The Man, The Patriot, The Hero - Memorial thread - 2 years today

A wonderful Man,human being,loving father,a man with a heart of gold and a hero up until the anniversary of his death 2 years ago today. As a high round draft pick he never quite flourished in the NFL but it goes beyond the football field to understand what a great man he was. This thread...

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3 years ago today: RIP Marquise Hill

3 Years ago today that Hill drowned. They still have a little shrine for him outside the Pats locker room. http://www.allthingsbillbelichick.com/marquisehill.htm Our long weekend here in Canada was last weekend, but have a safe holiday, guys.

www.patsfans.com

Video Tribute to Marquise Hill

Ian's Daily Blog - As first pointed out by Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe – Marquise Hill’s former agent, Albert Elias, has created a tribute video in honor of Hill who died in a jetskiing accident during Memorial Day weekend 2007: It’s an emotional video that...

www.patsfans.com

Remembering Marquise Hill

Just wanted to post this as I can't help but think about the guy every year knowing how a relaxing holiday weekend can go horribly wrong. It's a very tragic story, and it comes to mind each year at this time. For some of the newcomers who might not have been following the team when it...

www.patsfans.com

Boston athletes who saw their careers cut short by tragedy:

Harry Agannis: The 26-year-old Boston University product and Red Sox phenom died unexpectedly when he was struck by a massive pulmonary embolism during the 1955 season.

Tony Conigliaro: Struck in the face by a pitch during a 1967 game, the Red Sox star suffered a broken cheekbone and severe damage to his left retina. Although he was named Comeback Player of the Year following his 1969 return, Conigliaro’s vision deteriorated, forcing his 1975 retirement at age 30. In 1982 Tony C suffered a heart attack and then a stroke, lapsing into a coma at the age of 37. He never fully recovered and died at the age of 45 in 1990 from pneumonia and kidney failure.

Darryl Stingley: Struck by a then-legal hit from Raiders’ DB Jack Tatum in a 1978 preseason game, the Patriots receiver was left paralyzed from the neck down. He spent the remainder of his life in a wheelchair. In 2007 Darryl died at the age of 55. His death was attributed to heart disease and pneumonia complicated by his quadriplegia.

Normand Léveillé: A defective blood vessel in his brain made the unwitting 19-year-old Bruins winger vulnerable to a check by Vancouver winger Marc Crawford in 1982 that caused a brain aneurysm, put Leveille into a three-week coma and ended his playing days.

Len Bias: Suffered a fatal heart attack believed to have been triggered by a cocaine overdose less than 48 hours after he was drafted by the Celtics in 1986.

Reggie Lewis: After an irregular heartbeat sidelined Lewis in the 1993 playoffs, the Celtics’ captain died of a heart attack while practicing at the team’s training facility later that summer.

Travis Roy: Crashed head-first into the boards 11 seconds into his first official shift with the Boston University hockey team in 1995 and was paralyzed from the neck down. In 2020 Travis died at the age of 45 from complications of a recent surgery.

Marquise Hill: The Patriots’ second-round pick from the 2004 draft was found dead in Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain after disappearing in a jet ski accident.

 

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Today in Patriots History
Doug Satcher​

Happy 80th birthday to Doug Satcher

The 1966 Boston Patriots Draft

1st round, third overall
OT Karl Singer, Purdue
Consider this: in the same year that Singer was drafted third overall in the AFL, he was thought of so lightly that he was not selected in the NFL Draft until the 19th round. I understand not wanting to get in a bidding war with an NFL team, but come on. The Purdue Boilermaker started just one single game - on a weak team - before being released after three seasons. Not one team, AFL or NFL, had any interest in signing him to a contract after that.

Karl Singer, right

2nd round, 10th overall
OT Jim Boudreaux, Louisiana Tech
Three seasons, 12 games, zero starts. No interest from any AFL or NFL teams, so he followed that up by playing one year of minor league football.

4th round, 27th overall
Traded to the Jets in 1965
The Patriots received QB John Huarte for this pick, who only got into games as a holder for place kicks or in garbage time. Huarte had zero starts and zero touchdown passes in two seasons.

