Today in Patriots History
Malcom Brown
February 2, 1972:
The Patriots select ten players on Day Two of the 1972 Draft, from legendary college football programs such as NW Oklahoma State, Angelo State, Colorado Mesa, Eastern Michigan and San Jose State. None of those ten draftees would ever play a single game in the NFL.
February 2, 1980:
The Patriots hire
Fritz Shurmur to be their defensive coordinator, and
Bill Parcells as linebackers coach.
February 2, 1983:
New England releases running backs
Sam Cunningham and
Andy Johnson, marking the end of an era.
Happy 27th birthday to
Malcom Brown
Born February 2, 1994 in Brenham, Texas
Patriot DT, 2015-2018; uniform #90
Pats 1st round (32nd overall) selection of the 2015 draft, from Texas
Malcom Brown was a solid but not spectacular player for the Patriots, not quite playing up to his draft status. He played in 60 games with 51 starts with the Pats, as well as in all 11 playoff games - and earned two Super Bowl rings. Brown was typically used on first and second downs and was effective against the run. His annual percentage of playing time was 47%, 57%, 51% and 44%.
The Pats declined his fifth year option and did not appear to make an attempt to re-sign him as a free agent. As a rookie he had been signed to a four year contract worth $7.6 million, with $6.1 million guaranteed and a $3.8 million signing bonus. In 2019 the Saints signed Brown to a three year, $15 million deal; he has been their starting right defensive tackle for the last two seasons.
Saints sign Malcom Brown | NBC Sports Boston
The 25-year-old didn't record a sack last season for the first time in his career but was a solid run stuffer for the Super Bowl champions.
Brown follows defensive end
Trey Flowers and cornerback
Eric Rowe among the Patriots' free-agent departures on defense. New England landed
Michael Bennett in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles but still
has plenty more holes to fill on the defensive line entering free agency.
Brown had a good sense as free agency approached that there was likely to be more money available if he left New England. The Patriots drafted the 6-2, 320-pounder in the first round in 2015, but declined to pick up his fifth-year option last offseason. Brown was still a big piece of the defensive line, playing 44 percent of the defensive snaps, mostly as a space eater on first and second downs.
Brown does have some pass-rushing ability for a big guy, with 8.5 sacks over his four seasons in the NFL, and may get better production in a different scheme.
His departure isn’t a surprise, but leaves the Patriots with work to do on their defensive line with Danny Shelton still a free agent. Lawrence Guy and Adam Butler are the top defensive tackles currently on the roster, with Ufomba Kamalu, Frank Herron, and David Parry filling out New England’s depth.
Patriots sign multiple free agents, lose Malcom Brown | 92.9
The 6-2, 320-pounder was a big piece of the Patriots' defensive line, playing 44 percent of the defensive snaps.
The Patriots helped fill the void left by Brown's departure by agreeing on a two-year deal with Mike Pennel, a run-stuffing defensive tackle. The 6-foot-4, 330-pounder spent the last two seasons with the New York Jets. He made 27 tackles while starting 7 of 16 games last season.
Happy 72nd birthday to
Ray Jarvis
Born February 2, 1949 in Chesapeake, Virginia
Patriot WR, 1979; uniform #87
Signed as a free agent on April 25, 1979
Leon Raeminton Jarvis was originally a fifth round draft pick by Atlanta in 1971, from NAIA Norfolk State. His best season came in 1976 with Detroit when he had 822 yards receiving and five touchdowns, averaging 21.1 yards per catch.
Jarvis was 30 years old when the Pats signed him, and 1979 would be the final season of his nine year NFL career. He appeared in seven games for the Patriots, with one touchdown.
Happy 59th birthday to
Mel Black
Born February 2, 1962 in New Haven
Patriot LB, 1986-1987; uniform #94, #51
Signed as an undrafted rookie on May 10, 1986
After graduating from West Haven High School Melvin Black headed west, going to Eastern Illinois University. He was
teammates with a surprisingly high number of EIU football players that made it to the NFL, including future head coaches
Sean Payton and
Brad Childress.
Black did not make the Patriot roster out of training camp in 1986, but was re-signed late in the season and appeared in three games. He was waived again near the end of the 1987 camp, then re-signed to play in the three replacement player games. Black was with the Raiders the following offseason but was waived early, ending his pro football career.
Happy 47th birthday to
J.R. Conrad
Born February 2, 1974 in Fairland, Oklahoma
Patriot tackle and guard, 1974 (practice squad)
Pats 7th round (247th overall) selection of the 1974 draft, from Oklahoma
A crash course at center is just weird for Jets' Conrad | New York Times
Conrad was the last player drafted by the Patriots last year. Playing tackle and guard, Conrad didn't make the team, but hung on with the practice squad.
''I made a mistake last March,'' he admits. ''I should have come here when Coach Parcells came. Instead I went back to New England, went to camp, and then was cut just before the season.''
By then it was too late to return to school. He needs nine credits to graduate. So he just hung out at home in Fairland, Okla. The Jets found him a job, though, and hired him for their practice squad, converting him to center.
After football, Conrad remains involved in athletics
In 1996, Conrad was selected in the seventh round (247th overall pick) by the New England Patriots as an offensive lineman under legendary coach Bill Parcells, who won two Super Bowls as head coach of the New York Giants.
“It was nice there, but the people were a little different,” Conrad said.
Before the 1997 season started under new coach Pete Carroll, Conrad was cut from New England, but was picked up by New York Jets under Parcells — who had just taken over as head coach.
In Oct. 16, 1997, Conrad made his debut as a starter when he played center against the Miami Dolphins.
“He (Parcells) was awesome,” Conrad said. “It was easy because I am a country boy. Be early, be quiet and do extra.”
Conrad said he remains in contact with Parcells.
Since his days at OU and the NFL, Conrad has coached at several Oklahoma high schools. In 2009, Conrad joined Dibble (and former Sooner) coach Charley North’s staff in 2009.
Conrad later became head coach at Dibble High School in 2011 and coached there until 2014.
Today the 6-foot-5 Conrad makes his home in the Oklahoma City area and works as a senior territory sales representative for Power-Lift, a company that manufactures athletic performance strength training equipment for athletics and sports performance facilities such as high schools, colleges, pro sports teams and athletic performance facilities.
In addition to Mel Black there are two other pro football players with New England connections born on this date:
James Nixon, 33 (1988)
Born and raised in New Haven; Hyde Leadership High School in New Haven; Bridgton Academy in Maine
Packer CB, 2012-2013
Wayne Fontes, 81 (1940)
Born in New Bedford; Wareham High School
Wayne Fontes was a defensive back for the 1962 New York Titans. He went on to be a defensive coordinator with the Bucs (1982-84) and Lions ('85-'88). Fontes was the Detroit head coach from 1988 to 1996, going to the playoffs four times. He was also the head coach the last time the Lions won a postseason game. That
happened on January 5, 1992 when the Lions defeated Dallas 38-6 in a divisional round game - beating a Cowboys team that was coached by Jimmy Johnson and included Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin. Among those on Fontes' staff were former Patriot coaches
Raymond Berry (quarterbacks coach) and
Hank Bullough (defensive coordinator).
