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Boston Globe
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Time for the Patriots, and all NFL teams, to unretire most of their retired numbers
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Recirculating No. 18 so soon seemed disrespectful to Slater, who left the organization in January after spending the 2024 season as Jerod Mayo's special assistant. Advertisement But giving out his number is no dig at Slater. Rather, it's indicative of a larger problem for the Patriots and several other teams — they have too many retired numbers. Williams took No. 18 because he didn't have much of a choice. Receivers are allowed to wear Nos. 0-49 and 80-89, but No. 18 was basically the last number available. Veteran players had scooped up almost every other number, and Williams wasn't allowed to choose No. 12 ( Tom Brady ), 20 ( Gino Cappelletti ), 40 ( Mike Haynes ) or 89 ( Bob Dee ) because they were long ago retired by the Patriots (other than Brady). Advertisement The Patriots have nine jersey numbers out of circulation — eight that were officially retired by the team, and one (No. 56) that hasn't been issued since Andre Tippett retired in 1993. Most of the jersey retirements happened in a different era, before the Krafts took ownership of the team in 1994. Before Brady last year, the Patriots hadn't retired a number in 23 years. The franchise doesn't do much to acknowledge the retired numbers, with no sign of them inside Gillette Stadium. Brady's No. 12 is obvious. John Hannah (No. 73), Tippett, and Haynes, all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, make sense, though Haynes only played in New England for seven of his 14 seasons. The rest is a bit of an odd list that focuses on the olden days and ignores the six-Super Bowl dynasty. With all due respect to linebacker Steve Nelson (No. 57), offensive tackle Bruce Armstrong (No. 78), and original Boston Patriot stars Jim Lee Hunt (No. 79), Cappelletti, and Dee, their achievements now pale in comparison to the myriad stars who have won Super Bowls in Foxborough. It's long overdue for the Patriots, and all NFL teams, to consider unretiring every number other than the absolute best of the best (Brady). Two reasons stick out. One is out of practicality. It's easy for the Celtics to hang 24 jerseys in the rafters when they only have 15 players on the team. Same with the Red Sox, who can easily find numbers for everyone on the 40-man roster despite retiring 11 numbers. Advertisement But the NFL has 90-man rosters in the offseason, and only 100 numbers available (0 to 99). With nine numbers out of circulation, the Patriots have trouble finding a number for everyone. Four numbers (17, 29, 30, 37) have been issued to multiple players this year, which will be rectified come roster cuts in August. Currently, the only numbers still available are 50, 60, 67 and 96, none of which Williams, a receiver, can wear. No. 60 belonged to recently retired David Andrews , while 50, coincidentally or not, was the number of new coach Mike Vrabel . Related : The other reason for the Patriots to unretire most of their numbers is out of respect to the legendary players that have since come through the organization. Hunt and Dee were great original Patriots in the 1960s, and both died young of heart attacks. Cappelletti was another AFL great who later spent 28 years as a radio broadcaster for the Patriots. Nelson (1974-87) and Armstrong (1987-2000) had long, successful careers in Foxborough. But they didn't win Super Bowls, and they're not inducted in Canton. Their number retirements, deserving at the time, now stand out as disproportionate to their impact on the franchise, given the team's massive success in the 21st century. At least a dozen players from the past 25 years are more deserving of having their numbers retired: Troy Brown , Kevin Faulk , Tedy Bruschi , Richard Seymour , Ty Law , Adam Vinatieri , Julian Edelman , Rob Gronkowski , Devin McCourty , James White , Vrabel, and Slater. Dont'a Hightower and Andrews probably deserve it, too. But the Patriots can't retire everyone's number, so instead they don't retire any. Now their general practice is to take a player's jersey out of circulation for just the first year after he retires. For instance, Edelman's No. 11 wasn't issued in 2021, but was given to Tyquan Thornton in 2022. Matt Light's No. 72 wasn't issued in 2012, and in 2013 went to defensive tackle Joe Vellano . The Patriots have so many great players that they try not to play favorites, other than with Brady. Advertisement No NFL team has unretired its numbers, and the Patriots surely don't want to be the first to face that PR blitz. But there are several ways to soften the blow for the players and their families. The Patriots could create a wing in the team's Hall of Fame for the players with