Van Noy, Karras Continue Two-Time Patriots Trend
Safety Patrick Chung announce the end of his career Thursday morning, one that was known for its brilliant second act with the New England Patriots.
RELATED: Chung Calls It a Career
He wasn't the first Patriots player to come back for a second stint and thrive, and the team is hoping that's just what's going to happen again with center Ted Karras and linebacker Kyle Van Noy.
Both players agreed to terms with the Patriots after leaving last offseason and playing one year with the Miami Dolphins.
Van Noy and Karras are just the latest in a long list — really long — of players who had two different stints with the Patriots. And that's not even including players who missed a year either because of a contract dispute (such as Sam Cunningham in 1980) or an injury (such as Andre Tippett in 1989).
RELATED: Return Engagement for Van Noy
The list include such names as LB Tully Banta-Cain, RB Brandon Bolden, WR Deion Branch, DE Andre Carter, LB Jamie Collins, TE Russ Francis, WR Harold Jackson, S Tebucky Jones and CB Otis Smith.
A lot of the players, such as Bolden and Carter, came back after only a year away, but Flutie had a long gap between stints. A very long gap.
Flutie played parts of three seasons with New England from 1987-89 and didn't make his way back to the Patriots until 2005 — 16 years later — after spending time in the Canadian Football League and then with the Bills and Chargers.
Then there's Brian Hoyer, who stands out as the one player who had not two but three stints with the Patriots — 2009-11, 2017-18 and 2020.
Of the players who left and came back to New England, no one had more impact in his return than Chung, who helped the team win three Super Bowl titles as a versatile safety.
Interestingly, no Patriots player has made the Pro Bowl in his second stint with New England.
Van Noy and Karras certainly would love to change that.
