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Remembering the Patriot: Eugene Wilson

By Connor Fulton

Dec 14, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; A New England Patriots helmet and an NFL football are seen on the sidelines during the second half of the New England Patriots 41-13 win over the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; A New England Patriots helmet and an NFL football are seen on the sidelines during the second half of the New England Patriots 41-13 win over the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Patriots Eugene Wilson
Dec 14, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; A New England Patriots helmet and an NFL football are seen on the sidelines during the second half of the New England Patriots 41-13 win over the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

Welcome to another edition of Musket Fire’s Remembering the Patriot series in which the writer draws a random 21st century New England Patriots player from memory and remembers his contributions to the franchise. This morning, we’re taking a look back at the career of former Patriots safety Eugene Wilson.

Selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft, Wilson played five seasons in New England before finishing his career with the Houston Texans in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons. Over the course of his tenure with the Patriots, Wilson accumulated 195 tackles, 28 passes defended, 10 interceptions and a touchdown in 62 regular season games (55 starts).

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Perhaps the zenith of Wilson’s career came in the 2004 AFC Championship Game when he picked off Ben Roethlisberger twice in a 41-27 victory that sent the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXIX. In that game, Wilson made a major contribution by recovering an L.J. Smith fumble.

Wilson caught on immediately with the Pats, starting 15 games as a rookie and 14 as a sophomore pro. He intercepted four passes in each of those seasons.

2005 saw Wilson start all 16 regular season games, but an injury-riddled 2006 season limited Wilson to just four starts in as many games.

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Wilson notched his first career pick-six in 2007 when he intercepted a Kellen Clemens pass and took it back for a score. Super Bowl XLII would prove to be his final game as a Patriot, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Wilson in free agency the following offseason for a brief spell before the Texans picked him up.

For further reading on Wilson and where he is these days, check out this piece by NWI Times columnist Al Hamnik.

In case you missed them, here are recent installments in our Remembering the Patriot series.

Remembering the Patriot: DT Ted Washington

Remembering the Patriot: RB Antowain Smith

Remembering the Patriot: CB Asante Samuel

Next: 5 Under-the-radar free agents Pats should consider

Be sure to check back tomorrow morning as we remember the career of former Patriots wide receiver David Patten.

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