retired numbers. Or a special monument in the plaza at Patriot Place, or in the concourse at Gillette Stadium. And they can honor the players by putting meaning behind their numbers. The Patriots' best offensive lineman could get Hannah's No. 73. The team's emotional leader could get Cappelletti's No. 20, or Slater's No. 18. And so on. That's a better way to honor former players, anyway. How many Patriots fans know Bob Dee, or even know that his No. 89 is retired? But if you recirculate his number, suddenly the media and TV broadcasters are talking about Dee's life and career. If any Patriot deserves to have his jersey number retired, it's Slater. But if the Patriots are going to give out his No. 18 to a rookie receiver, then it's time to put most of their retired numbers back into circulation. Rookie receiver Kyle Williams wears No. 18 for the Patriots. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Washington State idol Rookie says Slater held in high regard Kyle Williams has not met Matthew Slater . His Washington State program had no direct connection to Slater. Yet Williams said he knew all about Slater before arriving in Foxborough. Advertisement 'One of my coaches was one of those dudes that just showed him every day,' Williams said. 'And just be like, 'This is someone you should imitate if you want to make it to the league and be successful.' ' In what ways? 'Just in general conversation, about his achievements and how he took care of himself on and off the field,' Williams said. 'When you have a dream of making the league, he's a guy you hear about a lot.' Related : Retired numbers Some facts and figures There are 163 retired numbers across the NFL. A few nuggets: ▪ The Bears lead with 14 numbers retired, from Red Grange to Walter Payton . The Giants have retired 14 jerseys, but only 13 numbers because they retired No. 14 twice ( Y.A. Tittle and Ward Cuff ). The 49ers have 12 retired numbers, the Chiefs 10, and the Eagles and Patriots have nine. ▪ On the other end, the Cowboys, Raiders and Saints don't have any. Same with the Texans and Ravens, though they haven't been around that long. The Jaguars ( Tony Boselli ), Panthers ( Sam Mills ), and Bengals ( Bob Johnson ) have retired just one number. ▪ Some of the bedrock teams surprisingly have retired few numbers. The Packers, despite existing for 105 years and placing 29 guys in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, have retired just six numbers. The Steelers have 27 players in the Hall, yet have retired just three numbers ( Franco Harris , Joe Greene , Ernie Stautner ). The Broncos and Dolphins, with several legendary players through the decades, also have retired only three numbers. ▪ The Lions retired No. 20 three times — Lem Barney , Billy Sims , and Barry Sanders . The Bears have 14 numbers retired, including Walter Payton's No. 34. REED SAXON/Associated Press Outreach program Rams took it all the way to Hawaii The Rams always have done things a little differently, like being the first team to sign their entire draft class at once, or trading their first-round pick in seven straight years. The Rams also usually cancel their mandatory minicamp at the end of the summer as a treat for the players, but this year found a clever way to spend their time. Advertisement The Rams traveled to Hawaii last week for football and community outreach at their 'Maui-camp.' As the NFL expands internationally, the Rams have focused on Australia, Asia, and Hawaii. 'Let's not kid ourselves, we're not getting anything football-wise done,' coach Sean McVay said. 'But it'll be a cool trip to be able to connect.' The Rams opened two practices to the fans, held flag football and tackle football clinics, and joined Habitat for Humanity Maui to help rebuild homes in an area affected by wildfires in 2023. The Rams allowed players to bring immediate family members living with them on the trip. 'This is about being able to get some good quality time with each other,' McVay said, per ESPN. 'And then being able to use the platform that we're blessed with to be able to get back to a community that went through some similar things that we can all understand and kind of empathize with.' Mahalo, Maui! 