As was expected, former New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola is officially a member of the Miami Dolphins. The two-time Super Bowl champion leaves New England as a fan-favorite, and will be remembered as one of the most important pieces in the teams recent run of success. Looking at his final season stat lines, it might seem surprising that Amendola is held in such regard. The slot receiver never had more than 659 yards or four touchdowns in a season. However, when looking over his whole tenure as a Patriot, it’s easy to see what made Danny Amendola’s remarkable legacy so amazing.
The Remarkable Legacy of Danny Amendola
The 2013 Season
After failing to re-sign Wes Welker in the 2013 off-season, the Patriots brought Amendola in to serve as his replacement. Up to that point in time, Amendola was seen as a health risk, but someone who was certainly capable of producing Welker’s numbers if healthy.
The 2013 receiving depth chart was abysmal. Between injuries, free agency, and…some other stuff, quarterback Tom Brady didn’t have many weapons available in the passing game. Amendola needed to be lights out, and in his Patriot debut, he was.
Amendola finished his first game as a Patriot with ten receptions for 104 yards. While these are great numbers for any players debut, they get more impressive with context. For the first of many occasions, Amendola’s best play came when it mattered most.
With just over three minutes left in the game, New England found themselves with the ball, trailing 21-20. The Patriots offense embarked on a drive where every pass went to either Amendola or running back Shane Vereen. Amendola came through when he was called upon, converting two separate third downs, including a third and nine. The Patriots would win that game, 23-21, in large part to Amendola’s efforts.
The Downside of 2013
Unfortunately, Amendola tore his groin midway through that first game. He missed the next three games, and suffered a concussion in his second game back from his groin injury. All that missed time allowed fellow receiver Julian Edelman to usurp Amendola’s spot, and the former St. Louis Ram was relegated to being the number two receiver. He did have the occasional big game, like his 10-catch, 131-yard effort in Week 16, but overall he didn’t perform up to his contract.
Additionally, Amendola’s season ended on the lowest of notes. While he’s now known for his playoff heroics, Amendola’s 2013 playoff run was one to forget. The Patriots lost the AFC Championship Game to the Denver Broncos in a game where New England struggled to move the ball. With Rob Gronkowski sidelined, New England only had Julian Edelman as a reliable weapon.
The Patriots needed Amendola to step up, and he didn’t. Amendola didn’t catch a single pass, and dropped his only target on a key third down. Special teamer Matt Slater received more targets in the passing game than Amendola, which is never a good sign.
The 2014 Season
For a while, it looked like Amendola might not even see his second year in New England. Edelman stole Amendola’s role, and it looked like the former Ram might not have a spot on the Patriots. Ultimately, Amendola made it on to the 2014 roster, but it took a while for him to make an impact.
Through 14 games, Amendola was a complete afterthought, hauling in just 15 receptions for 113 yards. However, when Edelman suffered a concussion that kept him out of Week 16’s game against the New York Jets, Amendola burst back on to the scene.
The Patriots beat the Jets in an ugly 17-16 victory, clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Amendola essentially was the Patriots offense, collecting eight receptions for 63 yards and a key third-down conversion late in the game. After a meaningless Week 17 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Amendola began his second playoff run, but this one went much better than the first.
The 2014 Playoffs
Throughout the regular season, the 2014 Patriots spent most of their time with two receivers, a running back, and two tight ends of the field. However, the Patriots decided to switch that up in the playoffs. First-year Patriot tight end Tim Wright was benched, and in his place New England used more three-receiver sets with Amendola.
The results were amazing. Amendola broke out in a huge way in the AFC Divisional Round against the Baltimore Ravens, hauling in five catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns. Each one of those receptions was memorable in its own way.
Amendola broke two tackles on his first touchdown, diving for the goal line and just crossing the plane. He was on the receiving end of the now-famous double pass play. Those plays got remembered, but one of his biggest plays is one that often gets overlooked today.
Facing third and seven midway through the fourth quarter, Brady found Amendola in the flat, roughly four yards short of the first down marker. Amendola broke a tackle, quickly turned around, and drove through another defender, stretching out the ball to just get the first down. The Patriots ended up scoring the game-winning touchdown later on in that drive.
Two games later, Amendola added to his legacy. The Texas Tech product recorded five catches for 48 yards and a touchdown in his first Super Bowl appearance. His touchdown came in the fourth quarter and brought the Patriots within three points of the Seattle Seahawks. One drive later, the Patriots scored the game-winning touchdown.
The 2015 Season
Amendola showed his true value in 2014, and the Patriots tried to keep him healthy for as long as they possibly could. Danny was the teams third receiver, but wasn’t used as much early in the season. Typically, New England would use him in third down situations or at crucial moments of the game, and he’d always come through.
