Today in Patriots History
James White
February 3, 1997:
The Patriots hire
Pete Carroll as head coach.
On the same date
Bill Parcells is officially hired as a 'consultant' with the New York Jets. Eight days prior the Patriots lost to Green Bay 35-21 in Super Bowl 31 (1/26/97). Then eight days later on February 11 the charade was dropped and Parcells was named head coach of the Jets.
Negotiations between the Jets and Patriots for Parcells - who was still under contract with New England - had been ongoing since January 31, after commissioner Paul Tagliabue ruled that the Patriots still owned the rights to Parcells for the 1997 season.
The hero of the Super Bowl 51 comeback victory over Atlanta is one of several Patriots celebrating a birthday today.
Happy 29th birthday to
James White
Born February 3, 1992 in Fort Lauderdale
Patriot RB, 2014-present; uniform #28
Pats 4th round (130th overall) selection of the 2014 draft, from Wisconsin
Patriots.com | James White
Super Bowl Records and Milestones
- Owner of three Super Bowl rings
- Holds record for most points in a Super Bowl game (20)
- Holds record for most receptions in a Super Bowl game (14)
- Is one of only two players to score a winning overtime championship touchdown, and is the only player to do so in Super Bowl history (Alan Ameche was the only other, back in pre-Super Bowl 1958)
Patriot Franchise Rankings
- Ranks 8th with 369 career receptions
- Ranks 13th with 25 career receiving touchdowns
- Ranks 14th with 3,184 career receiving yards
- Ranks 16th for most receptions in a single season (87 in 2018)
- Ranks 17th with 35 career total touchdowns
- Ranks 19th with 4.0 yards per carry (minimum 250 rushes)
Happy 49th birthday to
Tyrone Poole
Born February 3, 1972 in LaGrange, Georgia
Patriot CB, 2003-2005; uniform #38
Signed as a veteran free agent on March 4, 2003
Tyrone Poole was originally a first round draft pick by Carolina in 1995, from Fort Valley State. He started all 16 games in 2003, but was played in only five games over the next two seasons due to a knee injury and then an ankle injury. Poole played in all three 2003 postseason games and earned two super bowl rings with the Patriots. He played in 151 games with 118 starts from 1995 to 2008, with 18 interceptions.
Tyrone Poole to compete on 'American Ninja Warrior' | Patriots.com
Happy 31st birthday to
Sterling Moore
Born February 3, 1990 in Antioch, California
Patriot CB/S, 2011-2012; uniform #29
Signed to the practice squad on October 5, 2011
Sterling Moore was originally signed by Oakland as an undrafted rookie from SMU in 2011. He played in 14 regular season games with three starts for the Patriots. During that time Moore had two interceptions, one touchdown, three passes defensed, one forced fumble and on fumble recovery. He also played in three playoff games with three pass deflections and seven tackles (six solo).
Moore is most famous for knocking the ball out of the hands of
Lee Evans in the 2011 AFC championship game against Baltimore, then following that up with another pass deflection on the very next play. That led to total lack of composure by
John Harbaugh and a hurried field goal attempt by
Billy Cundiff from the 14 yard line that sailed wide left by about 20 yards.
Moore later played with Dallas, Tampa and New Orleans, appearing in 75 games with 31 starts over seven seasons from 2011 to 2017, plus seven playoff games.
Happy 41st birthday to
Victor Hobson
Born on February 3, 1980 in Englewood, New Jersey
Patriot LB, 2008 offseason; uniform #59
Signed as a veteran free agent on April 7, 2008
Once on the outside, now looking in | Patriots.com
Coincidentally, now that he's a Patriots insider, he's also been moved to inside linebacker. Given the talent of New England's outside 'backers (i.e., Adalius Thomas and Mike Vrabel), Hobson's arrival via free agency gives Belichick and his staff the luxury of inserting an experienced (yet still young) veteran at a position where an infusion of youth and talent is certainly welcome.
"He had played a lot of outside linebacker the last two years down there," said Belichick during the Pats' recent minicamp. "I think he is a smart guy, runs well, he's got some experience in the system and certainly playing inside. I think he has a good combination of experience, toughness and athleticism to the position."
Hobson's most productive season as a Jet came in 2006, when he logged 100 total tackles (66 solo), six sacks, and an interception.
Victor Hobson was
one of 14 players released on August 30, 2008. The former second round pick out of Michigan played in 79 games from 2003-2008 with 57 starts and 354 tackles.
Happy birthday to
Junior Robinson, who would have been 53 today
Born February 3, 1968 in High Point, North Carolina
Patriot KR/CB, 1990; uniform #27
Pats 5th round (110th overall) selection of the 1990 draft, from East Carolina
David Lee Robinson Jr. played in all 16 games for the Patriots in 1990, primarily on special teams. He was waived at the end of the 1991 training camp, played on WLAF and CFL teams in Sacramento, and spent one more year in the NFL with Detroit. Robinson died
in 1995 at the age of 27 in an automobile accident.
Happy birthday to
Tony Discenzo, who would have been 85 today
Born February 3, 1936 in Cleveland (1936-2007)
Patriot tackle, 1960; uniform #76
Anthony Discenzo played in eight games in the American Football league's inaugural season; three starts with the Patriots and five games for the Buffalo Bills.
Happy 55th birthday to
Glenn Antrum
Born February 3, 1966 in Derby, Connecticut
Patriot WR, 1989-1990; uniform #10
Signed as an undrafted rookie on May 8, 1989
After graduating from Ansonia High School and the University of Connecticut, the New England native was signed by the Patriots in '89. He spent most of the year on what was then called the developmental squad, but was promoted to the active roster for two games - and made it into the record books with one appearance. He now lives in Bristol and has been employed with Coca Cola since 1994, now working as a Market Development Manager.
Happy 62nd birthday to
Cris Crissy
Born February 3, 1959 in Penn Yan, New York
Patriot CB, 1981 offseason
Pats 12th round (323rd overall) selection of the 1981 draft, from Princeton
Crissy was cut before the start of the 1981 season, and spent '81-82. A high school teammate of Tony Collins, Crissy is now an executive director with JP Morgan.
Happy 81st birthday to
Fran Tarkenton
Born February 3, 1940 in Richmond, Virginia
Pats 5th round (34th overall) selection of the 1961 AFL draft, from Georgia
The scrambling quarterback signed with the NFL's expansion Minnesota Vikings in 1961, and was never part of Patriots organization. The Hall of Fame QB played for 18 years and later became a television commercial pitchman as well as a software executive.
One other pro football player born on this date with a New England connection:
Ed Harrison (1902-1969)
Marshfield, Mass; Boston College
End for the 1926 Brooklyn Lions
Sunday February 3, 2008 at 6:30
Super Bowl 42 at University of Phoenix Stadium
New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14