David Thomas life and biography

CAREER TRANSACTIONS

Re-signed (RFA), 4/13/10; Acquired by Saints from New England Patriots in exchange for a 2011 sixth-round draft choice, 9/5/09; Placed on injured reserve by New England, 10/3/07; Signed by New England to a four-year contract, 7/24/06; Selected by New England in third round (86th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft.

2009 - Played in 15 games, starting eight of them as he split time between tight end and fullback, and set career-highs with 35 receptions for 356 yards with one touchdown. vs. Detroit (9/13): Started in a two-tight end set in his Saints debut and caught one pass for 15 yards, converting a third-and-nine in the fourth quarter. at Philadelphia (9/20): Made two catches for 19 yards from a starting TE spot. at Buffalo (9/27): Played in multiple tight end sets but did not record a catch. vs. NY Jets (10/4): Caught one pass for 18 yards, a key third-down reception on a fourth quarter touchdown drive. vs. NY Giants (10/18): Played as a reserve tight end. at Miami (10/25): Caught one pass for a one-yard loss. vs. Atlanta (11/2): Started the game at fullback and also played tight end, catching two passes for 27 yards. vs. Carolina (11/8): Played as a reserve tight end. at St. Louis (11/15): Started at tight end in a double tight end set and matched his career-high with a team-best five receptions for 45 yards. at Tampa Bay (11/22): Scored his first touchdown in a New Orleans uniform as he caught four passes for 66 yards, including a career-long 37-yard reception. vs. New England (11/30): Started the game at fullback and caught one pass for 25 yards in the victory over his former team. at Washington (12/6): Caught three passes for 31 yards from his reserve tight end and fullback positions. at Atlanta (12/13): Started at fullback and also lined up at tight end during the game, catching two passes for nine yards. vs. Dallas (12/19): Opened the game at fullback but also saw extensive playing time at tight end and caught a career-best eight passes for a season-high 77 yards. vs. Tampa Bay (12/27): Started at FB and split time between the backfield and TE and caught five passes for 25 yards. at Carolina (1/3): Missed the game with a calf injury. vs. Arizona (1/16 – Divisional Playoff): Started at fullback and had his first career carry, a rush for zero yards. vs. Minnesota (1/24 – NFC Championship Game): Started at tight end and caught the first three passes of his postseason career, gaining 32 yards. vs. Indianapolis (2/7 – Super Bowl XLIV): Played as a reserve tight end and also saw some time at fullback, catching one pass for nine yards...

2008 – Set a single-season career high while starting 10 games of his 15 games played in 2008…Recorded nine receptions for 93 yards…His contributions as a blocker helped the Patriots to their best rushing season in more than 20 years in terms of total yards (2,278), rushing average (4.4) and rushing touchdowns (21)…Recorded one special teams tackle…Started at tight end and hauled in two passes for 24 yards against Kansas City, Sept. 7…Made the start at tight end and recorded one catch for 14 yards at New York Jets, Sept. 14…Started at tight end, making one reception for four yards against Miami, Sept. 21…Made the start at tight end and hauled in one catch for 13 yards at San Diego, Oct. 12…Tallied a season-high three receptions for 29 yards at Indianapolis, Nov. 2… Started at tight end and made one special teams tackle at Buffalo, Dec. 28.

2007 – Played in two games before being placed on injured reserve with a foot injury on Oct. 3…Saw his first action of the season playing in a reserve role at tight end against Buffalo, Sept. 23 and registered his first reception of the season, a nine-yard catch…Saw limited action in reserve at tight end before leaving the game at Cincinnati (Oct. 1) with a foot injury.

2006 – Played in 15 games as a rookie with three starts at tight end…Made his NFL debut in the Patriots’ 19-17 victory over Buffalo, Sept. 10…Collected his first career reception, a 29-yard catch against the New York Jets, Sept. 17… Led the team with a career-high five receptions for 83 yards and a diving 22-yard touchdown catch at Jacksonville, Dec. 24…Recovered an Eric Parker muffed punt at the San Diego 31-yard line in the third quarter in the divisional playoffs against San Diego, Jan. 14.

COLLEGE

Finished his college career as the most prolific receiving tight end in University of Texas history and led the nation’s tight ends in blocking consistency as a senior...Set the school’s all-time career records for receptions by a tight end (98), receiving yards by a tight end (1,367) and touchdown receptions by a tight end (15)...Owns the Longhorns’ single-season record for receptions by a tight end (50, 2005)...Set the Texas single-game record for receptions by a tight end with 10 grabs in the 2006 Rose Bowl, helping the Longhorns claim the BCS championship...Did not miss a game in his collegiate career, starting 38 of 51 games for the Longhorns...Earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors in 2004 and 2005.

PERSONAL

John David Thomas was born on July 5, 1983 in Plainview, Texas...Was a three-time member of Texas’ Athletics Director’s Honor Roll...Regularly visited patients at Austin Children’s Hospital with his Longhorn teammates...Attended Frenship (Wolfforth, Texas) High School, where he was a three-year starter, lining up at tight end and linebacker his final two seasons and free safety as a sophomore...As a senior, set school records with 63 receptions for 1,130 yards and 15 touchdowns, adding six more scores rushing with the ball...Also lettered in basketball and track...Honor Roll student who was a member of the National Honor Society...Participated in the 2007 Salvation Army Holiday Party at Gillette Stadium with nearly 250 children from the Boston and Providence Salvation Army centers…Majored in Kinesiology at Texas…David and his wife Kassidy have two sons, Jaxon David and Rylan Casey.

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