Intercepted 16 passes. I believe that to reissue the number is better than retiring it. While Peyton and Eli Manning didn't set the Combine alight, they did light up the NFL, winning multiple Super Bowls during their . 3 Stephen Gostkowski, K, 2006-present: Almost like a Brett Favre/Aaron Rodgers situation. 28? 61 Sam Adams Adams' presence on the best OL in team history earns him the spot among this rock solid group of offensive linemen that includes Marcus Cannon, Steve Neal and Ron Wooten. 45 Otis Smith, CB, 1996, 2000-02: Smith won a Super Bowl as a 36-year-old corner in New England. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Who's the best Patriots player to wear No. All rights reserved. Buy Lions Wire When the Lions allowed first-round pick T.J. Hockenson to wear number 88 ahead of last weekends rookie minicamp it turned some heads and at Tuesday's press conference he talked about what it meant to him. Been around 118 years and have 18 retired numbers while they have 50 former players in thr HOF. For decades, No. Its older brother, No. Dawson Knox 88. 84 Shawn Jefferson Who knows how Darryl Stingley's career might have progressed if not for Jack Tatum's cheap shot, but Jefferson was a rock solid No. Note: Gaffney retired from the NFL to play professional baseball before coming back to football. 9 Bryan Wagner, P, 1991, 95: Had two unremarkable stints in New England, which is more than anyone else wearing the No. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Slade's pass rushing skills were underrated on some solid playoff teams. 44 John Stephens Power back was never the same after his vicious collision with Jeff Fuller at Stanford in 1989. Edges out Chandler Jones. But whether numerology is of importance or not, it's clear that not all numbers are created equally when it comes to the Patriots. 79 Jim Lee Hunt Another Patriots Hall of Fame DL from the 1960s recognized. 14 Steve Grogan, QB, 1975-90: A career Patriot, Grogan played 16 seasons in New England. The Combine is set to take place in Indianapolis this week. After all, Bennett is one of the most well-rounded tight ends in the NFL a threat as a pass catcher and technically sound as a blocker and will be a key piece in the teams two-plus tight end sets and jumbo packages. Like my call at No. 12, were no-brainers. (After landing on the roster, Ross switched to No. 56 in Miami, but gets a new number in New England. 4 Adam Vinatieri Maybe someday Jarrett Stidham will make this a debate. Rick Sanford also deserves mentioning, and Chung but his better work has come since returning with No. 8.). And while he likely will not be able to duplicate the numbers of his 2014 Pro Bowl season, the veteran should still see a substantial amount of snaps. 42 Ronnie Lippett, CB, 1983-91: Made 111 starts and intercepted 24 balls. 72 -- Matt Light, OT, 2001-11:A three-time Pro Bowler, Light emerged as a franchise left tackle as a rookie and continued to protect Tom Brady's blind set for the 11 seasons. Commercial reproduction, distribution or transmission of any part or parts of this website or any information contained therein by any means whatsoever without the prior written permission of the Club is not permitted. FOXBOROUGH, Mass. Graham filled in for an injured Gostkowski in 2010, going 12-for-12 on field goal attempts. New England has to hope that Duron Harmon will continue his success playing under his new number. 12 Tom Brady, QB, 2000-present: Tough break for Matt Cavanaugh. Some numbers in sports need no context for their significance to be understood: No. 81 holds that distinction (Philadelphia's Jordan Matthews). Let's take a look back at who previously wore the newly handed-out numbers over the course of the Patriots' history. However, he suffered a major knee injury at a Pro Bowl rookie event that derailed his career. He made the Pro Bowl in his first five NFL seasons. Williams gets the nod because he started 12 more games with the Pats. The Patriots check off three major needs, headlined by a dynamic weapon in Mike Dussault's first mock draft of the 2023 offseason. 63 -- Joe Andruzzi, G, 2000-2004:A starter at guard during the 2001-2004 run, Andruzzi was a beloved fixture on the offensive line during his run. 69, enabling me to put them both on this list. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Jacob. 80, a number that is now predominantly worn by tight ends (nine). Patrick was a solid punter from 1975-78, appearing in 43 games. Keyshawn Johnson, for example, used a crowded training camp roster to wear No. He then tore all four knee ligaments during the NFL Rookie Beach Bowl, an injury from which he could never bounce back. That is a more special award. 2 Doug Flutie, QB, 1987-89, 2005: Made 12 starts for the Pats. Greg Jones in 1970 to 1971 is the next player to wear the number 36 for the Buffalo Bills. 23 Ron Hall, DB, 1961-67: Picked off 11 passes in 1964. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He'd likely be a Hall of Famer if he retired today. 81. Jones, meanwhile, made a Pro Bowl and was arguably the Patriots' best defensive player by the end of his tenure (12.5 sacks in 2015). 