Today in Patriots History

[jmt57]

Today In Patriots History
Bethel Johnson
Damien Harris​

Happy birthday to Bethel Johnson. The New England Patriots kick returner, wide receiver and two time Super Bowl champion turns 42 today. Johnson is best remembered for a pair of electrifying returns during the 2003 season.

Happy 42nd birthday to Bethel Johnson
Born February 11, 1979 in Dallas
Patriot KR and WR, 2003-2005; uniform #81
Pats 2nd round (45th overall) selection of the 2003 draft, from Texas A&M

Bethel Johnson grew up in the Dallas suburb of Corsicana, then traveled a couple hours south to Texas A&M. As a member of the Aggies he set what was then a school record for receptions and receiving yards. He and Ty Warren were teammates at College Station.

Johnson had modest numbers as a member of the Patriots. In 39 regular season games he made seven starts, with 30 receptions for 450 yards and four touchdowns. His performance on kickoff returns was superior, averaging 25.1 yards on 102 returns with two touchdowns.

Those stats back up a case for Bethel Johnson being a major draft bust when considering how early he was selected. Johnson had the misfortune to often being compared to another wide receiver that was still available in that draft: Anquan Boldin. On the other hand look at who was selected immediately prior (Taylor Jacobs), and who the number two overall pick was (Charles Rogers). Two wide receivers with similar career stats but without the kickoff returns, or the big plays.

The question that is not asked though is why did the Patriots even use a second round pick on Johnson, when they already had two young receivers (David Givens, Deion Branch) and a pair of solid veterans (Troy Brown, David Patten)? Considering the competition it is no wonder Johnson saw limited playing time.

​

That is not to say that Bethel Johnson did not have any memorable moments for Pats fans. In 2003 he returned a kickoff 92 yards against the Colts as time in the first half expired, giving the Patriots a 24-10 lead. That was the same epic game that ended with Willie McGinest stonewalling Edgerrin James on 4th-and-1 for a 38-34 victory. Then in the 2003 postseason versus Tennessee, Johnson had another clutch performance. In the freezing cold he hauled in a 41 yard pass for a touchdown to give the Pats an early lead. Later on a 3rd-and-13 Johnson took a screen pass, reversed direction, got a block from Tom Brady and then managed to gain 14 yards - just enough for a first down - leading to New England’s second touchdown.

​

The Patriots went undefeated in Bethel Johnson’s six postseason games.

As a rookie Johnson made it a point to put money away and plan for the future. He is now back in Texas working as a financial adviser.

“I got into this about three years ago, because I wanted to help our guys in this industry to stop going broke and help guys understand how money works. I look at it as, ‘These guys are my brothers.’ Whether they played before me, or after me, we’re all in the same fraternity. The last thing you want to read is that a player’s money was mismanaged by someone who took advantage of them. I understand what players go through, because I was one of those guys, but I was different in how I saw money. I wasn’t a big spender.”​

​

“I got my signing bonus and said, ‘Listen, I may never see this money again, so I want this to last me the rest of my life. What I don’t want to do is go back to being broke.’ That was the game plan.”​

Happy 24th birthday to Damien Harris
Born February 11, 1997 in Richmond, Kentucky
Patriot RB, 2019-present; uniform #37
Pats third round (87th overall) selection of the 2019 draft, from Alabama

2019 was a redshirt season for Damien Harris. He was out with a hamstring injury for three games and was a healthy scratch fifteen times. His playing time was limited to brief appearances in two games against the Jets. In week three Harris was on the field for five special team snaps, and in week seven he had four carries for twelve yards while getting off the bench for five plays. Even when the Patriots were thin at running back due to Rex Burkhead’s injury Harris was invisible.

The 2020 season was a different story. In ten game Harris bulled his way for 30 first downs, despite playing against opponents that stacked the line with no fear of the New England passing game. Harris averaged 5.0 yards per rushing attempt, gaining 743 yards from scrimmage and scoring two touchdowns,




Happy birthday to **** Klein, who would have been 87 today
1934-2005; born in Pana, Illinois
Patriot OT and DT, 1961-1962; uniform #62
Signed as a veteran free agent on August 4, 1961

Richard James ‘Sleepy’ Klein began his pro football career as a draft pick by the Chicago Bears in 1955. He played in 24 games over two seasons with the Boston Patriots. In 1962 Klein and Charlie Long were both named to the AFL All-Star team at offensive tackle. In his post-football career **** Klein owned and operated his own business selling municipal and industrial chemicals.

Patriots make changes as San Diego comes east | Lewiston Evening Journal - Oct 5, 1961

DT **** Klein joins East squad | Nashua Telegraph - Jan 3, 1963

Happy 67th birthday to Ricky Feacher
Born February 11, 1954 in Crystal River, Florida
Patriot WR, 1976; uniform #83
Pats tenth round (270th overall) selection of the 1976 draft, from Mississippi Valley State

Ricky Feacher made the initial roster as a rookie in 1976, appearing in the first three games of the season. He had two receptions for 38 yards and returned ten kickoffs. Unfortunately he also fumbled the ball three times, although he was at least able to recover two of those miscues. Chuck Fairbanks released Feacher the day after a week three game turnover filled game against Pittsburgh. Cleveland picked Feacher up two weeks later and he would go on to play nine seasons with the Browns.




Other Feb 11 birthdays with a New England connection
Dennis Gaubatz, 80 (1940)
Pats 25th round (199th overall) selection of the 1963 AFL draft
The Patriots took a late round flyer on the linebacker from LSU. Gaubatz opted to sign with Detroit, who had drafted him in the eighth round of the NFL draft. He was a seven year starter in the NFL and played for the Colts in Super Bowl III.

Max Bullough, 29 (1992)
Grandson of Patriot coach Hank Bullough
Linebacker with the Texans from 2014-2016.