5th round, 35th overall
DT John Mangum, Southern Mississippi
Two seasons, 28 games, one start. Then signed with the expansion Cincinnati Bengals, but did not make their roster.

9th round, 75th overall
LB Doug Satcher, Southern Miss
Three seasons, 42 games, 23 starts

11th round, 91st overall
Traded to Jets in 1965 for LB Mike Dukes
Played in 11 games with four starts in 1965; never played in NFL or AFL after that.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Other May 28 Birthdays​

In memory of Bill Striegel, who would have turned 89 today
Born May 28, 1936 in Easton, Kansas; hometown Chico, California
Died Jan 23, 1992 in San Joaquin County at the age of 56
Patriot linebacker/guard, 1960; uniform #72
Signed as a free agent on November 17, 1960
Pats résumé: one season, five games (two starts)


Bill Striegel was an 8th round draft pick out of Pacific by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1958. He played in the final five games for the Boston Patriots in their inaugural season, with one start. Striegel also previously played briefly for the Raiders.

Bill Striegel Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Bill Striegel. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

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Pro Football Archives -- Bill Striegel Player Profile

Pro Football Archives -- Bill Striegel Transactions

Bill Striegel - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Today in Patriots History
Eric Schubert​

Happy 63rd birthday to Eric Schubert
Born May 28, 1962 in Abington, Pennsylvania; hometown Ringwood, New Jersey
Patriot kicker, 1987; uniform #1
Signed as a USFL free agent on March 29, 1985; re-signed 9/23/87 and again on 10/23/87
Pats résumé: three stints with the Patriots; one game as a replacement player


Eric Schubert began his pro football career with the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL in 1983, soon after his final season at Pitt was completed. He was signed by the Patriots early in 1985, a camp leg to give Tony Franklin an occasional break. The Pats waived Schubert on August 19.

In 1985 Bill Parcells was head coach of the Giants and in a bind. His starting kicker (veteran Ali Haji-Sheikh) was injured, so he signed an interim kicker, Jess Atkinson. In anticipation of Haji-Sheikh being ready to play again after the injury, he waived Atkinson. Problem was AHS was not yet ready to play.

Schubert had been with the G-men for about a week in training camp after being let go by New England, so Parcells re-signed him, taking him away from a nearby high school where he had been coaching football. Schubert delivered, booting five field goals in a 22-20 win. That performance turned the temporary assignment into a year-long deal.

Unfortunately the rest of his NFL career was not that great. The next year Schubert signed with the Cardinals and connected on just three of 11 field goal attempts. The Pats signed him as a strike-replacement player, but he played only one game; Tony Franklin crossed the line in the second week of the strike, and Schubert was no longer needed. He was re-signed prior to week seven when Franklin was dealing with a sore groin, but the bare-footed kicker was able to play, and Schubert was cut.

Schubert's one-game/Patriot career stat line reads 1-2 on field goal attempts (connecting on a 23-yarder that temporarily gave the Pats the lead; missing on a 4-yard attempt that hit the upright) and 1-1 on extra points, for a total of four points scored. He later signed with the Raiders, but never played in the NFL again. Since then Schubert has worked as sales and marketing manager for Pride and Service Elevator in northern New Jersey.


1987 Week 4 Game Summary

Eric Schubert Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Eric Schubert Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Eric Schubert Player Profile

Pro Football Archives -- Eric Schubert Transactions

Eric Schubert - Wikipedia

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Today in Patriots History
Chris Wing​

Happy 54th birthday to Chris Wing
Born May 28, 1971 in Redmond, Washington
Patriot linebacker, 1997 offseason; uniform #47
Signed as an undrafted rookie free agent from Boise State on April 25, 1997
Pats résumé: one offseason

Chris Wing was older than most rookies, having served in the Air Force for four years prior to enrolling at Boise State. New head coach Pete Carroll waived him in preaseason, and after a brief time with Washington he caught on with Bill Parcells and the Jets. Wing also played in NFL Europe.