👋💙 — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) Pull over Sanders already a headache So, it begins with Shedeur Sanders . Less than two months after joining the Browns, Sanders already is becoming a headache and showing why he dropped to the fifth round of the draft. Cleveland media reported last week that Sanders was pulled over not once but twice in two weeks this month for excessive speeding. On June 5, he was pulled over on the highway for going 91 miles per hour in a 65-m.p.h. zone. And on June 17, the day after Sanders skipped the arraignment for his first ticket, he was pulled over for driving 101 m.p.h. in a 60-m.p.h. zone. Related : Though no one was hurt, these incidents speak to a lack of maturity and awareness. Sanders is being watched closely after his dramatic fall in the draft. And his career has gotten off to a slow start, with Sanders working mainly with the scout team. Reporters on the scene said Sanders is running fourth on the depth chart, behind even fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel . Sanders should be in the 'be seen, not heard' portion of his career — burying his nose in the playbook, coming in early to the facility and staying late, and showing his new team he was worth the gamble. Instead, Sanders is out driving at reckless speeds and getting caught twice. If Sanders doesn't want to be compared with Johnny Manziel , he's not off to a good start. Cleveland media reported last week that Sanders was pulled over not once but twice in two weeks this month for excessive speeding. David Richard/Associated Press Legendary figure Chiefs' mascot is retiring An NFL legend quietly walked away this past week. The Chiefs announced that Dan Meers retired after 35 years as the team's mascot, KC Wolf. Meers, who was named the top overall college mascot in the country in 1989 at the University of Missouri before joining the Chiefs in 1990, performed at 375 games as KC Wolf, including international contests and all five of the Chiefs' recent Super Bowls. Meers was the NFL's longest-tenured mascot by 12 years, and the first NFL mascot inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2006. He will stay on with the Chiefs as a consultant and backup KC Wolf. 'Since joining the organization in 1990, Dan helped establish KC Wolf not only as a source of energy and enthusiasm on game days, but as a symbol of pride and passion for all of Chiefs Kingdom,' Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt said. Extra points The Ravens' front office made a sharp move by signing cornerback Jaire Alexander . He may be 28 and coming off two injury-plagued seasons, but he's best friends with Lamar Jackson dating to their days together at Louisville. Not only did the Ravens fulfill Jackson's wish, they let Jackson be the first one to greet Alexander at the facility to sign his contract. The Ravens paid Alexander $4 million for one season, and the goodwill might help in their negotiations with Jackson over a new mega-contract … When you see Alexander sign for $4 million, it's no wonder the Dolphins haven't been able to trade cornerback Jalen Ramsey , who still has $20.235 million fully guaranteed this year. The Rams were rumored to be the destination, 'but there would be some obstacles that are real that are in the place of maybe preventing that from occurring,' Rams coach Sean McVay said. Yeah, 20.235 million obstacles … Only three teams are going away to college for the traditional training camp experience — Bills (St. John Fisher University), Chiefs (Missouri Western State), and Steelers (St. Vincent College), while the Cowboys are doing their annual trip to Oxnard, Calif. … It hasn't been all luaus and paradise for the Rams lately. Alaric Jackson , who has started 32 games at left tackle the last two seasons, was recently diagnosed with blood clots, putting his availability into question. It's a recurrence for Jackson, who missed the final nine games of 2022 for the same reason. The Rams signed veteran D.J. Humphries as insurance … Did you know: The Patriots haven't won an AFC Offensive Player of the Week Award since 2017, when Rob Gronkowski and Dion Lewis won it in Weeks 15 and 16. Since then, Josh Allen has won the award 15 times, Lamar Jackson 13, Patrick Mahomes 10, and one each for Bengals backup Jake Browning and Jets QBs Sam Darnold , Mike White , and Zach Wilson … Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy didn't play a snap in his rookie season after suffering a knee injury in August. But he still somehow led all players in NFL Players Association royalties in 2024, per Darren Rovell of Travis Kelce's $3.25 million, per Department of Labor filings, with Justin Herbert , Peyton Manning , and Allen rounding out the top five. Rovell theorizes that McCarthy made a good chunk of his money with a trading card deal … During the second season of Netflix series 'America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders,' four-year veteran Megan McElaney said the cheerleaders recently got a 400 percent raise, six years after the Cowboys settled a lawsuit that increased pay from $200 to $400 per game. 'Happy' isn't even the right word for it,' former cheerleader Jada Mclean told the Associated Press. 'Kind of felt like a relief, like everything had paid off. And it was, you know, finally, we were done fighting.' Ben Volin can be reached at
Reuters
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Revolution sign M Matt Polster to new deal through 2027
