NFL

Former Patriots receiver Danny Amendola, two-time champion, retiring

The two-time Super Bowl champion told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that his career “was better than I could have ever imagined.”

By Amin Touri, The Boston Globe

July 26, 2022

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Email

Despite interest from teams as a free agent this offseason, former Patriots receiver Danny Amendola has decided to call it a career after 13 seasons in the NFL.

The two-time Super Bowl champion told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that his career “was better than I could have ever imagined.”

After going undrafted out of Texas Tech, Amendola caught on as a productive receiver with the St. Louis Rams before signing with New England in 2013. He caught 230 passes for 2,383 yards and 12 touchdowns, helping the Patriots to rings in Super Bowl XLIX and Super Bowl LI.

In the former, Amendola hauled in a 4-yard touchdown catch to cut the Seahawks’ lead to just a field goal; in the latter, he played a key part in a historic comeback against the Falcons, bringing New England within a score with a touchdown grab in the fourth quarter. Five minutes later, he forced his way into the end zone on a monumental two-point conversion with less than a minute to go to send the game to overtime in a 34-28 triumph.

Amendola left for Miami in 2018, putting together a solid season with the Dolphins followed by two more with the Lions, before playing his final season with the Texans. He struggled with injuries back in his home state, tearing his meniscus in Week 12 and missing the last five games of the season.

He finishes his career with 617 catches for 6,212 yards and 24 touchdowns.