Flying High - The Broncos Get Their Wing - Boise State University Athletics

When Chris Wing graduated from Redmond (Wash.) High School in 1989, few imagined he would go onto be a record-setting pass rusher at Boise State and play pro...

broncosports.com

Wing credits his time in the military for helping him pick out things during film study. His first squadron in the Air Force was the 7426 TRISS (Tactical Reconnaissance Intelligence Support Squadron).​

"We flew in F-4Cs and had to analyze pictures to provide intelligence for the pilots," Wing said. "It really taught me to pay attention to the details when studying pictures."​

As a senior defensive end, Wing set the Boise State single-season sack record with 20 and finished his career with 32, still the third-most by a Bronco. He was named All-Big West.​

Wing was a business major with an emphasis in human resources and earned a degree from Boise State in 1997.​

That year, he signed with the New England Patriots in Pete Carroll's first-year as the franchise's head coach.​

After playing in some preseason games, Wing was cut by the Patriots. A tryout with the Washington Redskins did not go well, but the next day he worked out for the New York Jets.​

Upon seeing head coach Bill Parcells, Wing walked up and introduced himself to the Pro Football Hall of Famer.​

"When I was in New England, I didn't think I should have been cut," Wing said. "But I learned you have to stand up for yourself. Parcells was friends with (Youngstown State Head Coach) Jim Tresell, who had good things to say about me from the (1994) national championship game. Parcells sat down and watched film with me. The next day he called my house and talked with my stepdad. The day after that I was on a plane to sign with the Jets."​

Wing was activated from the practice squad for two games as a rookie in 1997, the first of which his dad and stepmom were able to attend because they happened to be in New York for the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden.​

In 1998, Wing was cut by the Jets after suffering a back injury. A year later, he was selected in the sixth round of the NFL Europe Draft by the Amsterdam Admirals and recorded 5.5 sacks in 1999. He returned to the NFL for a couple of workouts in 2000 before retiring.​

He returned to Boise later that year and began working at Lamar Advertising. He currently works in sales for the company. His boss is Larry Alder, a free safety on Boise State's 1980 team that won the I-AA national championship.​

Along his journey, Wing met his wife, a seven-year veteran of the Air Force who now works as a nurse, and the couple has two athletic boys.​

"My Boise State story started with kindness," Wing said. "Pokey Allen was a players' coach and a very kind person. Sometimes people need a chance in life and I am so grateful that he gave me a chance. That was a guy you run through a wall for."​

Boise State Athletics thanks Chris Wing as it honors him and all the veterans who have served our country with military service.​

Chris Wing Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Chris Wing Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Pro Football Archives -- Chris Wing Player Profile

Pro Football Archives -- Chris Wing Transactions

Chris Wing - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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

Bruce Taylor, 77 (May 28, 1948)
Boston University, class of 1970
Bruce Taylor was the greatest football player in BU history and MVP of the 1969 Terrier football team that finished 9-1. He was a first round (17th overall) selection by San Francisco in the 1970 draft, and was a starting corner for the Niners through most of the '70s. Taylor led the NFL in punt return yardage his rookie season, and made the Pro Bowl the following year. He played in 114 NFL games (including five post season games), with 18 interceptions and ten fumble recoveries.

Hall of Fame - Boston University Athletics

Bruce Taylor Sport: Football Year Graduated: 1970 Year Inducted: 1977 Regarded as the best defensive back ever to play for Boston University, Bruce Taylor's ...

www.goterriers.com

Eugene Robinson, 62 (May 28, 1963)
Weaver High School, Hartford CT, class of 1981
Eugene Robinson was a three-time Pro Bowl FS for Seattle, Green Bay, Atlanta and Carolina from 1985-2000, and won a ring with the Packers in SB31 versus the Patriots. Two years later with Atlanta he made a game-saving play in the NFCCG, breaking up a sure TD pass intended for Randy Moss. Two weeks after that game he became famous - or infamous - for being arrested for attempting to hire an undercover cop posing as a prostitute on the night before the Superbowl. Eugene Robinson played in 252 NFL games (plus 11 playoff games). His 57 career interceptions ranks 13th in NFL history.

