Foxboro Favorite: Amendola Retires With Special Spot In Patriots History
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FOXBORO — The date was March 13, 2013.
Mere hours after New England Patriots slot receiver and fan-favorite Wes Welker signed with the Denver Broncos, the New England Patriots announced the signing of Danny Amendola.
Following two forgettable stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles practice squads, the Texas Tech product spent four years with the St. Louis Rams. His 5-11 frame, along with his gritty on-field skill set earned him the instant label of being Welker’s replacement. In actuality, Amendola actually signed with the Patriots before Welker signed with the Broncos.
It was the beginning of a successful five-year relationship.
With Amendola announcing his retirement on Monday, Patirots fans may find themselves feeling a bit nostalgic. Despite subsequent stops with the Miami Dolphins (2018), Detroit Lions (2019-2020), and Houston Texans (2021), the annals of sports nostalgia will forever hold his time in a Patriots uniform as his most memorable.
Statistically, he certainly fulfilled his expectations. Amendola played in 69 regular-season games for the Patriots, making 29 starts. He logged 230 catches for 2383 yards and 12 touchdowns. In the postseason, Amendola was among the Pats’ top performers. He participated in 13 playoff games, starting six of them. He earned 57 catches for 709 yards and six touchdowns. His efforts in a Patriots uniform earned him a spot on the Patriots All-2010s Team.
While his numbers are impressive, Amendola truly made his mark in New England folklore by providing some unforgettable moments which will continue to play prominently in the franchise’s history.
In honor of Amendola’s five years with the Patriots, here is a look at five of his most noteworthy moments in New England.
Boston Strong
Though he may have been born in The Woodlands, Texas, Amendola’s parents were natives of Boston. As such, he always had a heartfelt connection to the city. In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013, Amendola took to social media to pledge his intention of donating $100 for every pass he caught during the 2013 season, and $200 for every pass he dropped to the yet-to-be formed fund to provide assistance for the victims. He did so approximately one month after signing his deal with the Patriots, and before playing a single down with the team. His generosity touched several of his teammates, including Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty. Citing Amendola’s pledge, McCourty made a similar commitment, donating $100 per tackle, and $200 per interception.
Dignified Debut
In his 2013 week 1 debut with New England, Amendola suffered a groin injury in the first half against the Buffalo Bills. Having arrived in New England with a questionable injury history, many Patriots fans wondered if the term ‘caveat emptor’ may have applied to his signing. However, Amendola returned to the field after halftime, finishing the game with 10 catches for 104 yards. Three of his catches were on crucial third downs; including two on New England’s game-winning drive.
Receiver-To-Receiver
In the moment which may have given birth to his postseason reputation, Amendola found himself on the receiving end of a 51-yard touchdown score against the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round of the 2014 playoffs. The screen pass was thrown by fellow wideout Julian Edelman, highlighting a come-from-behind 35-31 victory for the Pats. Amendola caught five passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns on the night. In Super Bowl XLIX, Amendola recorded five catches for 48 yards and a touchdown in a 28–24 victory against the Seattle Seahawks; his first championship with New England.
The Comeback
Amendola had eight catches for 78 yards in New England’s 34–28 overtime comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. He helped to spark the Pats historic win by scoring the team’s first touchdown of the fourth quarter, a six-yard scoring strike from quarterback Tom Brady. Amendola would also connect with Brady on a two-point conversion with less than a minute to go to tie the game at 28–28. He became the 27th player in NFL history to have at least two career receiving touchdowns in the Super Bowl.
“Danny Playoff”
During the 2017 postseason, Amendola was given the nickname "Danny Playoff" by teammate Rob Gronkowski, citing his standout postseason performances. He assuredly earned the moniker during the 2018 AFC Championship game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. Amendola logged seven receptions for 84 yards, including two touchdown catches in the fourth quarter. He also delivered a key 20-yard punt return to set up New England's winning touchdown. New England rallied from being down 20–10 to win 24–20 and earn a trip to Super Bowl LII. Amendola was named MVP of the game. Albeit in a losing effort, Amendola finished with 152 receiving yards in Super Bowl LII, a game in which the Pats fell to the Philadelphia Eagles by a final score of 41–33.
