Brandon Tate
Encyclopedia
2009 season
Tate was drafted by the Patriots in the third round (83rd overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. On July 16, he was signed to a four-year contract with a $755,000 signing bonus. He began the 2009 season on the non-football injury list, still recovering from his knee injury from the prior season. He was activated on October 24, in Week 7. He played that week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
as a reserve, recording one rush (an end-around) for 11 yards. Two weeks later, following the team's bye week
Bye (sports)
A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
, Tate started against the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
but did not have any catches in the game. Tate suffered another knee injury in the game and was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
on November 14, ending his season. He finished the season with 106 kickoff return yards.
2010 season
On September 12, 2010, in the Patriots' season-opening game against the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, Tate ran the opening second-half kickoff back 97 yards for a touchdown. On October 4, 2010, Tate repeated the feat against the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, this time returning the ball 103 yards. Tate scored his first career receiving touchdown on a 65-yard catch against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in Week 8. He added a 42-yard touchdown catch against the Dolphins in Week 17.
Tate played in 16 games, starting 10. He caught 24 passes for 432 yards and three touchdowns, and had 41 kick returns for 1,057 yards (25.8 yard average) and two touchdowns.
On September 3, 2011, the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
released Brandon Tate.
Cincinnati Bengals
On September 4, 2011, the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
claimed Brandon Tate on waivers.
On October 30, 2011, Brandon Tate returned a Punt for a 56 yard Touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks. His first touchdown with the Bengals.