As would be a trend in 2015, Amendola’s first 100-yard game of 2015 came when Edelman suffered an injury. Edelman dislocated his finger early in a Week Six game against the Indianapolis Colts, and Amendola needed to step up. And just like in the 2014 playoffs, Amendola answered the call.
The former Texas Tech receiver caught seven of his nine receptions for 104 yards in the 34-27 win. The next week, Amendola would add an additional eight catches for 86 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown came on a phenomenal play where he somehow held onto a third-and ten completion while being hit.
The Patriots were the last undefeated team in the league heaing into Week 10 against the New York Giants. While this script was uncomfortably familiar, this game led to something far worse than memories of Super Bowl XLII. Edelman broke his foot in the first quarter, sidelining him for the game and the rest of the regular season.
Once more, Amendola was asked to step up, and once more he made it work. The offense struggled moving the ball, but Amendola was the only constant in the passing game. New England won, 27-26, thanks in large part to Amendola’s 10-catch, 79-yard effort. The Patriots won on a last-second field goal that wouldn’t have been possible were it not for Amendola converting a fourth and ten earlier in the drive.
The Unfortunate Finish of 2015
With Edelman gone for the forseeable future, Amendola entered the Week 11 matchup against the Buffalo Bills as Tom Brady’s security blanket. Once more, Brady turned to Amendola early and often, and Amendola responded by hauling in nine receptions for 117 yards.
Unfortunately, Amendola’s season hit a roadblock after that game. The 2015 Patriots roster was plagued with injuries, and Amendola couldn’t avoid the bug. The third-year Patriot suffered a knee injury against the Bills that kept him out of the next weeks game against the Denver Broncos.
While he did return to the lineup, he was clearly limited and never looked like himself. Including playoffs, Amendola only had one game in which he recorded more than 50 yards the rest of the season. “Playoff” Amendola only recorded a combined 57 yards in two playoff games, but his lack of production can be placed entirely on that knee injury.
The 2016 Season
Edelman returned to full health for the 2016 regular season, and Amendola went back to his specialized role of playing in the game’s biggest moments. Amendola played in 12 games in 2016, but never recorded more than four catches in a game.
However, Amendola made the targets he did see count. 18 of his 23 receptions on the season went for first downs, and he converted 14 first downs. Despite seeing the fewest amount of snaps in his career, Amendola actually set a career high for touchdown receptions with four.
As expected, Amendola’s best performance came on the game’s biggest stage. The Patriots pulled off the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, erasing a 28-3 deficit to win Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons. This win doesn’t happen without Amendola, who finished his night with eight receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown.
Once again, Amendola’s production came in the biggest moments of the Super Bowl. Down 28-3 and facing fourth and three, Brady looked Amendola’s way on a quick out. Amendola caught the pass, converting the fourth down while picking up 17 yards. If Amendola doesn’t catch that pass, the Patriots lose the Super Bowl.
Additionally, Amendola’s number was called in the game’s biggest moment. The Patriots scored a touchdown with just under a minute left to make the score 28-26. The comeback was almost complete, but if New England didn’t covert the two-point conversion, it would all be for naught.
Knowing that this play would determine the fate of the Super Bowl, the Patriots turned to Amendola. New England ran a quick screen, and Amendola got exactly two yards to tie the game. New England went on to win in overtime, 34-28.
The 2017 Season
Amendola arguably had never been more important to the Patriots than he was in 2017. Ever since 2014, his role had primarily been Edelman insurance. He’d come on the field on third downs and was always there for big moments, but generally he was saved for the playoffs.
That plan went out the window before the regular season even started. Edelman tore his ACL in the preseason, and Amendola suddenly had his biggest role on the team since 2013. To nobody’s surprise, Amendola once more was everything the Patriots needed. While he wasn’t Edelman by any means, his final stat line of 61 receptions for 659 yards and two touchdowns was everything the Patriots needed.
Amendola, now known for his playoff heroics, turned it up a gear in the 2017 playoffs. It’s not hyperbole to state that Amendola’s 2017 playoff run was in a league of its own. Amendola’s 354 yards were the most by a wide receiver in a three-game playoff history. Other have had more in a single postseason, but they’ve needed four games to reach it.
It’s hard to pick a best effort among his three games, but his best performance likely came against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game. Amendola hauled in seven receptions for 84 yards and two touchdowns, again with almost all the production coming in game-changing plays.
Both touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, with the final one being the game-winning score. He converted a fourth and two in the first quarter and a third and 18 in the fourth. Additionally, he had a 30-yard punt return in the fourth quarter which allowed the Patriots to take the lead.
Looking Ahead
Amendola may be gone, but he certainly won’t be forgotten. There’s never been a tenure quite like his in Patriots history. He was a big part of two Super Bowl victories and another appearance, yet he still had to take pay cuts three years in a row just to stay on the team.
The former Patriot will always have a strong fanbase in New England. For all the third downs, clutch plays, and championships, Danny Amendola has had an unbelievable impact on the Patriots franchise.