Alex Clement (1904-1970)
Born in Plymouth MA; Chicopee High School; Phillips Exeter; Williams College
Frankford Yellow Jackets wingback in the twenties.

Sam Young (1905-1991)
Providence Steamroller
Halfback played briefly during the 1927 season.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Clive Rush is electrocuted​

On February 12, 1969 the Boston Patriots held a press conference to announce the hiring of George Sauer as their new general manager. Sauer had worked with new head coach Clive Rush, for the New York Jets as the director of player personnel. Both were viewed by Billy Sullivan as winners who would lead the Pats to glory, duplicating the results they had just experienced a month earlier when the Jets defeated Baltimore in Super Bowl III. (Sullivan chose Rush over future Hall of Famer Chuck Noll, because Rush was an OC with the SB3 winning Jets, while Noll was the DC and DB coach for the losing Colts.)

Nobody would remember Sauer, but the press conference would proceed to become an unforgettable moment in the history of the Patriots franchise. It was also an omen of the Clive Rush era – or error.

Rush walked up to the podium and put his hand on the microphone – and immediately began screaming in anguish. Electricity from the live mike went up one arm, across his shoulders and down the other arm. The current temporarily paralyzed his muscles. As a result he was unable to let go, and the voltage continued to flow through his body. Rush staggered to the corner, still unable to make his hand release the microphone from his grasp. Patriot board member Dan Marr jumped up and began ripping every wire he could get his hands on out of the sockets they were plugged into. That caused the current to finally stop flowing through Rush’s body, saving his life.

Feb 12, 1969: Patriots owner Billy Sullivan (left) and Clive Rush (center) prepare to introduce George Sauer (right) at the infamous press conference​

February 12, 2020:
The New England Patriots reportedly extend the contract of Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio for one more year. He joined the Pats in 2001 as a personnel assistant and then worked as an offensive coaching assistant (2002), area scout (2003), director of pro personnel (2004-06) and wide receivers coach (2007) prior to being named the director of player personnel in 2008. Previously Caserio was a three-time academic all-conference quarterback at division 3 John Carroll University from 1995 to 1998, playing alongside Josh McDaniels, linebacker London Fletcher, and Chargers GM Tom Telesco.




A receiver that never actually played a single game for the Pats headlines the February 12 birthdays.

Happy 41st birthday to Greg Lewis
Born Feb 12, 1980 in Chicago
Patriot WR, 2009 offseason; uniform #17
Acquired March 5, 2009 along with a 2010 7th round (#231) draft pick, in exchange for the Patriots 2009 5th round (#159) draft pick.

Bill Belichick is not the only head coach to ever make it a point of adding opposing players who he has witnessed perform well against his team. Sometimes it works out well, as in examples like Wes Welker, Mike Vrabel or Darrelle Revis. Other times it doesn’t pan out; Greg Lewis falls into the latter category.

Belichick happy Patriots added WR Lewis

Bill Belichick found a way to stop receiver Greg Lewis from tormenting his New England Patriots — trade for him.​

​

Lewis made the first touchdown catch of his career while playing for the Philadelphia Eagles against the Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2005. He had two touchdown catches in a 2007 game against the Pats, nearly derailing their undefeated regular season.​

​

“Greg has always killed us,” Belichick said recently. “Every time we’ve played him, he’s killed us. We haven’t been able to cover him very well so that kind of catches your attention.”​

Greg Lewis initially made the 2009 roster in New England but was released two days later on September 7, 2009. With the benefit of hindsight he was a poor fit. Lewis was primarily a slot receiver on a team that already had Wes Welker, with Julian Edelman his understudy. Since retiring from the pro football Lewis has been a receivers coach with the Eagles and Chiefs.



Happy 52nd birthday to Dion Lambert
Born February 12, 1969 in Lake View Terrace, California
Patriot defensive back, 1992-1993; uniform #28
Pats fourth round (90th overall) selection of the 1992 draft, from UCLA

Dion Lambert played in thirty games with four starts over two seasons for the Patriots. During that time he had one interception, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery and one sack. Lambert has most recently worked as an assistant high school football coach in Los Angeles.

Happy 41st birthday to Ethan Kelley
Born February 12, 1980 in Amarillo, Texas
Patriot DT, 2003-2004; uniform #99
Pats seventh round (243rd overall) selection of the 2003 draft, from Baylor

On April 27, 2003 the Pats traded down ten slots in the fifth round with the Titans, picking up an additional sixth and seventh round pick. The Patriots used those draft picks on Dan Koppen, Kliff Kingsbury and Ethan Kelley. Kelley spent 2003 on the practice squad, then finally got on the playing field in the final game of the 2004 season. The Pats waived him at the beginning of training camp in 2005 and he was picked up by the Browns. Kelley appeared in 35 games for Cleveland and was inserted into the starting lineup in 2007 by Browns head coach Romeo Crennel, after Ted Washington went on injured reserve. Kelley suffered a knee injury in week 16 that required microfracture surgery, ending his NFL career.




Happy 68th birthday to Art Kuehn
Born Feb 12, 1953 in Victoria, British Columbia
Patriot center, 1983; uniform #78
Signed as a free agent on November 16, 1983

Art Kuehn played one season in the WFL and seven with Seattle prior to arriving in Foxboro. The Patriots added the former Seahawk after Pete Brock tore cartilage in his knee in a late season game against Miami. He played in two games with the Pats, then finished his pro football career with two seasons in the USFL. The native of Palo Alto and UCLA graduate played in 100 NFL games.




And two other players from way back that were born on this date with a New England connection:

Walt Williams (1919-1990)
Boston University; Boston Yanks
Williams was a defensive back, halfback and punter in the late forties.

