Amendola catches on
Once forgotten, WR now vital
FOXBORO — Danny Amendola is still standing. Literally, figuratively and every which way you want to slice it.
There was a time last year when many wanted the Patriots to cut ties with the wide receiver, who was signed as a free agent to a long-term deal on the heels of Wes Welker’s departure.
It really didn’t seem like it was going to work here for Amendola, who was plagued by injury in a disappointing first season, and couldn’t get Tom Brady to look in his direction in the early going last year.
But toward the latter half of last season and into the postseason, it all changed. He and Brady really started to click. It got so good, that during the championship run, Amendola made plays that won’t be soon forgotten, including his touchdown catch in the Super Bowl.
It’s like he was given new life as a Patriot.
And now, with just about every other significant receiver sidelined by injury, he remains the constant during training camp sessions.
He’s a guy you can’t miss partly based on the maximum effort he gives whether working in the offense or special teams, but also because with Julian Edelman nursing an injury, he’s the target Brady relies on quite a bit during 11-on-11 sessions.
He’s someone Brady now trusts at a special level. Case in point, during one juncture yesterday, Brady dropped back and threw an absolute dart on an intermediate route to a spot on the field to his right. At first, it looked like a sure pick, but then, out of nowhere, Amendola zipped across the middle to nab the football in perfect stride. It was a timing route, to be sure, and Amendola gained separation right on cue.
Let’s just say Brady doesn’t make that kind of throw to everyone. He threw it with the belief Amendola would get to the spot, and make the play. Asked about the trust factor involved with a play like that, Amendola flashed a quick smile before getting into the answer.
“You want to be there for him, and you want to definitely get on the same page because he knows a lot about those spots to be in, and to get open and create separation is my job,” Amendola said following the workout. “That’s really the only thing I focus on. But for a guy like Tom, a guy who’s been around it for such a long time, you definitely listen to him, and ask him what he needs, and that’s the way our relationship works.”
Brady and Amendola can be seen chatting after plays that work, as well as those that don’t. For the most part, Amendola has turned into a dependable outlet for Brady, and perhaps a safety valve for Jimmy Garoppolo if the latter winds up playing for the starting quarterback, who still has a four-game suspension on his record thanks to Deflategate.
Last week, during a oneon-one drill, Amendola made a great one-handed grab in the end zone off a Garoppolo pass with defensive back Logan Ryan draped all over him.
So no matter who’s been throwing the passes, Amendola has been making the plays. He’s not quite up in Edelman’s stratosphere, but he’s found his niche, and is a nice complementary piece in the offense.
Again, not bad for a player who looked like he was going to get run out of town. Through it all, Amendola has persevered, working hard to establish that bond with Brady, and fighting to remain in Foxboro.
On the field, he helped his cause with his performance in the playoffs, catching 11 passes for 137 yards with three touchdowns. He also helped his case for sticking around at least another year by restructuring his contract during the offseason, lowering his 2015 salary cap hit from $5.7 million to $3.116 million.
Bottom line? Even though Amendola got off to a rough start, he’s grown on people. And, the Patriots, in turn, have grown on him. He loves it here.
“I enjoy the work ethic these coaches and these players put out here every day. It’s not like this everywhere in the league just going by experience,” Amendola said. “It’s not something you can put a dollar sign on. It’s something I really respect. That’s why I wanted to come back.”