Darryl Stingley

The saddest moment in Patriots history occurred during a preseason game at Oakland on Aug. 12, 1978. Stingley, a charismatic 26-year-old wide receiver, leaped in an attempt to catch a Steve Grogan pass, and while he was fully extended, notorious Raiders safety Jack Tatum hit him in the back, leading with his forearm. Stingley suffered two broken vertebrae and spent the rest of his life as a quadriplegic. Stingley died in 2007.