Johnny Dell Isola (1912-1986)
Born and raised in Everett; Everett High School
Isola won two NFL championships playing guard for the New York Giants from 1934 to 1940.

 

[PP2]

Clive Rush getting electrocuted wasn't an omen of his era, it was an omen of the entire Billy Sullivan era, and more. It portended the misery that was to follow for the next 25 years until Kraft literally forced the team to be sold to him by seizing the parking lot concession, then the stadium, and finally the team itself.

 

[reflexblue]

Typical Clive Rush move.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Randy Moss​

Happy birthday to Randy Gene Moss, the pride of Rand, West Virginia and dean of Rand University. Although he played in New England for a much shorter time than Stanley Morgan, the argument can be made that Moss is the greatest wide receiver in Patriots history. Moss was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.


Happy 44th birthday to Randy Moss
Born Feb 13, 1977 in Rand, West Virginia
Patriot WR, 2007-2010; uniform #81
Acquired April 29, 2007 from the Oakland Raiders in exchange for a 2007 fourth round draft pick (#110 overall). (That turned out to be John Bowie, who played in a total of five games in his NFL career).


Regular season stats and franchise rankings:

• 50 touchdown receptions (in just 52 games!) ranks 3rd in team history
• 3,904 receiving yards ranks 12th
• 259 receptions ranks 14th
• 75.1 yards receiving per game ranks 2nd
• 15.1 yards per catch ranks 16th (minimum 100 receptions)
• Patriots record with Randy Moss: 40-12 (.769)
• Named to Patriots All-Decade Team of the 2000s

Randy Moss 2007 Patriots vs. Jets (First Game as Patriot):
​

Awards and NFL season rankings while with Patriots:

• 2007 Comeback Player of the Year
• 2007 First Team All Pro
• 2007 Pro Bowl
• 2007 Offensive Player of the Week for Week 9
• 2007 Offensive Player of the Week for Week 11
• 2007 Offensive Player of the Month for November
• Set NFL record for TD receptions in single season with 23 in 2007
• Also in 2007: ranked 1st in total touchdowns (23); ranked 2nd in points scored (138); ranked 2nd in yards receiving (1,493); ranked 8th in total yards from scrimmage (1,493)
• 2009: led NFL in touchdown receptions (13); 5th in receiving yards (1,264)

Randy Moss Patriots Highlights | 2007-2010:
​

Randy Moss | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site

In 2007, Moss set the NFL single-season record for touchdown receptions in a season with 23 to help the New England Patriots become the only team to finish a regular season with perfect 16-0 record. Moss made two Super Bowl appearances – Super Bowl XLII with the New England Patriots and XLVII with the San Francisco 49ers.​

​

Moss caught 10 or more touchdown passes in nine seasons and had 10 seasons with 1,000 yards receiving. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Moss received first-team All-Pro honors four times and was named to the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s. He finished his career with 982 receptions for 15,292 yards and 156 touchdowns. His career receiving yards and career touchdowns ranked third and fourth respectively in the NFL record book at the time of his retirement.​

Aqib Talib headlines the list of other Patriots celebrating a February 13 birth date.


Happy 35th birthday to Aqib Talib
Born February 13, 1986; hometown: Richardson, Texas
Patriot CB, 2012-2013; uniform #31
Acquired on Nov 1, 2012 with a 7th round draft pick (Michael Buchanan) from Tampa Bay in exchange for a fourth round pick (William Gholston).

Perhaps the most telling statistic of the time Aqib Talib spent in New England is the won-loss record. The Pats were 15-4 in the regular season with Talib – but just 2-2 in the playoffs. My first thought of Talib as a Patriot is not his one pick-six, but that of him standing on the sideline in postseason losses to Baltimore and Denver.

In 19 regular season games with the Patriots Talib had five interceptions, 16 passes defensed, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He also had 65 tackles (51 solo) with one tackle for a loss. In what was viewed as a Corey Dillon/Randy Moss move at the time, the Pats acquired a talented player for a relative bargain after he had worn out his welcome elsewhere. Talib's NFL career began by getting in a fight with another player at the rookie symposium, followed by an assault and battery on a Tampa taxi driver, and then a four game suspension for PEDs. Unfortunately he turned out to be just a year and a half rental, for the price of a 4th round draft pick.

Talib signed a six-year, $57 million contract that included $26 million guaranteed with Denver on the first day of free agency in 2014. He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his four seasons with the Broncos (his only other Pro Bowl was with the Pats in 2013. He made two super bowl appearances: winning one when Denver beat Carolina after the 2015 season (after the Broncos beat the Pats 20-18 in the AFCCG), and losing the other when the Patriots beat the Rams 13-3 in SB 53. Talib played in 148 games over 12 seasons with four teams, with 35 interceptions and ten touchdowns. He retired on September 9, 2020 after turning down an offer to return to the Patriots.



Happy 65th birthday to John Zamberlin
Born February 13, 1956 in Tacoma, Washington
Patriot ILB, 1979-1982; uniform #54
Pats 5th round (135th overall) selection of the 1979 draft, from Pacific Lutheran

John Zamberlin played in 56 games over four seasons with the Patriots, then finished his NFL career with two more years in Kansas City. Since then he has a very extensive coaching career that includes ten years as head coach at Central Washington and four more as HC at Idaho State. Zamberlin is now a first-time high school football coach in Idaho.



Happy 62nd birthday to Willie Scott
Born February 13, 1959 in Newberry, South Carolina
Patriot TE, 1986-1988; uniform #88
Acquired on July 22, 1986 from KC in exchange for a 1987 8th round draft pick.