Eugene Robinson Did Everything Right – Except On The Eve Of Super Bowl XXXIII

Eugene Robinson was a talker throughout his 16-year career as a professional football player. With the Seahawks, with the Packers, with the Falcons and with the Panthers, before the season and after the season, at Super Bowls, in the locker…

www.courant.com

David Shula, 66 (May 28, 1959)
Dartmouth College, class of 1981
Don's son spent one season with the Colts as a PR/WR. He then worked with his dad in Miami as a WR coach and QB coach, and was hired as Cincinnati's head coach in 1992. While there the younger Shula set three NFL records. First, he was the youngest (32) HC in the modern era. Second, he was one half of the first, and only game coached by a father on one side of the field and the son on the other side.

More ignominious was a record in futility that may never be broken. The younger Shula lost 50 games faster (in 69 games) than any other head coach in the history of the National Football League. He was mercifully fired in 1996, finishing with a career record of 19-52 (.268).

After that Shula stayed out of football, working as an executive for Shula's Steak House. In 2018, after a 22-year absence from football, Shula returned to his alma mater to become the wide receivers coach at Dartmouth.

Dave Shula - Football Coach - Dartmouth College Athletics

Recruiting Area: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming At the onset of the spring of 2018, the ...

dartmouthsports.com

Dave Shula: 'You can't blame everything on me'

Dave Shula: 'You can't blame everything on me'

www.cincinnati.com

In a case of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, we have one last birthday trivia:
Michael "Blind Side" Oher, who was born May 28, 1986 in Memphis.
In the 2009 draft the Patriots traded down, sending 1.23 to Baltimore for 1.26 and 5.162.

The Ravens used that pick on Michael Oher.

The Pats then traded down again, sending both of those picks to Green Bay for 2.41, 3.73 and 3.83.

The Packers used that pick on Clay Matthews.

The Patriots finally made a pick, using 2.41 on Darius Butler.

The Pats drafted Brandon Tate with 3.83.

While this trade sequence sounds horrible thus far, it eventually got a little better.

3.73 was used on trades for Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski.




A few more old timers that played pro football in Boston that were born on May 28:

- Frank Nelson (5/28/23); single wing back for the 1948 Boston Yanks.
- Bill Paschal (5/28/21); FB/KR for the 1947-1948 Boston Yanks.
- Dave Smukler (5/28/14); FB/LB for the 1944 Boston Yanks.


Also born on May 28:
- Jim Thorpe (5/28/1888); All-American, College Football Hall of Famer, Pro Football Hall of Famer, Olympic gold medalist, pro baseball player, and perhaps the greatest athlete ever.
- Percy Harvin (5/28/1988); as a Florida Gator, Harvin accomplished the extremely rare feat of gaining over 1,500 yards receiving, while also rushing for over 1,500 yards. At the time many PatsFans wanted Harvin; he was selected by Minnesota 22nd overall, one slot prior to where the Patriots held the #23 pick, above.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Forgotten May 28 Trivia​

May 28, 1970:
Patriots sign fifth round draft pick Bob Olson, linebacker from Notre Dame

That draft pick, plus John Bramlett and Kim Hammond, was what the Patriots received in the ill-advised trade that sent Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti to Miami. Olson was a two-time captain at Notre Dame and defensive MVP in the 1970 Cotton Bowl national championship game versus Texas. He suffered a fractured elbow during preseason, on August 10, 1970. Piecing together the tea leaves, the fracture probably did not heal properly; the Pats released Olson on July 19, 1971, which would have been about the time that veterans returned to camp 11 months later and take their physicals. Olson was never re-signed or picked up by any other NFL team.

