Remembering Ray Costict

[Actual Pats Fan]

Ray Costict (March 19, 1955 – January 3, 2012) LB, 1977-79.

Pats' special teams standout was 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."

 

[jmt57]

Some other belated March 19 birthdays:

Tavon Wilson, 27 (3/19/1990). Safety from Illinois selected in the 2nd round (48th overall) of the 2012 draft. Derided as a reach by Belichick to be drafted that early. Played 54 regular season games and 7 playoff games in four years with the Patriots (2012-2015) with four starts (all in his rookie season). Had two fumble recoveries and five interceptions with the Pats, including a 74-yard pick six in 2013 off Tyrod Taylor in garbage time in a 41-7 victory against the Ravens. Now the starting strong safety for the Detroit Lions.



Marty Moore, 46 (3/19/1971). Linebacker from Kentucky was "Mr. Irelevant", selected with the last pick of the 1994 draft. Played 96 games over seven years with the Patriots, primarily on special teams.

Patriots release LB Marty Moore

‘Mr. Irrelevant’ Marty Moore a Major Success Story for Patriots

Mark Story: Former UK stars' Super Bowl memoirs

Before the Patriots faced the Rams of Kurt Warner and The Greatest Show on Turf in Super Bowl XXXVI, the New England team famously took the field en masse for the pre-game introduction rather than having players introduced individually.

At the time, it was a widely-praised act of unity. Moore said there was actually more to it than what the public saw.

Usually before NFL games, including the Super Bowl, the pre-game introductions include the defense for one team and the offense for the other. That means the players who start on one team's offense and one team's D don't get introduced.

"Before our first Super Bowl in '96, that created a big, huge ordeal in our locker room," Moore said. "We had a coin flip on who would get introduced. The defense won. Our offense had guys like (offensive tackle) Bruce Armstrong who had played forever and weren't going to be introduced at the Super Bowl. It was splitting our locker room. So when we went back the second time, we were more seasoned. We weren't letting that happen again. That was the biggest reason we went out as a whole team."

Moore played primarily on special teams in the game that saw Adam Vinatieri's last-second field goal stun the Rams 20-17.

"It wasn't just that we'd won the Super Bowl," Moore said of the thrill. "No one gave us a chance to win that game. It was sweet."​

Leon 'X-Ray' McQuay (3/19/1950 - 11/29/1995).

A historical look at the uniform numbers for the new Patriots: #31, Shamiel Gary

The Giants selected McQuay out of the University of Tampa – two seasons before the Spartans ended their football program – with the 119th overall pick in the fifth round of the 1973 draft. McQuay was the first African-American athlete to receive a football scholarship at the University of Tampa, which was still segregated at that time. ‘X-Ray’ McQay rushed for 3,039 yards and scored 37 touchdowns, and was a two time small college All-American in three seasons at UT. As a junior he rushed for 1,362 yards and scored 22 touchdowns; McQuay, Freddie Solomon and John Matuszak led the Spartans to a 10-2 record and a victory over Jack Lambert and Nick Saban in the Tangerine Bowl. Enticed by cash and thinking he had nothing left to prove as a college player, McQuay then skipped his senior year to play in the Canadian Football League, where he averaged 7.1 yard per carry and went to the Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts.​

McQuay spent three years in the CFL before joining the Giants. Thought to be too small at 5’9″ to be an every down player, he was their kick returner, averaging 27.6 yards on 25 returns, and added another 299 yards from scrimmage as their third down back. On August 21, 1975, the Patriots traded their sixth round 1976 draft pick to the Giants for McQuay. He played in 13 games for the Pats, returning 15 kicks, with limited time at running back (74 yards from scrimmage). With three fumbles he landed in Chuck Fairbanks’ doghouse though, and the following spring McQuay was traded to Oakland for the Raiders’ 10th round draft choice in 1977.

McQuay played four games for the Saints in ’76, then returned to Toronto and the CFL the next year. He tried making a comeback with his hometown Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL in 1982, but was cut during training camp. In 1983 McQuay was inducted into the University of Tampa Athletic Hall of Fame. He then became a licensed auto mechanic and an ordained minister, but died of a heart attack in 1995 at the age of 45. His grandson, Leon McQuay III, is a safety at Southern Cal.

For much more on his life, check out The Saga of Leon McQuay and Leon McQuay III has a legacy to live up to.​

Joe Kapp, 79 (3/19/1938).
See this thread, Happy Birthday, Joe Kapp



Jonathan Fanene, 35 (3/19/1982)
Does Fanene even qualify as a former Patriot?

Jonathan Fanene Interview - 7/31/2012

Patriots, Jonathan Fanene reportedly reach formal settlement

 

[jmt57]

We never did one of these for March 18, so here you go. Not a very positive birth date in terms of careers with the Patriots.


Darius Butler, 31 (3/18/86)
CB from UConn selected in the second round (41st overall) of the 2009 draft. Bill Belichick gave up on him after just two seasons. Played in 29 games (plus two playoff losses) with 8 starts for the Pats. Recently re-signed with the Colts, where he will have been paid $13 million over five seasons (2013-17).


Carlos Pennywell, 61 (3/18/56)
WR from Grambling was taken by the Patriots in the third round (77th overall) of the 1978 draft. To say that he was a disappointment would be a gross understatement; in four years Pennywell had just twelve receptions for 143 yards and three touchdowns.

Official Website of the New England Patriots

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-pennywell-7956078a


Dexter Reid, 36 (3/18/1981)
Safety from University of North Carolina was a 4th round (113th overall) pick by the Patriots in the 2004 draft. As a rookie he played in 13 games with two starts. Reid was most notable for blown coverage in Super Bowl 39 that left Greg Lewis open for a late score that brought the Eagles to within three points. Belichick released Reid as part of roster cutdowns at the end of the 2005 training camp. Reid then played two more seasons, remarkably picking up a second Superbowl ring in '06 with the Colts. In March of 2007 Reid was arrested and he never played in the NFL again.

Patriots sign 4th Rd. Draft choice Dexter Reid and FA DT Devonte Peterson

Pats Release QB Rohan Davey, RB Cedric Cobbs and S Dexter Reid

NFL's Dexter Reid arrested on gun, drug charges in Beach

Dexter Reid, what a dumbass



Also, happy posthumous birthday to Mike Webster. The Hall of Fame center would have been 65 on March 18.