Willie Scott was the 14th overall pick of the 1981 draft by the Chiefs, out of South Carolina. He was a backup to Greg Hawthorne and then Lin Dawson in his first two seasons, then became an afterthought when Russ Francis re-joined the Pats at the age of 35 in 1988. Willie played in 99 NFL games from 1981 to 1988 with 15 touchdowns. He returned to South Carolina as a high school teacher’s assistant and assistant football coach until an unfortunate choking incident occurred in 2019.



Happy 43rd birthday to Michael Stone
Born February 13, 1978 in Southfield, Michigan
Patriot safety, 2005; uniform #24
Signed as a veteran free agent on September 27, 2005.

Michael Stone was originally a second round draft pick by Arizona in 2001. He played in 13 games with three starts in his one season in Foxboro, making 46 tackles. Stone was added to the roster for depth after Rodney Harrison suffered a week three knee injury at Pittsburgh.



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

Leo Douglass (1901-1985)
Wakefield, Mass; University of Vermont
The fullback and defensive back played for the Brooklyn Lions and the 1926 champion Frankford Yellow Jackets. Prior to that he was part of a pre-NFL travelling football team with Jim Thorpe.

Millville Athletic Club

Bethlehem Bears



Cornelius O’Brien (1898-1993)
Commerce High School, Springfield MA; Boston College

Con (not Conan) O'Brien was a tackle with the New York Brickley Giants in the twenties. Apparently there is some debate over where he was born, and when he died.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Drew Bledsoe​

Happy birthday to Drew Bledsoe. The Patriots Hall of Fame quarterback was the face of the franchise from 1993 to 2000. His strong arm resulted in many clutch plays and 17 fourth quarter comebacks. Bledsoe led the Pats to the playoffs four times in his first six seasons, and their first super bowl appearance in eleven years. More importantly he gave fans hope and excitement after the dark period between those two AFC championships.

​

Happy 49th birthday to Drew Bledsoe
Born February 14, 1972 in Ellensburg, Washington
Patriot QB, 1993-2001; uniform #11
Pats first round (first overall) selection of the 1993 draft, from Washington State

​

Drew Bledsoe broke franchise passing records for passing attempts, completions and yards. With no running game behind him Bledsoe threw 691 passes in 1994, an NFL record that stood for 18 years. That same season he set NFL records for pass attempts and completions in a single game, an epic battle against the Vikings. That victory was the beginning of a seven game winning streak that pushed the Patriots into the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons.

​

It seems unfathomable now, but there was a time when people genuinely believed the Patriots should draft Rick Mirer over Bledsoe. Thankfully the Pats selected the kid from Walla Walla over the Notre Dame hype machine. Bledsoe is one of only two players to complete 400 passes in a single season in the 20th century and one of only five from that time period to pass for over 4,500 yards in a season. The most important aspect about Drew was that he made New England fans proud of the Patriots, rejuvenating a region after some embarrassing times – and creating excitement about the team that would result in their staying put and not moving away.

​

Drew easily won the voting for the Patriots Hall of Fame on his first ballot, over Bill Parcells and Houston Antwine in 2011. He threw 251 touchdowns over 14 NFL seasons and at the time he retired his 44,611 yards passing was the 7th most in NFL history. Bledsoe ranks second in nearly all franchise passing categories, including 166 TD passes and 29,657 yards passing as a Patriot.



Happy 35th birthday to Rich Ohrnberger
Born February 14, 1986 in East Meadow, New York
Patriot guard, 2009-2010; uniform #68, #62, #60
Pats fourth round (123rd overall) selection of the 2009 draft, from Penn State

“If you have ever seen your butthole you can’t say it was an accident; there are just too many steps involved for it to happen by accident.”
– Rich Ohrnberger

The Patriots originally signed Rich Ohrnberger as a backup that might eventually replace Stephen Neal. He began 2009 on the practice squad and later appeared in three games. Rich had an opportunity in 2010 when Logan Mankins held out in a contract dispute but Dan Connolly took over at left guard instead, with Ryan Wendell getting 11 starts. Ohrnberger struggled in preseason action and was on the field for just two games that year. He was waived at the end of the 2011 season after spending the year on injured reserve due to a concussion.

Ohrnberger spent one season with Arizona and two with San Diego, appearing in a total of 39 NFL games. He is known for his offbeat humor, such as doing handstands in the shower room. The reason for that he stated was because it was ‘the best way to get the undercarriage completely clean’. Today Ohrnberger works as a radio host on Fox Sports Radio and is a color analyst for San Diego State football games.

“I’ve had both shoulders operated on, part of a clavicle bone removed, spent a season on IR because of a concussion, ruptured my MCL, and had back surgery. That’s the abbreviated list. Football is about dealing with pain. It’s unavoidable, but it wears you down.”

“I don’t know Andrew Luck, but he isn’t a coward, he loves football, and he isn’t giving up because rehabilitating injuries is ‘too hard.’ Everyone has their steak and bourbon moment eventually. His was in front of the world, and he handled it with class and poise.”
– Rich Ohrnberger on the harsh realities of being a professional football, responding to those who criticized Andrew Luck for retiring.



Happy birthday to Clive Rush, who would have been 90 today
Born February 14, 1931 in De Graff, Ohio (1931-1980)
Patriot head coach, 1969-1970

Clive Rush was the offensive coordinator for the Jets when Joe Namath was named player of the year, and the Jets stunned Baltimore by winning what would later be known as Super Bowl III. That game led Billy Sullivan to hire Rush rather than his other candidate, the defensive coordinator from the Colts: Chuck Noll.

His tenure began on an ominous note, nearly being electrocuted to death (see the Feb 12 entry). From there it went downhill, with horrible trades (Nick Buoniconti, Leroy Mitchell) netting virtually zero value in return. Rush was also a tightwad that resulted in good players being cut. One such money saving confrontation resulted in another infamous Patriots incident. Rush cut players just before a game was about to start over a salary dispute. The problem with that he now needed players for the kickoff. Rush had the public announcer page Bob Gladieux to come to the locker room, quickly sign a contract and get on the field.

