The New England Patriots have a unique way of maximizing a player’s potential by implementing them into their offensive scheme. Chris Hogan catching nine passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday to help the New England Patriots clinch their ninth Super Bowl appearance is just the latest shining example of how Bill Belichick can turn almost anyone into a star.
So who is this guy anyway? Hogan’s journey is an incredible one, because he played just one season of college football at the FCS level and has been floating around various practice squads for five years before finding himself in the position of being Brady’s most reliable receiver in the postseason.
Hogan, as a number of professional athletes have been known to be, was a two-sport star in high school at Ramapo High School in New Jersey. He played football and lacrosse but was sought after much more for his lacrosse playing skills than his football abilities on the recruiting trail. He came to make the decision to take advantage of a lacrosse scholarship offer from Penn State. Sadly for Hogan, the chance to play football at Penn State was not an option under former head coach Joe Paterno. The school was working to build a lacrosse program at the time, and Hogan would be a key member of that program, earning All-ECAC honors in 2009 and being named a team captain.
Upon graduation from Penn State in 2010, Hogan still wanted to use his final year of eligibility and he wanted to give football a chance. Playing for Penn State was still not an option for Hogan, so he had to pursue other options. That took him to Monmouth, where he would lock down a spot on the roster as a wide receiver and start to put together some film. His role would expand to play cornerback once the team suffered some injuries on defense, and this would help show his potential versatility to any scouts who may be watching.After closing out his one season of college football with 12 catches for 147 yards and three touchdowns, 28 tackles and three interceptions, the San Francisco 49ers
After closing out his one season of college football with 12 catches for 147 yards and three touchdowns, 28 tackles and three interceptions, Jim Harbaugh and the San Francisco 49ers gave Hogan an opportunity to dip his toes in the NFL. Hogan was signed as an undrafted free agent in late July 2011 but released by the team in early September. One day after being cut by the 49ers, the New York Giants signed Hogan to their practice squad. But just 11 days later, Hogan was once again released. But the work put in on the practice squad helped Hogan keep his name out there, and the Miami Dolphins picked him up in late December for a practice squad roster spot, which led to a reserve contract a week later. Although he was cut later in the year during training camp by the Dolphins, he was retained for the practice squad for a few weeks before once more being cut from the practice squad on September 11, 2012.
That’s where the Buffalo Bills stepped in. On November 6, 2012, Hogan was signed by the Bills to once again fill a need on the practice squad. A month later, Hogan was bumped up to the active roster, where he would remain for a few years as a mostly overlooked wide receiver. But a 2015 upset of the Patriots may have been what was needed to catch the ever mindful eye of Belichick. Hogan had a career performance in a Monday night game against the Patriots, catching six passes for 95 yards. You have to imagine something like that stuck with Belichick. When Hogan was on the market as a restricted free agent this past March, the Patriots went in with a three-year contract offer for $12 million, and it was designed in a way that would make it nearly impossible for the Bills to counter. Game. Set. Match.
Julian Edelman is still the top wide receiver for the Patriots with 1,106 receiving yards this season, and Martellus Bennett has been the team leader in receiving touchdowns with seven, but Hogan has taken the playoffs by storm with four catches for 95 yards in a Divisional Round victory over the Houston Texans and his 180 yards and two touchdowns against the Steelers, outdoing the stats of Antonio Brown in the process.
Work hard and make it to a practice squad in the NFL, and the Patriots just might make you a star.