Bob Olson Class of 1970

ndnation.com

Bob Olson was a fierce middle linebacker who led the team in tackles for 3 straight seasons. He was captain his senior year and MVP in the Cotton Bowl game in 1970. He is third on the list of most career tackles behind only Crable and Teo.​

Yet, Olson never played a single game in the pros. Disappointingly, he was not selected in the NFL draft until the fifth round, by the New England Patriots. He did not survive the roster cut for his rookie year. Never added onto the roster by any other team thereafter.​

Does any poster know the reason Olson dropped to the 5th round in the NFL draft and never played a game in the NFL? Someone has said he coached a high school named St. Joseph but location unknown. He came from Superior, Wisconsin, to ND.​

His freshmen year Bob lived across the floor from me on the second floor of Farley. He was a friendly person, and popular on the floor.​

THE DAY THEY TIED UP O.J.

When you see Notre Dame's Ara Parseghian on television these days he is usually coaching away in a Ford XL commercial while the golden dome sparkles in the

vault.si.com

With sophomore Quarterback Joe Theismann (rhymes with Heisman) passing, running, faking and, most important, leading the Irish with unshakable confidence, Notre Dame whammed the Trojans into a 21-7 dizzy spell by the half, at which time one could mull over such statistics as these: O.J. had carried only nine times for only 23 yards; the Irish had gained 324 yards to the Trojans' 71; Parseghian's legions had run off 51 plays to just 24 for USC.​

While everyone wondered where, oh where, O.J. had gone—the best theory was that either Notre Dame Tackle Mike McCoy or Linebacker Bob Olson had swallowed him—little Joe Theismann, 165 pounds of ears, nose, skin and speed, commanded Irish touchdown drives of 86, 77 and 45 yards.​

May 28, 1981:
New England re-signs free agent Ray Costict to a three-year contract.

Ray was an 11th round 1977 draft pick out of Mississippi State. Though he was behind Steve Nelson and Rod Shoate on the depth chart, Costict still received plenty of playing time, especially on passing downs. While technically an inside linebacker, Ray was versatile enough to play OLB as well, and recorded 50 tackles in both 1978 and 1979. Costict suffered a knee injury in a late (8/24) preseason game against the Eagles in 1980 that required surgery, resulting in him spending that entire year on injured reserve. The rehab must not have gone as well as hoped though; he was waived as part of final roster cuts in late August. Costict later played for the New Jersey Generals in the USFL.

1981 Patriots Media Guide -- Page 24

Former Moss Point, Mississippi State football star Ray Charles Costict dead at 56

Ray Charles Costict, a football star at Moss Point High School and Mississippi State in the 1970s, has died.

www.gulflive.com

"I never saw anybody train and work as hard as Ray Charles, or who had as much physical and mental ability as he had," said Bill Lee, a teammate of Costict's at both Moss Point and Mississippi State. "I was always amazed at the guy.​

Costict graduated in 1973 from Moss Point, where he was among the first black football stars following the school's integration two years earlier.​

"It's very hard to describe how great Ray Costict was, and not just as a football player," Tyler said via telephone Thursday. "I remember hearing about him being in class one day at Mississippi State, and someone was causing a disturbance. Ray Costict stood up and said, 'I didn't come here to come to class and not be able to learn. Now sit down and we'll have a good class.' The teacher said it was an outstanding semester. Ray ruled the class and kept everybody quiet.​

"But he was an incredible football player. (Moss Point) Coach Billy Miller told me, 'I've got a guy coming up through high school who is going to be outstanding,' and he was right. I coached 34 or 35 years ... and Ray Costict could close on the ball faster than any linebacker I've ever seen."​

After spending his freshman season at fullback, Costict moved to linebacker as a sophomore in 1974. He started three seasons on defense, registering a school-record 467 tackles and earning first-team All-SEC and second-team All-America honors as a senior in 1976.​

Patriots confirm death of linebacker Ray Costict

The New England Patriots are deeply saddened to learn about the loss of inside linebacker Ray Charles Costict. Costict who spent his entire three-year NFL career with the Patriots died on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. He was 56 years old.

