Former Patriots playoff hero recruited Ty Montgomery in free agency

The New England Patriots‘ 2022 free agency period has left a lot to be desired and pales in comparison to last year’s spending spree. The outside headliners included Matt Judon, Hunter Henry, Kendrick Bourne and Kyle Van Noy, while they re-signed key pieces David Andrews, Nick Folk and Deatrich Wise.

This year, however, Trent Brown’s two-year, $13 million contract represents the Patriots’ biggest splash to date. In terms of external signings, Jabrill Peppers is the clear standout, given his ability to fill multiple roles on defense.

In light of the Peppers buzz, is Ty Montgomery’s versatility getting overlooked by Patriots fans? The 29-year-old journeyman has experience as a running back, receiver and return specialist and we could see him in each role next season.

It’s unclear what kind of market Montgomery had before he signed with New England, but it’s probably fair to assume he had multiple teams vying for his signature considering versatility reigns supreme in today’s NFL.

While Montgomery always had the Patriots in mind, he admitted former Saints teammate Chris Hogan played a role in recruiting him to Foxborough.

Former Patriots star Chris Hogan helped convinced Ty Montgomery to sign with the team in free agency.

"“Honestly, I didn’t really need any persuasion in any way,” Montgomery told reporters on Thursday. “But Hogan was in New Orleans last season. And, so, I did reach out to him. … He spoke very highly (of the Patriots).”"

Sure sounds like Hogan made Montgomery’s free agency decision easier. While the former third-rounder relished the idea of suiting up for New England, it might’ve been Hogan’s review of the franchise that helped get him across the finish line.

This won’t come as a surprise to Patriots Nation. Despite never being the team’s top receiver, Hogan always had a knack of coming through in the clutch. In nine career playoff games with New England, the former college lacrosse star posted 34 catches for 542 yards and four touchdowns.

Hogan was especially important in the team’s 2016 run to the Super Bowl, putting up 95 receiving yards in the Divisional Round before erupting for 180 yards and two touchdowns on nine catches in the AFC Championship Game vs the Steelers.

Fast forward to 2018 and Hogan posted a 6-128-1 line in the loss to Philadelphia in Super Bowl LII. Long story short, the two-time champion is beloved around these parts and his popularity amongst Patriots fans will only grow now that he helped nudge Montgomery to New England in free agency.

Hogan retired from the NFL this past October. It’s unclear what his post-football life will entail, but he won’t soon be forgotten in Foxborough, that’s for sure.

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