21 obscure player facts from the 2019 Patriots media guide
From multi-sport athletes to family music stars, some of these facts may surprise you.
The Patriots released their media guide for the 2019 NFL season, and it’s filled with statistics, background, and information about everyone in the organization. With so much info, some of the more obscure facts can go overlooked. Here are 21 obscure player facts from this year’s media guide.
- Ryan Allen was originally enrolled at Oregon State University as a walk-on, but had to compete with current Los Angeles Rams punter Johnny Hekker for a scholarship and the starting punting spot. Allen lost that battle and ended up transferring to Louisiana Tech where he won the Ray Guy Award for the nation’s best punter in 2011 and 2012.
- David Andrew’s uncle, Dan Reeves, is a former NFL player and head coach. Reeves played for the Cowboys and coached them as an assistant after he retired in 1972. He went on to become the head coach for the Broncos, Giants, and Falcons.
- During high school, Ja’Whaun Bentley and his family were homeless, having to stay with multiple family members and being forced to sleep on the floor and couch of their homes. It wasn’t until Bentley was drafted by the Patriots in the 5th round of the 2018 NFL draft that Bentley’s family was able to move back into a home of their own.
- Braxton Berrios was the valedictorian of the Miami School of Business and Administration, graduating with a 3.961 grade point average.
- Brandon Bolden’s grandfather, Frank Pitts, played 10 seasons in the NFL with the Chiefs, Browns, and Raiders. Pitts even appeared in two Super Bowls with the Chiefs, losing Super Bowl I and winning Super Bowl IV.
- Rex Burkhead was named after University of Kentucky basketball star Rex Chapman.
- While at Vanderbilt, Adam Butler originally came in as an offensive lineman, redshirting his freshman year. His position change came when Butler decided to enter a rib eating contest on campus. When his team lost, Butler argued with the judges about the results. Vanderbilt’s defensive coordinator Bob Schoop was in attendance and was impressed by Butler’s competitive edge. Schoops then requested that Butler be switched to the defensive side of the ball.
- Before the 2011 NFL draft Marcus Cannon was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The Patriots selected Cannon in the 5th round despite his diagnosis. He spent the season undergoing treatment and was named the Patriots 2011 Ed Block Courage Award winner. He has bounced back to be able to play nine seasons for the Patriots.
- Patrick Chung’s mother, Sophia George, was a very popular recording artist in Jamaica during the 80’s and 90’s. Her song ‘Girlie, Girlie’ topped the charts in 1985.
- James Develin graduated from Brown University in 2010, and following his graduation he began to line up interviews to put his degree in chemical engineering to use. Develin instead decided he wanted to give football as his career one last shot. Develin played in the Arena Football League and the now defunct United Football League until he made the Bengals practice squad and eventually, the Patriots roster.
- During high school Nate Ebner didn’t play football. He played rugby at a highly-competitive level, playing on the United States’ U19 and U20 national teams. Ebner didn’t play competitive football until he decided to walk-on to the Ohio State University football team where he was eventually given a scholarship. Ebner also went to the 2016 Olympics with the United States national rugby team while he was still an active member of the Patriots.
- Julian Edelman graduated from Kent State University this spring with a Bachelors of Integrative Studies.
- Out of high school Stephen Gostkowski received a scholarship to pitch for the University of Miami’s baseball team. He walked on to the school’s football team and left as their all-time leading scorer.
- Dont’a Hightower is one of two people (the second being Russell Maryland) to win multiple NCAA national championships and multiple Super Bowls during his career. Hightower won the 2009 and 2011 national championships with the University of Alabama, and won Super Bowls XLIX, LI, and LIII with the Patriots.
- Ted Karras is one of seven members of his family to play college football in the Big 10, having played at the University of Illinois before being drafted by the Patriots in 2016. His great-uncle, Alex Karras, even won the Outland Trophy as a defensive tackle for the University of Iowa.
- Shaq Mason’s full name is Shaquille Olajuwon Mason, named after NBA Hall of Famers Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon.
- The University of Georgia duo Sony Michel and Isaiah Wynn spent their first two collegiate seasons as roommates. They were also the first college teammates to both selected by the Patriots in the first round in franchise history.
- Diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer at just two years old, the odds didn’t look great for Mike Pennell Jr. to ever be a professional athlete. But after years of treatment, 18 months of chemotherapy, and having to have two tumors removed, Pennell was declared cancer free at the age of 10.
- Danny Shelton’s full name is Danny Sailieupumoni Shelton. His middle name, Sailieupumoni, means ‘search for the truth.’ His family calls him ‘Saili’ for short.
- Matthew Slater’s father, Jackie Slater, was an offensive tackle for the Rams for 20 years and is a member of the Pro-Football Hall of Fame.
- Patriots running back James White shares a close bond with Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovani Bernard, going all the way back to their high school days. When Bernard’s family lost their home, White and his parents took Bernard in for his senior year of high school. White considers Bernard to be a brother to him.