www.patriots.com

The Patriots special teams standout was born on March 19, 1955. A native of Moss Point, Mississippi, Costict stayed local and attended Mississippi State (1973-1976) where he excelled on the football field as a fullback and linebacker. After playing his freshman year as a fullback, the Bulldogs' coaching staff elected to switch Costict to the defensive side of the ball despite averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Costict thrived in the new position and amassed 467 tackles over three years, a number that ranks first all-time in Mississippi State history. As a senior ('76), Costict received numerous accolades including being selected as Southeastern Conference (SEC) Defensive Player of the Year, 1st Team All-SEC, and AP 2nd Team All-American. He was also named 1st Team All-Sec as a junior ('75).​

The 6'0", 217 pound prospect was drafted by the Patriots with the 24th pick in the 11th round (303 overall) of the 1977 NFL Draft. Despite being drafted late, Costict was able to find a niche on the Patriots special teams unit as a 22-year-old rookie during the 1977 season. The following season, Costict earned four starts and recorded 50.5 tackles. In 1979, his final season of his NFL career, Costict tallied 50 tackles; the most on the team for any non-starter, in a reserve role behind Rod Shoate and also recorded an interception against the Jets (Sept. 9). His play alongside linebacker Sam "Big Backer" Hunt and stature earned him the nickname "Little Backer."​

May 28, 1998:
Patriots sign free agent punter Mark Gagliano. The second year player from Southern Illinois had been on the Bengals practice squad for part of the 1997 season. The Pats tried having him kickoff as well in preseason, but that experiment did not work out well. Gagliano was waived on August 24, 1998.

Gagliano kicks off NFL life

Five months ago, Mark Gagliano was sitting in Collierville, Tenn., wondering if he ever would get a shot at the NFL. On Saturday, he was in Lafayette, Ind. competing against Indianapolis Colts punter Chris Gardocki. The former Saluki punter signed as a free agent with the Colts Friday evening...

dailyegyptian.com

Mark Gagliano (2014) - Saluki Hall of Fame - Southern Illinois University Athletics

Southern Illinois University Athletics

siusalukis.com

Among the best punters in school history, Mark Gagliano (1993-96) earned First-Team All-American status from Walter Camp, the American Football Coaches Association and The Sporting News in 1996, a year in which he averaged 45.04 yards per punt. He was a two-time All-Gateway Conference performer (1994, 1996) and three-time Gateway All-Academic Team selection (1994, 1995, 1996). Gagliano ranked first in career punt attempts, third in career punting average and was named to SIU's All-Century team.​

May 28, 1998:
The Pats re-sign restricted free agent center Dave Wohlabaugh
Dave was a fourth round draft pick in 1995 from Syracuse. He was a four-year starter for the Patriots, but would depart in free agency the following year when the expansion Cleveland Browns signed him to a seven-year contract worth $26.25 million - the highest contract for a center in NFL history at that point in time. Wohlabaugh is a member of the Patriots All-1990s Team.

Wohlabaugh signs with Cleveland

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns jumped into the NFL's free agent market yesterday, signing Patriots center Dave Wohlabaugh and Colts punter Chris Gardocki. The expansion Browns, with about $30 mi…

www.southcoasttoday.com

The Cleveland Browns jumped into the NFL's free agent market yesterday, signing Patriots center Dave Wohlabaugh and Colts punter Chris Gardocki.​

The expansion Browns, with about $30 million available for possible signings, are expected to be extremely active in luring free agents to fill out the roster.​

Terms were not disclosed, but Wohlabaugh was seeking the richest contract ever for a center, using Kevin Mawae's five-year, $16.5 million contract with the New York Jets a target.​

Dwight Clark, head of football operations for the expansion Browns, said Wohlabaugh was high on the Browns' most-wanted list.​

"It was our coaches' opinion that a center is vital to a good running game," Clark said. "His ability on tape showed up very well. So we decided to make that a priority."​

The 26-year-old Wohlabaugh, 6-foot-3 and 292 pounds, became a starter with the New England Patriots in the sixth game of his rookie season in 1995 and has started every game since.​

Dave Wohlabaugh played in 128 games over nine NFL seasons. His son, David Jr., is an offensive lineman at Syracuse.