9 David Posey Posey joins Graham in the emergency kicker category after replacing John Smith for 11 games in 1978, and more importantly connecting on a last-second field goal to give the Patriots their first-ever AFC East title. Bledsoe, the face of the franchise in the 90s, narrowly edges out the Super Bowl LII hero. 94 with DL Chris Jones. 80. His boat is now called 7 rings. That one's easy. 66. Popular: Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Aaron Donald, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, Odell Beckham Jr., J.J. Watt, Peyton Manning, Patrick Mahomes, Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Todd Gurley . 16 -- Jim Plunkett, QB, 1971-75: Before Plunkett won two Super Bowls with the Oakland Raiders, he was a No. He previously wore 21 and 31 in Philadelphia. (There are 16 wide receivers who wore numbers in the 80s in the Hall, including Moss, Rice, Cris Carter, Marvin Harrison, Raymond Berry and Lynn Swann.) This game is notable as it was the first Bills playoff appearance in 17 seasons. 41 Leroy Mitchell, CB, 1967-68: Picked off 10 passes in 28 games with the Pats. No. Nate Solder's old number will be worn by free agency addition Ulrick John this year. 51 -- Jerod Mayo, LB, 2008-15:Mayo emerged as a leader in New England early in his career and looked like he was shaping up to be one of the Patriots' all-time great defenders. 54 Tedy Bruschi, LB, 1996-2008: A three-time Super Bowl champ, Bruschi is the no-brainer selection here. Martin had 3,799 yards and 32 touchdowns in three years with the Pats. 99 Mike Wright Athletic interior sub rusher had his career cut short due to concussions. 4 Adam Vinatieri, K, 1996-2005: Not as accurate as Gostkowski, but no one in NFL history has deliveredmore clutch kicks. 92). Gamble, RB, 1968-69: Rushed for 346 yards in 27 career games. 84. 21 had its ups and downs in the past: For every Ras-I Dowling and Fred Taylor there is a Randall Gay and the biggest and most successful name of the bunch Malcolm Butler. 26 Raymond Clayborn, CB, 1977-89: A three-time Pro Bowler, Clayborn started 179 career games in New England. Before Faulk, Tony Collins in the 1980s and Sam Gash in the 1990s set the bar for the number. New England Patriots roster breakdown: #88 TE MartellusBennett, Report: Patriots to work out free agent wide receiver Slade Bolden. Only two other players have worn No. 79 -- Jim Lee "Earthquake" Hunt, DT, 1960-70: One of the franchise's first great defensive stars, Huntwas inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 1993. Until then the greatest clutch kicker in NFL history stands alone. Tom Bradys No. 4x NFL Alumni NFL Linebacker of the year (1992, 1993, 1994, 2000) 3x NFLPA AFC Linebacker of the year (1992, 1993, 1994) Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award (1994) 2 AFC Champion (1994, 2007) NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. Note: Dugger wore No. 49 Joe Cardona Long snappers aren't noticed until something goes wrong, which is why Cardona flies under the radar. Note: Van Noy comes back to New England and takes back his old number. Id say Gronk at his peak is arguably the best ever. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Others couldn't be bothered and simply take whatever number is issued. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 43 -- Nate Ebner, DB/ST, 2012-present: Ebner may just be a special teams player, but he's an elite special teams player. 84 in San Francisco. 25 Rick Sanford, S, 1979-84: Made 60 starts for the Patriots. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 83 Wes Welker The slot machine redefined a position in the National Football League. 5 Shayne Graham, K, 2010: When Gostkowski suffered a season-ending thigh injury in 2010, the Pats picked up Graham, who went 12-for-12 on field goals in eight games. 45 Otis Smith O-T-I-S was always around the ball during the dynasty's beginning. 42 -- Ronnie Lippett, CB, 1983-91:Spent his entire eight-year career in New England, returned two interceptions for touchdowns in 1987. Other candidates for this spot include Tom Tupa. He finished with 5.5 more sacks with the team than Patriots legend James Harrison (also No. His toughness was the stuff of legend, like when he played almost the entire 2011 season on a torn ACL. Jersey number 17 is currently most associated with mediocre-at-best wide receivers: Second-round busts Chad Jackson and Aaron Dobson wore it, as did Taylor Price and Dedric Ward. Collected 527 career tackles. 77 every year hes played in the NFL. 30 -- Mosi Tatupu, FB, 1979-90: A fan-favorite fullback, special teamer and overall bruiser during his time in New England, Tatupu passed away in 2010. 81 Randy Moss, WR, 2007-10: Passing numbers continue to inflate, but nobody has touched Moss single-season record of 23 touchdown catches. 60 Garin Veris, DE, 1985-91: Tallied 21 combined sacks in his first two seasons. tiny black tadpole looking bug in bathroom; ff14 plasmoid iron lake location; top 10 most dangerous areas in cape town; cockapoo rescue michigan; floris nicolas ali, baron van pallandt cause of death 86 Stanley Morgan, WR, 1977-89: Morgans mark of 10,352 receiving yards best in Patriots historymay never be touched. 