Danny Amendola makes it big with the Patriots
Danny Amendola spent 2008 on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad. He chose to leave the next season, and after a brief stop in Philadelphia, ended up getting his chance with the St. Louis Rams.
Since then, the former Texas Tech receiver has written his own story.
“It was definitely a frustrating year, because I wasn’t playing on Sunday,” Amendola said of his season in Dallas. “I don’t know if I was ready or not. I want to think I was ready. I was behind some great players, but it was definitely a big bridge to mentally learn the system that they had in place, coming from where I came from in college. Play calling in college is a lot different than any NFL offense.
“I learned a lot. That’s the biggest thing I could take away from it.”
After four seasons in St. Louis, Amendola signed a five-year, $28.5 million contract with the New England Patriots in the 2013 off-season to replace another former Red Raider, Wes Welker. This year, the Patriots asked him to take a pay cut, and he did, agreeing to a restructured three-year, $12.8 million deal to stay.
“I understand more so than anybody that this is a business,” Amendola said. “Money was never really a deciding factor to where I went to play. I wanted to play on a football team that works hard during the week and prepares well, and this was the place that I chose. … My friends are here. My family’s here.”
Amendola, 29, still considers himself an underdog. Not even seven years in the league and a Super Bowl ring has removed the chip on his shoulder.
“That’s how I was brought up,” said Amendola, who has eight catches for 92 yards and a touchdown this season as well as a 9.7-yard punt-return average. “That’s how I was taught to play the game. I like it that way.”
Amendola had only 15 catches in the first 14 games last season, but he made his name in the Patriots’ final five games. He had 23 receptions and three touchdowns down the stretch, including a 4-yard touchdown from Tom Brady in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl.
Money was never really a deciding factor to where I went to play. I wanted to play on a football team that works hard during the week and prepares well, and this was the place that I chose. … My friends are here. My family’s here.
Danny Amendola on taking a pay cut to stay with the Patriots
“It was something I’ll never forget, for sure,” Amendola said of his Super Bowl score. “But I’m still working for my career highlight. I’m still working toward that, still staying hungry.”
Lambo’s second chance
Josh Lambo wasn’t feeling very good. Fortunately for the San Diego Chargers’ rookie kicker, that feeling lasted only a few seconds.
His holder, punter Mike Scifres, quickly pointed to the yellow flag lying on the grass.
“He was telling me to calm down,” Lambo said in a phone interview. “He said, ‘That one does not count. It doesn’t matter. Get it out of your head, and let’s put this one in.’ ”
The Cleveland Browns still argue cornerback Tramon Williams wasn’t offside, but officials gave Lambo a second chance after his first try at a game-winner from 39 yards drifted wide right. Lambo’s 34-yard attempt last week was true, at the gun, giving him his first NFL game-winner.
“Obviously, that final kick was great,” Lambo said. “I’m really happy with the two previous kicks I had to keep us in the game and keep the score tight. I can’t thank the offense enough for that last 2-minute drive we had. They got me in position to where I could do my job. It was a great team win, and I’m happy I could contribute.”
Lambo kicked a game-winner for Texas A&M in 2013, a 33-yarder with 4 seconds left that gave the Aggies a 41-38 victory over Ole Miss. It was his second game as the team’s full-time kicker and his fifth career collegiate kick.
“That was pretty special, but this one is on the biggest stage,” Lambo said. “In college, it doesn’t get any bigger than the SEC, but it really doesn’t get any bigger than the NFL.”
Lambo, who played four seasons with FC Dallas before kicking for the Aggies, was a long shot to make the Chargers. Nick Novak made 86.3 percent of his field goals in four seasons in San Diego.
Lambo won the job during a preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals, kicking a 53-yarder as time expired in the first half, a 43-yarder in the fourth quarter and a 47-yarder as time expired in regulation for a 22-19 victory.
“I never really gave it a thought,” Lambo said of his chances of making the roster. “I came in here expecting to do my job, and whether I was going to get a job here or elsewhere, I was expecting to get a job. This isn’t just a fun ride. I went into this with everything I had. Anything other than a job would have been a failure for me.”
Charean Williams: 817-390-7760, @NFLCharean
My five cents
1. Count the Detroit Lions as the league’s unluckiest team. Two officiating errors have gone against them late in two of their past five games, potentially costing them victories. In their wild-card loss in January, the NFL admitted officials should have penalized Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens for defensive holding on a third-and-1 play in the fourth quarter. Last Monday night, officials didn’t penalize Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright for illegally batting the ball out of the end zone. That would have given the Lions the ball at the 1-yard line with 1:45 remaining. Lions coach Jim Caldwell has called for expanded replay. “We have the technology to do so,” he said. “It’s not the Ice Age.”