Dave Wohlabaugh - Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame

Member New England Patriots Super Bowl Championship Team

www.buffalosportshallfame.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
More May 28 Frivolities​

May 28, 2013:

Patriot Sign WR Boyce and DL Buchanan

The New England Patriots announced today the signing of fourth-round draft choice WR Josh Boyce and seventh-round draft choice DL Michael Buchanan. Terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

www.abc6.com

The New England Patriots announced today the signing of fourth-round draft choice WR Josh Boyce and seventh-round draft choice DL Michael Buchanan. Terms of the contracts were not disclosed.​

Boyce and Buchanan join Jamie Collins (second round, 52nd overall), Logan Ryan (third round, 83rd overall), Duron Harmon (third round, 91st overall) and LB Steve Beauharnais (seventh round, 235th overall) as six of the seven 2013 NFL Draft selections to sign with the team.​

Boyce, 22, was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft with the 102nd selection overall out of Texas Christian. The 5-foot-11, 203-pounder, finished his college career first on the school's all-time list with 22 touchdowns, third on the school's all-time list with 161 receptions and third in school history with 2,535 receiving yards. Last season, he set a school record with 66 receptions for 891 yards and seven touchdowns.​

Buchanan, 22, was selected by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL Draft with the 226th selection overall out of Illinois. It was the first of two seventh-round picks by the Patriots in 2013. The 6-foot-6, 250-pounder, played in 46 games, making 32 starts and posting 161 tackles and 14 sacks. Last season, he was named second-team All-Big Ten after starting all 12 games and finishing with 57 tackles and 4 ½ sacks.​

Closer look at Boyce, Buchanan deals

A closer look at the contracts signed by Patriots rookies Josh Boyce (fourth round) and Michael Buchanan (seventh round):JOSH BOYCETerms: 4 years, $2.

www.espn.com

May 28, 2024:

Patriots sign first-round QB Drake Maye to $36.6M contract, reports say

The rookie quarterback's four-year deal, which includes a fifth-year team option, also reportedly includes a $23.5 million signing bonus.

www.wcvb.com

May 28, 2024:
Here are the forum threads that began 365 days ago.

M

Thread 'Bourne'

May 28, 2024

It seems as if Bourne will be ready for camp, probably limited. They could keep him eligible for PUP, but I don't see him being sidelined for that long. We re-signed him expecting him to play. Of course, he could be placed on IR during camp.

Personally, I expect Bourne to be on the 53-man roster to start the season. We'll like carry 5 WR's. There should be no issue with Bourne being inactive for a couple of weeks or longer. With Gibson being able to line up as a WR, I could see us sometimes activating only 3 WR's, especially if we can sign a RB.

THE FOUR IN ADDITION TO BOURNE...

• mgteich
• Replies: 23
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

Thread 'Maye signed'

May 28, 2024

Patriots Sign First-Round QB Drake Maye

The New England Patriots have signed first-round QB Drake Maye to a rookie contract, according to Mike Garafolo. Maye, 21, was a standout at North Carolina, earning first-team All-ACC honors and being named the ACC

nfltraderumors.co

• Love The Drake
• Replies: 29
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum

Thread 'All Patriots gear 50-percent off at Family Dollar'

May 28, 2024

If you have a Family Dollar outlet locally here in Mass., might be worth checking out. I went into the Ayer store yesterday for laundry detergent, came out with an extra-large Patriots throw pillow ($7) plus two Pats knit scarves ($2.50 and $5). My wife wasn't even mad (I DID get the detergent and gave her one of the scarves).

They had other Patriots logo stuff -- blankets, slippers, etc. Quality is good. Doesn't appear to be advertised or available online so you have to make an appearance.

I don't know if this is just a seasonal inventory reduction thing or sign of the times, but I've...

• Tunescribe
• Replies: 61
• Forum: PatsFans.com - Patriots Fan Forum