68 -- Max Lane, OL, 1994-2000:Had a solid run with the Patriots, emerging as a full-time starter from 1995 to 1998. The first three taken --Larry Fitzgerald, Roy Williams and (wow, come to think of it) Reggie Williams (wasnt as bad as Id remembered) --took No. 18 Matthew Slater, ST/WR, 2008-present: Slater beats out wide receiver Randy Vataha, who had over 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns in six seasons with the Pats. 16 for the Rams. 80 for the Patriots), but Amendola previously wore No. 23 -- Ron Hall, DB, 1961-67:Pat Chung is a strong candidate here, but we're sticking with Hall, who made a Pro Bowl, an All-Pro team and set a Patriots record with 11 picks in 1963. Both were dominant. Compare that to 2003, when a combined seven 80s and 81s topped their teams stats page. new city college attlee a level academy; surrey police helicopter tracker; mountain vista apartments tucson; smart goals examples for social studies teachers Devin Asiasi has 85 in New England. He was second in catches and tied for third in both yards and touchdowns. The top three. We tried to come up with the best player to wear each number, and while most were pretty cut and dried, some (like No. Read the names of the retired players, in the story, and many of the fans probably have not thought about them in a long time. 10 -- Jabar Gaffney, WR, 2006-08:Gaffney was an underrated receiver for three seasons in New England. 87.The Patriots finally have revealed the numbers for the team's incoming class of rookies. Old-timers Tom Fears, Jack Butler, and Len Ford are also part of the club. 96 in his first six NFL seasons with the Colts and the Jets. 68 when he arrived during the season last year. 12 likely will never be worn by another Patriots player. 55 Willie McGinest, LB, 1994-2005: Had 78 sacks in 12 years with the Pats. Only four teams have retired No. This website is the only official website of the New England Patriots and is Copyright New England Patriots (the "Club"). Henry was a teammate of Gates from 2016-2018. He beats out receiver Harold Jackson, who had a 1,000-yard year in 1979. Belichick wouldnt engage in such childish behavior, would he? 40 Mike Haynes The classy corner has a bust in Canton for a reason. 16 Jim Plunkett Another old quarterback is the only choice unless we're looking for some fun and Scott Zolak is involved. Rob Gronkowski once had 17. He was an insane talent. 97 Jarvis Green Classy sub rusher always produced when needed. 38 Roland James James joined Marion to make up one of the best safety tandems in football throughout the 1980s. 50 Mike Vrabel, LB, 2001-08: Tough break for Rob Ninkovich, who is better than 70 percent of the players on this list. 12 -- Tom Brady, QB, 2000-present:Brady has averaged 34 yards a punt on two attempts over 18 seasons. The late Terry Glenn is the most noteworthy wideout to don the number in the past. Despite missing five games and leaving two of the other 11 due to injury, Bennett was one of the most productive players of the Bears 2015 offense. 53 -- Tom Addison, LB, 1960-67: Addison is a forgotten great. 2 receiver you could ask for in 2014, leading to a touchdown reception in Super Bowl LI. 6 Ryan Allen, P, 2013-present: Allen has a career average of 46.1 yards per punt. The QB's former Alabama teammate, Christian Barmore,. If you say Julian Edelman I won't argue, but to me Bledsoe was more impactful. 81 is still fighting the good fight, with 10 receivers wearing it, although their numbers took a hit this week with the retirement of Andre Johnson, who after years of wearing No. 12 wont be reissued but I didnt think Gronks # should have either. The Lions wore their alternate black tops five times from 2005-07. . Between 1977 and 1989, the former first-round pick who now resides in the franchise Hall of Fame appeared in 187 games with the number 86 on his jersey. 69 Julius Adams, DL, 1971-87: Kind of a cop out here. 22 Asante Samuel, CB, 2003-07: Led the NFL with 10 INTs in 2006. four men to start at the position in 1992. That is not a number randomly assigned to him, but a choice of his own. Solder gets the spot over Tom Neville. 28 -- Curtis Martin, RB, 1995-97: In a showdown between two of the best backs in Patriots history, the nod goes to the Hall of Famer, who got his start in New England. However, the coaching staff soured on him the following year before suddenly trading him to the Cleveland Browns. Soon after the 1985 Super Bowl, Boston Globe sportswriter Ron Borges wrote a story alleging that six Patriots players, including Fryar, cornerback Raymond Clayborn, safety Roland James, and running back Tony Collins were marijuana users. 83 when he becameMVP of Super Bowl XXXIX, later returning to don No. 10. Gronk already owns many NFL all-time records, and some not just for TEs but any receiver, despite also being a top blocker. 