In another instance Rush came up with the idea of the Black Power Defense, apparently a hat tip to what was happening in the USA in 1969. Clive bragged that he would be the first coach in NFL history with eleven black players on the field at the same time. Problem was that he neglected to notice that he did not have enough African American players on his defensive roster to make that happen.

Rush was paranoid about many things, such as opponents listening to locker room conversations with hidden microphones. That fear led him to another iconic moment in Houston. When returning from a game at the Astrodome he convinced himself that the driver was taking him on the scenic route in order to increase the fare. Rush vehemently complained and ordered the driver to stop. He then got off the bus and wandered into the middle of the street. Holding his hand up Rush commanded oncoming traffic to stop and waved the bus through a one-way street: the wrong way.



Happy 58th birthday to Jeff Dellenbach
Born February 14, 1963 in Wausau, Wisconsin
Patriot OL, 1995-1996; uniform #66
Signed as a veteran free agent on March 6, 1995

Jeff Dellenbach played with Miami for ten years, replacing Hall of Fame center Dwight Stephenson in 1987. He appeared in 17 games with the Pats, and played in 211 games over the course of his fifteen year NFL career. Dellenbach hurt his back and was replaced in the starting lineup by Dave Wohlabaugh. When Dellenbach was ready to return Bill Parcells liked the play of the 23 year old enough that he waived Dellenbach on September 10, 1996. Late that season the Packers signed Dellenbach for veteran depth on their line, and the Wisconsin native ended up winning a ring in Green Bay’s super bowl victory over the Patriots.

Dellenbach had a bit role in the 1994 movie Ace Ventura: Pet Detective as one of the Miami Dolphins players. Since retiring he worked as an assistant offensive line coach for Miami from 2003-2005, and as a high school football coach in south Florida. Dellenbach now runs a football camp for high school student athletes and a charitable organization for severely ill and injured children.



Happy 52nd birthday to Harry Colon
Born February 14, 1969 in Kansas City
Patriot safety, 1991; uniform #40
Pats eighth round (196th overall) selection of the 1991 draft, from Missouri

Harry Colon started 14 games as a rookie during **** MacPherson’s first season as head coach in Foxborough. He played in the NFL from ’91 to ’97 and is now a high school head football coach in Houston.



Happy birthday to Phil Bennett, who would have been 86 today
Born February 14, 1935 (1935-2002)
Patriot LB, 1960; uniform #52

Not much info on this original Patriots thanks to another pro football player with the same name. He was originally drafted by Pittsburgh in 1957, from the University of Miami. Our Mr. Bennett played in two games for the Pats in their inaugural 1960 season.



Happy birthday to Willis Perkins, who would have been 87 today
Born February 14, 1934 in Columbus, Texas (1934-1989)
Patriot defensive end and guard, 1961-1962

The lineman from Texas Southern only played in one game with the Pats, but did win an AFL championship with the Houston Oilers. Perkins was one of many great players from Texas Southern at that time that went on to play in the NFL despite not being in a power conference. Others from that era include Patriot WR Charlie Frazier, Hall of Fame receiver Bob Hayes, Warren Wells, Winston Hill, Art Strahan, and more.



Some other pro football players born on this date with a New England connection:

Tom McNamara (1896-1943)
Lifelong resident of Clinton, MA; Tufts University
Tom was an NFL guard and fullback from 1923-1926.

Patrick Ramsey, 41 (1979)
Draft Pick Trade
In 2002 the Pats traded a third and seventh round pick in order to move up from #32 to #21 in the first round. The Patriots used that selection on TE Daniel Graham. Washington selected QB Patrick Ramsey at #32; he went 10-14 as a starting QB.

Jason Phillips, 34 (1986)
Draft Pick Trade
His draft pick (#137, fifth round in 2009) was traded by Philadelphia to New England in exchange for CB Ellis Hobbs. The Pats then traded that same pick to San Diego for two draft picks, which they used on OL Rich Ohrnberger and LS Jake Ingram.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Had some fun years with Bledsoe. 1996-1999 was a rollercoaster ride.

And I miss their late 90's uniforms as they had way more pop to them then the bland uniforms from 2000-2019. Their uniforms now are atrocious.

 

[italian pat patriot]

Clive Rush getting electrocuted wasn't an omen of his era, it was an omen of the entire Billy Sullivan era, and more. It portended the misery that was to follow for the next 25 years until Kraft literally forced the team to be sold to him by seizing the parking lot concession, then the stadium, and finally the team itself.

Who knows what could have been if Chuck Noll was hired...

 

[italian pat patriot]

I was a huge Drew Bledsoe fan...i bought 2 jerseys with # 11

His arrival created hopes that i will never forget

Buon compleanno Drew...All the best

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Art Modell fires Belichick

On February 15, 1996 Art Modell fired Bill Belichick.

Conventional wisdom is that the Browns fired Belichick but that is not factually correct. Six days prior to his termination the NFL owners approved the franchise’s move to Baltimore. The league also announced an agreement with Cleveland that would keep the Browns name and history in the city for a new team to begin play by 1999. Technically Belichick was fired by a Baltimore franchise that had yet to be named the Ravens.

Regardless of the timeline, Cleveland never embraced BB – and the Browns seem to have suffered from the Curse of Belichick ever since. While it is true (and often repeated) that the Browns had a losing record under Belichick, fans and sports writers should dig a bit deeper before jumping to conclusions.

