Today in Patriots History
Malcolm Butler's Tryout, and more May 19 Events
May 19, 2023:
The Patriots now have two Tavai brothers on their roster.
www.nbcsports.com
The Patriots now have two Tavai brothers on their roster.
The team announced the signing of defensive lineman Justus Tavai on Friday. His older brother Jahlani appeared in 30 games at linebacker for New England over the last two years.
Justus Tavai played at Hawaii for four years before transferring to San Diego State last year. He recorded 38 tackles, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and an interception on his way to being named the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year.
The Patriots drafted Keion White in the second round and the two rookies join Dietrich Wise, Davon Godchaux, Christian Barmore, Lawrence Guy, Daniel Ekuale, Carl Davis, and Sam Roberts on the defensive line.
May 19, 2014: Nine days after the draft, the Patriots sign their 14th, 15th and 16th undrafted rookie free agents. This move came a day
after the end of the team's three-day rookie minicamp. Considered at the time to be more of a tryout than an actual signing, one of these players was
Malcolm Butler.
FOXBORO - Ty Law fulfilled and exceeded the expectations for him on the football field, so it should come as no surprise that Patriots' fans rewarded the cornerback from Michigan
www.thesunchronicle.com
That information was understandably buried deep beneath the news that
Ty Law had been elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame.
May 19, 2014:
Only two remain. The Patriots locked up two more members of their rookie class Monday by agreeing to terms with offensive linemen Bryan Stork and Jon Halapio. The two became the sixth and seventh rookies to sign their contracts, leaving...
www.masslive.com
The Patriots locked up two more members of their rookie class Monday by agreeing to terms with offensive linemen Bryan Stork and Jon Halapio. The two became the sixth and seventh rookies to sign their contracts, leaving defensive tackle Dominique Easley and quarterback Jimmy Garappolo as the only unsigned members of the rookie class.
Stork, a fourth-round pick out of Florida State, will compete with Ryan Wendell at center during training camp. Halapio, a sixth-round pick out of Florida, will compete at guard.
In addition to locking up the draft picks, the Patriots announced that they also signed undrafted cornerback Malcom Butler (West Alabama), wide receiver Derrick Johnson (Maine) and linebacker Taylor McCuller (West Texas A&M).
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Butler led the GSC with 18 passes defensed last season.
Johnson led Maine with 60 catches for 608 yards and two touchdowns last season. He finished his career with 116 catches for 1,165 yards and four touchdowns.
McCuller (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) played in 38 games and totaled 281 tackles, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
May 19, 2005:
Pats re-sign ERFA
Gene Mruczkowski
Between being waived six times from 2003 to 2007, the guard from Purdue played in 18 games for the Patriots, plus 15 for the Dolphins in 2007.
May 19, 2000:
Patriots waive four players: Kendell Mack, Matt Beck, Roshaun Matthews and Seneca Gray.
The four had all just been signed in April, and none ever played a down in the NFL.
Patriots.com - Patriots Waive Four Players
May 19, 1990:
The New England Patriots released wide receiver Stanley Morgan on Friday, a move that will allow the 13-year veteran to sign with another NFL team without compensation to the Patriots. "We have...
www.tampabay.com
The New England Patriots released wide receiver Stanley Morgan on Friday, a move that will allow the 13-year veteran to sign with another NFL team without compensation to the Patriots. "We have decided to honor Stanley's request to seek an opportunity with another NFL team," Patriots general manager Patrick Sullivan said in a statement. "Given his many years of service with the club, we did not want to stand in his way to seek employment at this point of the year as opposed to July or August when that effort would be more difficult."
Morgan, 35, apparently became expendable after the Patriots drafted receiver Greg McMurtry, a Brockton, Mass., native from the University of Michigan, in the third round of this year's draft. The Patriots also have a returning receiver corps that includes 1989 first-round draft pick Hart Lee Dykes, Irving Fryar, Sammy Martin, Cedric Jones and Michael Timpson.
May 19, 1989:
Patriots sign WR
Dennis Gadbois. The Biddeford Maine native and Boston University alum was part of the Pats organization until he was released at the end of the 1989 training camp. He appeared in three 1987 replacement games, and two more in 1988.