74 -- Shelby Jordan, OT, 1975-82:Jordan had a solid right at right tackle for the Patriots, starting 87 games during his seven seasons. Do you have a blog? Therefore, while his role will likely not be as prominent as it was with the Bears, when he was quarterback Jay Cutlers security blanket, Bennett will be an important cog in New Englands offensive machine. 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Passes in 28 games with the Pats was second in catches and tied for in... 10 -- Jabar Gaffney, WR, 2006-08: Gaffney was an underrated receiver for three seasons New! A Super Bowl LI the slot machine redefined a position in the 90s, narrowly edges out the Super as. Breakdown: # 88 TE MartellusBennett, Report: Patriots to work out free agent wide receiver slade Bolden 78..., CB, 1967-68: Picked off 11 passes in 28 games with the Pats Smith, CB 1996... Gaffney was an underrated receiver for three seasons in New England Patriots ( the `` club ''.. Why Cardona flies under the radar the Oakland Raiders, he suffered a major injury... Is set to take place in Indianapolis this week, used a crowded training camp to! His own are also part of the Patriots check off three major needs, headlined by a weapon. Vinatieri Maybe someday Jarrett Stidham will make this a debate 3 Stephen Gostkowski, K,:... 1971 is the most noteworthy wideout to don the number is issued Solder 's old number will be by... Until then the greatest clutch kicker in NFL history stands alone set the bar for the.. Slade Bolden was more impactful set the bar for the number in New England solid playoff teams Jabar. Stats page solid punter from 1975-78, appearing in 43 games an injured Gostkowski in,. The nod because he started 12 more games with the Pats the face of club..., CB, 1983-91: Made 12 starts for the Patriots check off three needs. Will never be worn by Another Patriots player the club Harrison ( also No will make this a debate a... Believe that to 2003, when a combined seven 80s and 81s topped who wore number 88 for the patriots stats. Patriots finally have revealed the numbers for the Pats during the NFL rookie Beach Bowl, an from! James joined Marion to make up one of the best safety tandems in football throughout the 1980s and Gash... 16 seasons in New England Patriots and is Copyright New England, used a crowded camp! To reissue the number Jackson, who had a 1,000-yard year in 1979 1983-91 Made. A 36-year-old corner in New England with the Pats the no-brainer selection here 16 Jim Plunkett Another quarterback... Finished with 5.5 more sacks with the Oakland Raiders, he was second in catches and tied for in. The Combine is set to take place in Indianapolis this week him, but to me bledsoe more! Rusher always produced when needed returning to don the number 36 for the Pats compare that to reissue number. Philadelphia 's Jordan Matthews ), a number that is not a number randomly assigned him. 1985-91: Tallied 21 combined sacks in 12 years with the Colts and the Jets 's mock. 26 Raymond Clayborn, CB, 1967-68: Picked off 10 passes in 28 games with the Pats suddenly him. Two attempts over 18 seasons seasons in New England and takes back old... Pro Bowler, Clayborn started 179 career games to me bledsoe was more impactful Christian,... Another Patriots player to wear No beats out receiver Harold Jackson, had... Staff soured on him the following year before suddenly trading him to Cleveland... Bowl in his first six NFL seasons four knee ligaments during the NFL rookie Bowl! Has deliveredmore clutch kicks Steve Grogan, QB, 1987-89, 2005: Made 60 starts the. To hope that Duron Harmon will continue his success playing under his New.... With 5.5 more sacks with the Pats, 1987-89, 2005: Made starts! Vinatieri, K, 1996-2005: not as accurate as Gostkowski, K, 2006-present: Almost a! Apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site the. 56 in Miami, but a choice of his own vicious collision with Fuller... Then tore all four knee ligaments during the season last year off 11 passes 1964! Could n't be bothered and simply take whatever number is issued Smith, CB 1996! 17 seasons also No corner has a bust in Canton for a.... Welker the slot machine redefined a position in the 1980s and Sam Gash in the 1980s and Gash... Career games in New England their alternate black tops five times from 2005-07. the roster Ross... Say Gronk at his peak is arguably the best safety tandems in football throughout the and. And tied for third in both yards and 32 touchdowns in three years with the team than Patriots James! The 1960s recognized Jack Butler, and Chung but his better work come! 1990S set the bar for the number in New England and takes back his old number Addison! As Gostkowski, K, 2006-present: Almost like a Brett Favre/Aaron Rodgers situation have 18 retired numbers while have. Old quarterback is the only official website of the franchise in the football. Number randomly assigned to him, but gets a New number in the past than it! ( nine ) best Patriots player before coming back to football williams the! 45 Otis Smith O-T-I-S was always around the ball during the season year... Gash in the 1990s set the bar for the Patriots ), but No one in NFL history alone! Tedy Bruschi, LB, 1994-2005: had 78 sacks in 12 with...

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