2. While Major League Baseball’s champagne victory celebrations have become familiar in October, the NFL bans alcohol from its locker rooms. In fact, the NFL expanded the rule in 2007 to prohibit alcohol at team functions, on buses and on flights.
3. The Miami Dolphins might have made a mistake in signing Ryan Tannehill to a $95 million extension. He’s a big reason Joe Philbin no longer is the team’s coach. Not only does the former Texas A&M quarterback rank 30th in passer rating at 77.1, but he called out practice squad players in London. He told them to enjoy their “scout team trophy” after they picked him off in a walk-through practice.
4. Oakland Raiders safety Charles Woodson turned 39 last week. He has 62 career interceptions, ranking ninth in NFL history. But he has never intercepted Peyton Manning, whom Woodson beat out for the Heisman Trophy in 1997. Woodson hopes to get his first off Manning on Sunday.
5. Josh McCown has an 0-3 record, but a 98.4 passer rating with a 66.3 completion percentage, 746 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Cleveland Browns fans, though, want Johnny Manziel, believing the season is a wash at 1-3. It soon will come time for the Browns to figure out whether the former Texas A&M star is the future.
Who’s hot
Philadelphia Eagles rookie linebacker Jordan Hicks, on the field only because of injuries to Kiko Alonso and Mychal Kendricks, has played 156 of 160 snaps the past two games. The former Texas standout has an interception, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble this season. He had the sack on Tony Romo in Week 2 that knocked out the Cowboys quarterback for at least eight weeks.
Who’s not
San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick ranks 35th in passer rating among quarterbacks who have started at least one game this season. He has been vulnerable against the blitz, according to Pro Football Focus, completing 21 of 44 passes for 189 yards with three interceptions.
Number game
72Sacks that Russell Wilson and Alex Smith are on pace to take this season. Both have been sacked 18 times already. Only David Carr (76 in 2002) and Randall Cunningham (72 in 1986) have taken more than 70 sacks in a season.
2016 NFL Draft
Dane Brugler of CBS Sports and NFLDraftScout.com gives his top-10 senior offensive tackles and top-five draft-eligible underclassmen at the position for the 2016 draft:
Senior offensive tackles
1. Taylor Decker, Ohio State, 6-7, 315, 5.21
2. Taylor Spriggs, Indiana, 6-6, 305, 5.07
3. Tyler Johnstone, Oregon, 6-6, 295, 5.14
4. Joe Haeg, North Dakota State, 6-5, 300, 5.18
5. John Theus, Georgia, 6-6, 305, 5.21
6. Halapoulivaati Vaitai, TCU, 6-6, 308, 5.23
7. Kyle Murphy, Stanford, 6-7, 298, 5.19
8. Le’Raven Clark, Texas Tech, 6-5, 316, 5.16
9. Willie Beavers, Western Michigan, 6-5, 312, 5.17
10. Clint Van Horn, Marshall, 6-5, 310, 5.28
Draft-eligible underclassmen
1. Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss, 6-5, 305, 5.23
2. Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame, 6-6, 315, 5.17
3. Jack Conklin, Michigan State, 6-6, 318, 5.43
4. Germain Ifedi, Texas A&M, 6-5, 325, 5.34
5. Jerald Hawkins, LSU, 6-6, 309, 5.14
Blitz
New Dolphins coach Dan Campbell played in Glen Rose and at Texas A&M. He spent three seasons as a tight end with the Cowboys, catching 25 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns from 2003-05.
Eagles running backs have failed to gain more than 2 yards on 47 of 83 carries so far. That’s 56.6 percent of their rushing attempts.
Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has 12 field goals of at least 50 yards since 2013, tying Dan Carpenter for the most in the NFL. The former University of Texas star nailed his eighth career game-winner last week.
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota is four touchdown passes from tying the franchise record for touchdown throws by a rookie quarterback. Vince Young holds the mark with 12 in 2006.
The Denver Broncos sport a 24-2 home record in the regular season since signing Peyton Manning.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost 11 consecutive home games.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have lost 11 consecutive road games.
The New York Giants need seven victories to reach 700. The Chicago Bears (753-566-42) and Green Bay Packers (744-561-37) are the only franchises with 700 victories.
The 12 teams that lost games in London, not counting Miami this year, have finished with a .500 record or worse. The 2013 Pittsburgh Steelers, who lost to the Vikings in London, and the 2008 San Diego Chargers, who lost to the Saints in London, both finished 8-8.
Information from The Sports Xchange was used in this report.
This story was originally published October 10, 2015 at 5:56 PM with the headline "Danny Amendola makes it big with the Patriots."