Belichick's staff in Cleveland included Nick Saban, Kirk Ferentz, Al Groh, Bill O'Brien, Josh McDaniels, Jim Schwartz, Eric Mangini, Romeo Crennel, Charlie Weis and Ozzie Newsome​

Belichick inherited an aging three-win team with bad contracts, placing it in a very poor salary cap position. Two years later QB Bernie Kosar had become insubordinate, freelancing and changing plays to the detriment of the team and contrary to the game plan. Owner Art Modell and all the coaches were unanimous in the decision to cut Kosar. Everyone knew cutting a local product that was well liked by both the fans and press would be difficult. Then when Modell was bombarded with questions by the media he shriveled and hung Belichick out to dry for releasing the fan favorite.

Those circumstances plus an injury to Vinny Testaverde led to a third mediocre season. Just one year later the Browns went 11-5 - proving the decision to move on from Kosar was correct - and defeated Bill Parcells and the Patriots in the playoffs. Year Five began with a 3-point loss at Foxboro, followed by three solid victories – by a cumulative score of 71-30. At that one-quarter point of the 1995 season the Browns were considered to be one of the top two or three teams in the NFL.

Rather than waiting until the season was finished, Modell inexplicably announced the team would relocate for the 1996 season. It was unchartered territory for any head coach to navigate. With an unprecedented amount of distractions the Browns won just two more games.

The Browns are now on their 12th head coach since Belichick. In that time they have made it to the playoffs twice in 21 attempts. Since resuming operations in 1999 the Browns have a record of 107-229-1. Prior to Pittsburgh's self-inflicted implosion in the wild card game a month ago, the last Cleveland head coach to win a playoff game was Belichick, in 1994 – before many current NFL fans were born.

Art Modell fired not one, but two of the greatest coaches in football history: Belichick and Paul Brown. That alone should permanently exclude him from any consideration for the Hall of Fame.

The silver lining is that Bill Belichick learned valuable lessons from his time in Cleveland. In order to avoid a repeat scenario he walked away from the Jets and instead became head coach of the Patriots. The Bernie Kosar situation taught him how to transition from a fan favorite to a better option at quarterback. And the move to Baltimore was a lesson on how to maintain focus and ‘ignore the noise’ outside the locker room.

​

Happy 64th birthday to Marc Wilson
Born February 15, 1957; from Shoreline, Washington
Patriot QB, 1989-1990; uniform #15
Signed as a veteran free agent on March 22, 1989

Oakland drafted Marc Wilson fifteenth overall in 1980, from BYU. In 1982 he led the team to four 4th quarter comebacks and in ’85 he had an 11-2 record as the starting quarterback. However, he also made more top-ten appearances in sacks and interceptions than in passing yards or touchdowns. At age 32 he was simply a stop gap and part of the carousel at quarterback until the Pats would eventually draft Drew Bledsoe. Wilson played in thirty games for the Patriots, going 1-9 as a starter with nine touchdowns and 16 picks.

Happy birthday to Tom Hennessey, who would have been 79 today
Born February 15, 1942; from Brookline (1942-2012)
Patriot CB, 1965-1966; uniform #30

Tom Hennessey played with the semi-pro Boston Sweepers for one year after graduating from Holy Cross. That led to a tryout for the Patriots, and playing pro football at Fenway Park just a few miles from where he grew up. Hennessey was an overachiever, and after two seasons banging heads with guys forty pounds heavier he decided to step away from football. He never missed a single game in his two seasons with the Pats, recording eight interceptions. He went on to a 28-year career in the Boston public school system and also served on Brookline’s Board of Selectman and School Committee.

Oct 31, 1965: Tom Hennessey intercepts a pass intended for Lance Alworth in a 22-6 victory at San Diego.​

The obituary below is well worth the read:
Tom Hennessey: Brookline’s humble sports hero



Other players born on this date with a New England connection:
Brian Brennan, 59 (1962)
Boston College
Gerard Phelan was the player that caught Doug Flutie’s iconic Hail Mary. Brian Brennan was the other wide receiver on that BC team, and he went on to play nine seasons in the NFL. Brennan played in 132 NFL games, mostly with Cleveland. He had 334 receptions with 20 touchdowns, plus 24 more catches and four TD in the postseason. Since then Brennan has worked in the financial industry and is now a Managing Director at Key Bank.

Elbert Werwaiss (1905-1965)
Born in New Haven; Dean Academy, Franklin MA
'Mule' Werwaiss played nine games as a tackle for the 1926 Hartford Blues.

Bill Kovacsy (1901-1980)
Born in Bridgeport, CT
Offensive lineman for his hometown Hammond Pros.

Dan Ahern (1898-1963)
Born and raised in Manchester NH; Manchester Central High School
Another lineman, Ahern was a Georgetown grad who played for the Washington Senators.

Charlie Clark (1898-1960)
Born in Somerville; Milton Academy; Harvard
Clark is the only person from Milton Academy to make it to the NFL. He played for the Chicago Cardinals in 1924.

Paul Dufault, 57 (1964)
Born in Bridgeport; Spaulding HS, Rochester NH; University of New Hampshire
The center played with the Raiders briefly in the eighties. He is one of only two NFL players from Spaulding High School.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Ross "Rocky" O'Hanley​

• Ross O'Hanley was born on February 16, 1939 in Everett
• An original Patriot, he was a starting safety for the Pats from 1960-1965
• Uniform #25
• In 77 regular season games he had 15 interceptions and one touchdown
• O'Hanley was named to the 1960 first team All-AFL (All-Pro) team

In 1963 the Patriots played their first playoff game. This was in the days before tiebreakers; the Pats and Bills finished with identical records, and would compete a week after the regular season ended to determine the AFL East champion. Though it doesn't sound like much now it was a big deal then; the winner would play the following week for the league championship.