May 16 - The New England Revolution rewarded midfielder Matt Polster on Friday with a new contract lasting through the 2027 season. The 31-year-old has been with New England since 2020, following stints with the Chicago Fire (2015-18) and the Scottish club Rangers FC (2019-20). "It's an incredible honor to sign on for another chapter with this club, one that has meant so much to me and my family over the past 5 1/2 years," Polster said in a statement. "I'm deeply grateful to the Krafts and the entire New England Revolution organization for their continued belief in me and for giving me the opportunity to keep doing what I love. "To the fans -- thank you for your years of unwavering support and love. I'm looking forward to continuing this journey with you. Soccer has always been my passion and to pursue it in a place that has become home is something I don't take for granted. I'm proud of how far we've come, yet more motivated than ever to help this club bring a championship to New England." A defensive midfielder, Polster has scored 10 goals and added one assist in his 225 MLS games (202 starts). He has one goal through eight matches this season, scoring on his only shot on target. "For the past 5 1/2 years, Matt Polster has been a cornerstone of the New England Revolution, bringing unmatched leadership, relentless dedication, and fiery intensity to our club," Revs sporting director Curt Onalfo said in a statement. "It has been a privilege to witness Matt's remarkable growth as both a player and a leader during his time with us. We are thrilled for him to continue his journey here in New England, driving our team toward the ultimate goal of hoisting trophies." Polster made one appearance for the U.S. men's national team in a 2018 friendly. --Field Level Media
Boston Globe
05-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Krafts pledge more development will follow soccer stadium in Everett
Advertisement 'We've had people from outside of Massachusetts trying to get us to move the team,' Robert Kraft said. 'But we want to be here in this state, and do something really cool and creative.' Jonathan Kraft said that if the Krafts go ahead with the project, it would open up a fenced-off waterfront for yearlong public access, not to mention future development opportunities in this part of Everett, also home to Wynn's Encore Boston Harbor casino. He noted how the Kraft family Since then, the Krafts have additionally invested well over twice that amount in the stadium and surrounding properties, Jonathan Kraft said, pointing to the adjacent Patriot Place retail development and upgrades to the stadium, currently shared by the Pats and Revs. Advertisement 'If we're fortunate enough to be able to build this stadium, I'm confident that working together with the community of Everett and the political leaders, that this will only be the beginning,' Jonathan Kraft said. 'There will be more investment that follows.' They left the building without taking comments, leaving Revs president Brian Bilello and vice president Cathal Conlon to talk about the project's details. Bilello said the stadium could host concerts for up to 30,000 people, high-profile soccer games outside of Major League Soccer, and community events and festivals. 'There's really no end [to] how we could use the facility,' he said. Planning for the stadium is still in the early stages. The first step was removing the 43-acre site from a state regulated zone known as a Designated Port Area, where only marine industrial developments can occur; the state Legislature DeMaria hosted last week's meeting, and tried to limit discussions to comments about what people want to see in Everett's community impact agreement. The most frequent concern raised was the potential traffic issues on game days, although there would be only minimal parking on the stadium site itself — echoing similar concerns raised by nearby Boston residents. DeMaria expressed optimism that most game attendees would Advertisement DeMaria brushed away calls from a few critics in the audience to hold a citywide referendum over whether the stadium should be built, saying the Krafts' proposal is the best use that the city could hope for to clean up and reuse the site. City councilor Michael Marchese said that what Everett really needs is more tax revenue, much like the millions that used to flow each year into the city's coffers from the power plant during its heyday. (The annual amount the Krafts would contribute to the city hasn't been determined yet.) 'Those ugly towers, which nobody likes, they supported the city pretty damn well over the last 100 years,' Marchese said. 'I just want to see what the trickle-down part is for us, the people of Everett. ... It looks fantastic [but] we need to make money also, not just the billionaires.' Stephanie Ebbert of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Jon Chesto can be reached at