PORTLAND — Dennis Gadbois grew up in Biddeford and now lives in Texas, but he remains a proud New England Patriots fan whose ties to the team run far deeper that those of other transplanted Mainers.
www.seacoastonline.com
Gadbois is himself a former Patriot, having crossed the NFL picket line and played in three strike games in 1987. The team liked him enough to bring him back later in the season when other receivers were injured and then re-signed him for the following season.
His NFL career totals include five games in two seasons and three catches for 51 yards, all thrown by Doug Flutie in a 21-7 win at Houston. Beyond that, he has a lifetime of memories.
May 19, 1986:
Pats sign 16 free agents to fill out their roster: Allan Thomas, Clifton Drain, Eugene Profit, George Benyola, Jim Hawkins, Joe Capuccio, John Windham, Josh Shinnick,
Larry Linne, Matthew Hoffman, Mike LeBlanc,
Ron Shegog, Scott Poole, Tony Woolfolk and
Wayne Coffey.
WR Linne, WR Coffey, DB Shegog and RB LeBlanc all got their NFL playing time in the three strike-replacemnt games for the Patriots; LeBlanc played in a fourth game as well. Benyola was also those three games, as a kicker for the Giants.
May 19, 1981:
New England signs undrafted rookies Charles Cook, Craig Johnson, Gary Wright and Kyle Stevens.
Cook was the only one to play in the NFL, as a DE for the Giants.
May 19, 1980:
Pats sign veteran free agent SS
Bob Jury.
Jury was a third round draft pick in 1978 by Seattle, but never played for the Seahawks. His claim to fame is being traded before the season began, along with a third round pick, to the 49ers for what was going to be an earlier third round draft pick. San Francisco used that draft pick on some guy by the name of Joe Montana. The Patriots released Jury in late July, thus ending his NFL career.
May 19, 1977:
Signed first round pick
Stanley Morgan to a series of six one-year contracts.
May 19, 1969:
The Patriots sign undrafted rookie free agent WR
Tom Richardson of Jackson Staate
Tom spent two seasons with the Pats, primarily on special teams.
From page 54 of the
1971 Media Guide:
Could be a real sleeper in battle for wide receiver post . . . extremely stylish player . . . known as "the Glove" . . . signed as free agent with Pats in 1969 . . . wide receiver and special teams . . . his speed was an effective key on pats' league leading bomb squads in 1969 . . . third of Richardson brothers to make the pros . . . others are Willie (Miami receiver) and Gloster (Dallas receiver) . . . played on Jackson State's offense along with two current teammates, John Outlaw and Tom Funchess . . . former roommate of Detroit Lions ace cornerback Lem Barney . . . says Barney: "Tommy could be as good as his brothers if he wants to be" . . . was previously the property of Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears - primarily as a defensive back . . . top speed and can get into the open.
May 19, 1960:
The Boston Patriots sign CB
Chuck Shonta
Shonta was the Pats right corner for the team's first six seasons, then was named an AFL All Star in 1966 when he switched ot free safety. He played in 107 pro games, all with the Patriots, and is a member of the Patriots All-1960s Team.
Charles J. Shonta, Class: 1959 Induction: 1982 Sport(s): Football, Baseball - Top football and baseball players at EMU... Earned All-League honors as a football
emueagles.com
Top football and baseball players at EMU... Earned All-League honors as a football player in 1957 and 1958... Named All-League in baseball in 1958 and 1959... Captain of the EMU football team in 1958... Went on to play professional football with the Boston Patriots from 1960-67... After finishing his pro football career, he became the head football coach at Northville High School from 1970-77... Names Michigan High School "Coach of the Year" in 1974... As a high school player at Detroit Pershing he helped lead the team to a state football title.
Defensive back, Chuck Shonta, came to the Boston Patriots from Eastern Michigan in the 1960 AFL Draft. Shonta was one of the hundreds to participate in the first Patriots training camp, and earned a spot in the defensive backfield that
talesfromtheamericanfootballleague.com
Dave Steidel shares the Miracle of the Polo Grounds! In only the second week of their first season in 1960 American Football League fans were treated to the Miracle of the Polo Grounds, eighteen years before the Miracle of the Meadowlands. It happened in the Polo Grounds on September 17, as...
talesfromtheamericanfootballleague.com
One other pro football player born on this date with a New England connection:
Norm Harvey (5/19/1899 - 12/24/1941)
LT/E/C/G for the 1928-29 Providence Steamroller.