O'Hanley was part of a suffocating defense that led the way to victory that day. The safety intercepted Daryle Lamonica twice, one coming on Buffalo's best drive of the first half. Although the Pats offense kept getting bogged down and settling for field goals, the defense more than did its part, with the Patriots up 16-0 at halftime. By the time the game was over the Pats forced six Buffalo turnovers and won 26-8. It was the first division title in franchise history.

From the Patriots 1965 Media Guide:

An original Patriot, Ross has been regular safety for the Patriots since their inception in 1960 save for a service hitch which required Ross to do duty during the Berlin crisis … He was All-League as a rookie in 1960 … A quarterback at Everett’s Christopher Columbus High, Ross was shifted to defensive back at Boston College where he played under Pat’s Coach, Mike Holovak … At B.C. he won the 1960 Tom Scanlon trophy for combining topnotch football ability with qualities of loyalty and sportsmanship … Ross worked as an account executive for the Commonwealth National Bank … Ross and his wife, Louise, lived near B.C. in Brookline. ​

Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame: Ross O'Hanley

From BC's newspaper, The Heights, on January 15, 1960:
O'Hanley Perfect Choice For Tom Scanlon Memorial Award

"For Merit In Character, Scholarship, Football"

​

The Tom Scanlon Memorial Trophy award was presented to Ross O'Hanley at the Varsity Club banquet Sunday night by John B. Morris, president of the club.​

​

Everyone who has enough interest in football to be reading this article knows that Ross typifies the good football player. This is no small statement to make about a defensive standout, who usually escapes the ordinary sports fan's notice. The Holy Cross Stadium this year echoed cheers of "Stop 'em Ross" and applause resounding the enthusiastic support usually reserved for colorful offensive players was heaped on Ross.​

​

Not everyone knows the amazing academic schedule Ross kept besides playing football. Yet these are the reasons he was chosen.​

​

He is on the Dean's List in the College of Business Administration with an 85 average. He is a member of the Executive Seminar, the Marketing Club, the Robert Bellarmine Government Academy, and is chairman of senior academic convocations. He also serves as assistant coach for a Pop Warner football team in Everett.​

​

O'Hanley who played freshman football without the inspiration of financial assistance, hails from Christopher Columbus High School Everett. He is one of the few football players who commute.​

​

In his speech, Ross emphasized the "mistaken notion that a student should not play a college sport unless he is receiving financial aid." His reason for playing merely, "I like the game." He attributed to parents, coaches, teachers, and friends a share in the award for inspiring him with a desire to play football and study. ​

​

Coach Hefferle said, "Ross is the type of student-athlete I like to coach."​

O'Hanley sadly died on April 2, 1972 from a brain tumor at the young age of 33 after he displayed CTE symptoms, his wife, Louise, said in an interview.

February 16, 2016:

New England Patriots LB Jerod Mayo Retires | SI.com

Patriots' Jerod Mayo announces his retirement | The Boston Globe

Mayo was only 29 years old when he retired.

​

Happy 60th birthday to Darryl Haley
Born Feb 16, 1961 in Gardena CA
Patriot RT, 1982-1986; uniform #68
Pats 2nd round (55th overall) selection of the 1982 draft, from Utah

From the 1987 Patriots Media Guide:

​

Played in all 16 games over the season and started in six - vs. Miami, on 10-5 (Steve Moore had knee problems), at Indianapolis on 11-9, and the final four regular season contests (vs. Buffalo, on 11-23, stepped in for the injured Steve Moore at the right tackle position for rest of the season)...in start vs. Miami, on 10-5, it was his first start since final game of 1984...missed entire 1985 season due to colitis...was placed on Non-Football injury list 8-26...lost considerable weight during early days of training camp, and had to leave the team's 1st preseason game vs. New Orleans on 8-10, when had to leave game due to heat exhaustion...in 1984 became the starter at the right tackle position when the Patriots traded Bob Cryder to Seattle on July 31, 1984...started in all 16 games...came of age at Jets (9-30-84) when he blanked the league's sack-leader, Mark Gastineau from getting to QB Eason...Darryl recorded his first pro starts in '83 when he filled in for the injured Bob Cryder at right OT at Atlanta (10-30-83) and vs. Buffalo (11-16-83)...he played in all 16 games in '83 seeing spot duty at OT and as a regular on special teams...saw considerable action on the Patriots' offensive line during 1982 and played in all nine regular season games as a regular on special teams...Darryl was the third of three Patriots second round draft choices in 1982...he was the 55th player selected overall and was taken with one of two second round picks acquired from San Francisco in exchange for the Patriots' second round choice in '82.​

​

Darryl was the first player from the University of Utah ever drafted by the Patriots...was the third youngest player selected in the '82 draft...became a starting OG as a senior...played both football and basketball during his senior year...played in the Olympia Gold Bowl and received Honorable Mention All-WAC recognition as a senior.​

Graduated with a degree in Commercial Physical Education and a minor in Marketing. ​

Haley is (or was) the world's largest triathlon participant.

GULLIVER'S TRAVELS FORMER NFL TACKLE DARRYL HALEY MAKES MOST TRIATHLETES LOOK LIKE MIDGETS

In 1989 he retired from football and founded Club 100, a fitness company based in Mitchellville, Md., that implements wellness programs for individuals and corporations around the country. But the sports Haley took up in retirement, racquetball and golf, left him with an adrenaline deficit.​

​

Friends talked him into trying a duathalon: a 15-mile bike ride bookended by 1.5-mile runs. "A half mile into the first run, I was ready to pass out," Haley says. "I finished, but I was hurting real bad. I didn't like that and I thought, I've found out what's going to fill my void."​

​

He quickly became bored with duathalons. After catching the 1993 Ironman on TV, he decided triathlons were more his cup of tea. But could he swim? "If you had a pool party," he says, "I could make it from one end to the other. But that was about it."​

