Today in Patriots History
More May 16 Birthdays
Happy 39th birthday to Derrick Martin
Born May 16, 1985 in Denver
Patriot safety, 2012; uniform #26
Signed as a veteran free agent on August 4, 2012
Derrick Martin was a special teams ace, playing in 73 regular season games over eight NFL seasons with four starts. The Ravens drafted Martin in the sixth round of the 2006 draft out of Wyoming. After three seasons in Baltimore he spent two with the Packers, then one each with the Giants, Patriots and Bears. Martin received Super Bowl rings in 2010 and 2011 with Green Bay and New York.
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In 2012 Martin was let go by the Patriots during roster cuts at the end of training camp, but was re-signed in mid-season when Sterling Moore was released. Martin appeared in five games for the Pats in 2012, the first coming in a 37-31 victory over the Bills in week ten.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – When the Patriots signed defensive back Derrick Martin on Oct. 31, it was a move that mostly flew under the radar.The 27-year-old Martin isn’t a “household” name, having carved out a niche as a special teamer since entering the NFL as a sixth-round draft choice in 2006.
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Thomas Jefferson’s Derrick Martin is recognized as this week’s Broncos High School Coach of the Week.
www.denverbroncos.com
Happy 64th birthday to Randy Sealby
Born May 16, 1960 in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Patriot LB, 1987; uniform #59
One of the Replacement Players, Sealby got in for two games, with a fumble recovery on his stat sheet. He has spent over thirty years as a Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation since then.
CARBONDALE -- Two of SIU's best wrestlers could be two of its top offensive linemen this fall.
thesouthern.com
Happy 73rd birthday to Merv Krakau
Born May 16, 1951 in Jefferson, Iowa
Patriot LB, 1978; uniform #53
Signed as a veteran free agent approx. Dec 1, 1978
Merv Krakau was a very late (14th round, 344th overall) draft pick out of Iowa State by Buffalo in 1973. He defied the odds and not only survived roster cuts, but became a starter in '75. In 1976 Krakau led Buffalo in tackles and ranked second in the NFL with six fumble recoveries.
After 5½ years with the Bills he arrived in Foxborough near the end of the 1978 season. His one and only game with the Patriots came in a Week 15 26-24 victory over the Bills. Krakau later played for the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL.
Iowa State Athletics
cyclones.com
The Mary J. Barnett Memorial Library continued their Smithsonian exhibit tailgate party series with Iowa State University Day on Saturday in Guthrie Center. The guest of honor was former Guthrie Center Tiger, ISU Cyclone, and Buffalo Bill
www.raccoonvalleyradio.com
Happy 30th birthday to Kamu Grugier-Hill
Born May 16, 1994 in Honolulu
Patriot OLB 2016 (offseason); uniform #48
Pats 6th round (208th overall) selection in the 2016 draft, from Eastern Illinois
Similar to Steve Freeman from a week ago, Kamu Grugier-Hill falls into the category of 'one who got away'. He never played a down for the Patriots, but has been on the field for more than 4,200 snaps in 115 NFL games over eight seasons since then.
KGH was waived on September 3, 2016 as part of final roster cuts, and
claimed the next day by Philadelphia. In his rookie season he appeared in twelve games, almost exclusively on special teams. In 2017 his playing time increased (from one defensive snap to 85, and from 187 special team snaps to 343) as he appeared in all 19 games. The following year the Eagles again expanded his role further, with KGH
on the field for 328 defensive snaps (32% of the defense's plays).
Kamu Grugier Hill on how he felt to play against the Patriots in Super Bowl 52
"Not going to lie. I was hoping and praying they were going to win, because I wanted them so bad," Grugier-Hill admitted. "I want to go out there. I've been talking to my friends that I have on the team over there already. It's a big one for me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I want to show them and show the world exactly why they should have kept me."
After exacting his revenge against the Patriots in Super Bowl 52, KGH became a free agent in 2020 and signed a one-year, $3 million contract with Miami. Two months ago he signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with Houston. KGH has played in 69 NFL games (plus five postseason games) with 17 starts, making 126 tackles (including 12 tackles for a loss). He has logged 921 snaps on defense and 1,236 on special teams. In 2017 he also showcased a bit of versatility that Patriot role players are known for: he kicked off four times in a victory over Dallas after Philly's kicker was sidelined with a concussion. He averaged 62 yards per kickoff (with one touchback), though he never had a chance to put it through the uprights: Philly went for two after their final four touchdowns.
Malcolm Mitchell's one-handed grab in the end zone on a pass from rookie QB Jacoby Brissett drew cheers on the final day of minicamp.
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FOXBORO — Five thousand miles, six time zones and one lofty goal separate Kamu Grugier-Hill from family and friends in his native Hawaii. When the rookie linebacker arrives for work at 5:30 a.m. …
www.providencejournal.com
There aren’t many linebackers in the NFL that are 6-foot-2, 215 pounds and run a 4.4 40-yard dash. Kamu Grugier-Hill isn’t like most linebackers. He looks more like a wide receiver. During training camp, however, the 2016 sixth-round pick has lined up in the middle of the Patriots defense as a...
www.boston.com
The New England Patriots took a risk by releasing many promising players on cutdown day, hoping they would slip to the practice squad. They weren’t so lucky with three of those players. The New York Jets claimed cornerback Darryl Roberts, the Chicago Bears claimed Cre’Von LeBlanc, and the...
nesn.com
Other pro football player with New England connections born on this date include:
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Mickey Erickson (5/16/1905); center for the 1932 Boston Braves.
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Eddie Casey (5/16/1894); born in Natick, went to Natick HS, Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard. Played briefly for the 1920 Buffalo All-Americans.
