While I'm at it here are other April 11 Patriot birthdays.
Justin Canale (4/11/1943-10/11/2011)
Patriot G/K 1965-68
Selected by the Pats in the sixth round (47th overall) in the 1965 draft. Appeared in all 56 games those four years and was the starting LG in '68. Later played for the Bengals, five years in the CFL and three seasons in the WFL. His brother Whit was a Patriot DE in '68, making them the
first of four Pats brother-tandems. In '66 Canale kicked 21 touchbacks, a
team record that would stand until 2010.
Ode to Justin Canale: A Gentle Giant of Sport is Dead
Tom Reynolds (68)
Patriot WR, 1972
The 6'3 200 lb Reynolds was a 2nd round (49th overall) selection out of San Diego State by the Patriots in 1972. He was in Foxboro for only one season, appearing in twelve games with eight receptions for 152 yards and two TD. In '73 Chuck Fairbanks took over, and he jettisoned Reynolds after drafting Daryl Stingley.
David Richards (51)
Patriot G/T, 1996
Richards was an 8-year NFL starting offensive lineman with San Diego, Detroit and Atlanta before being picked up by the Pats in his final pro football season. He is one of several players who sued the NFL over 'Plan B' free agency,
winning the largest settlement from that group. He now works in
commercial real estate in Dallas, with
high school road trips a distant memory.
Dietrich Jells (45)
Patriot WR, 1996-97
Jells was drafted late by KC in '96, and the Patriots picked him up after he was cut by the Chiefs. In two seasons with New England he appeared in 18 games, mostly on special teams. Jells had two receptions for 14 yards with the Pats and was then traded to Philadelphia for a 7th round 2000 pick. That pick was eventually part of a trade with Detroit that resulted in the Pats drafting Matt Light.
Donald Brown (30)
Patriot RB, 2016
Brown was a first round (27th overall) selection out of UConn by the Colts in 2009. He spent five seasons with Indy and two with San Diego. His final season with the Colts was his best, averaging 5.3 yards per carry and a total of 8 touchdowns and 751 yards from scrimmage. He was signed by the Patriots in March of 2016 to a $965,000 contract with $300,000 guaranteed. The
Pats released Brown on August 23.