​

So he worked on his swimming​

Looks like he is doing some very good things now:

Darryl Haley - A Former NFL Player Gives Back To Veterans

Former NFL player Darryl Haley is using his passion for music to help veterans and children




Happy 29th birthday to Marquis Flowers
Born February 16, 1992 in Independence, MO
Patriot LB, 2017; uniform #59
Acquired on August 29, 2017: traded by Cincinnati in exchange for New England's 2018 7th round (249th overall) draft pick

Flowers played in every game for the Pats in 2017, with the career special teamer's workload increasing after injuries sidelined Kyle Van Noy and Dont'a Hightower. He had 3½ sacks and four QB hits, 32 tackles and five tackles for a loss. His career highlight game came in a week 16 victory over Buffalo when he made ten tackles and 2½ sacks. Flowers was cut as part of roster cutdowns on September 1, 2018; he then signed with Detroit. He played in five games for the Lions until being released in October; his NFL career ended when Washington cut him at the end of training camp in 2019.

Stats:

16 games, two starts; one pass defensed, one forced fumble.​

32 tackles (25 solo) with 3½ sacks, 5 tackles for a loss, and 4 quarterback hits.​

283 snap counts on defense, 209 on special teams.​

Also appeared in all three 2017 postseason games.​

In the 35-14 division round victory versus Tennessee, Flowers had four solo tackles, a sack, a tackle for a loss and one QB hit.​

Flowers may be most remembered as the player that was left to cover Corey Clement in the Super Bowl loss to Philadelphia. For some inexplicable reason Greg Bedard decided to single Flowers out as the biggest reason for the loss, and then Flowers going off on a twitter rant at Bedard. Well done, Marquis.

Marquis Flowers Fires Back At Patriots Criticism In Tweet Storm

Patriots linebacker Marquis Flowers fired back at post-Super Bowl criticism of the Patriots and Bill Belichick in a Monday tweet storm.

985thesportshub.com

Happy 56th birthday to Todd Whitten
Born February 16, 1965 in Dallas
Patriot QB, 1987; uniform #15

Whitten was a 22-year old who got on the field for the final replacement player game in the '87 strike season. He had two carries, for a loss of two and a loss of four yards. He has been coaching football at various levels for 29 years; Whitten is currently the head coach at Tarleton State, a division 2 school in Texas.




Other pro football players born today include:

Ralph Marston - born and raised in Malden, he went to Boston University and briefly played QB for the 1929 Boston Bulldogs, in the NFL's 8th year of existence.

Defensive linemen George Martin and **** Modzelewski

Running backs Jerome Bettis and Ahman Green

Centers Todd McClure and Buzz Nutter

(No, I did not make that last name up)

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Stanley Morgan​

Happy 66th birthday to Stanley Morgan
Born February 17, 1955 in Easley, South Carolina
Patriot WR, 1977-1989; uniform #86
Pats 1st round (25th overall) selection of the 1977 draft, from Tennessee

​

Stanley Morgan is a two-time All Pro and four-time Pro Bowl receiver, despite playing on extremely run-oriented offenses. He led the NFL in touchdown receptions in 1979, and in yards per reception in three consecutive seasons (1979-81) - with an astounding 22.8, 22.0 and 23.4 yards per catch. His 19.2 career yards per catch ranks as 10th best in NFL history. In 1986 Morgan set what was then a franchise record with 1,491 yards receiving, playing an integral part on the first Patriot team to make it to the Super Bowl.

In 1981 Morgan broke his own franchise single game record with 182 yards receiving against the Dolphins; that milestone would last for 17 years until rules and penalties enhanced the passing game immensely.

Despite the NFL's thumb on the scale that makes comparing stats from different decades difficult, to this day Stanley Morgan still holds the Patriots career record for receiving yards (10,352), games with 100+ yards receiving (38; ten more than #2 Wes Welker) and yards from scrimmage (10,843). When he departed Foxborough after the 1989 season he also held franchise records for receptions (534; now 4th), receiving touchdowns (67, now 2nd); points by a non-kicker (408, now 2nd), all-purpose yards (11,468, now 2nd).

There are two mysteries in regards to Stanley Morgan's legacy. First, why did it take the Patriots eight years to induct him into the team;s Hall of Fame? And secondly, why is he not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?




Happy 26th birthday to Sony Michel
Born February 17, 1995 in Orlando
Patriot RB, 2018-present; uniform #26
Pats 1st round (31st overall) selection of the 2018 draft, from Georgia

​

Over three seasons Sony Michel has scored 15 regular season touchdowns, averaging 4.3 yards per carry and rushing for 2,292 yards. He also has six touchdowns in four playoff games, averaging 4.7 yards per carry and earning a ring in super bowl 53 versus the Rams.




Happy 53rd birthday to Bryan Cox
Born February 17, 1968 in St Louis
Patriot ILB, 2001; uniform #51

After ten seasons as a nemesis in opponent's uniforms, Bryan Cox joined the Patriots in 2001 at the age of 33. He was a leader on and off the field, a big part of the defense that propelled the Patriots to their first Super Bowl victory. Cox played in 185 NFL games, racking up 51.5 sacks and 939 tackles.

Celebrating 2001: Brady's 1st Start




Happy 34th Birthday to Tiquan Underwood
Born February 17, 1987 in New Brunswick, NJ
Patriot WR, 2011; uniform #10
Signed as a free agent on August 29, 2011 after two years in Jacksonville

Tiquan is most well known for his high top haircut, and being released the night before Super Bowl 46 (in a move to add DE/TE Alex Silvestro). He spent most of his time in Foxborough on the practice squad, appearing in six games with three receptions. Over five NFL seasons he played in 45 games with 63 receptions and six touchdowns; nearly all that production came in 2012-13 for the Bucs.