Former NFL receiver David Patten, who won three Super Bowl titles with the New England Patriots, died Thursday at age 47.
Sam Gordon, who had Patten as a client at his management company, confirmed Patten’s death to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, saying he died in South Carolina. No other details were obtained immediately.
“We’re all very heartbroken,” said Gordon, who added that he had spoken to Patten’s wife Friday morning. “He was a man of God. He had his own ministry. He loved New England very much.”
Patten played on five teams during a 12-year career in the NFL, but is best known for his four seasons with the Patriots from 2001 to 2004. He scored the only offensive touchdown for the Patriots during his first Super victory. Bowl, the 2001 season against the Rams, with an 8-yard pass from Tom Brady to give New England a 14-3 lead just before the break.
When he retired during the Patriots training camp in 2010, Patten described his time with the Patriots as the culmination of his career.
Former Patriots teammates Richard Seymour and Deion Branch and former New England offensive coordinator Charlie Weis were one of those praising Patten on social media Friday.
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 Great player, but above all a great man, mentor and brother #LoveYou #ChiefChief https://t.co/BjUo0Kwbi6
– Deion Branch # 83 # 84 (@ deionbranch84) September 3, 2021
Surprised and saddened by the sudden tragic death of David Patten. Excellent player, even better person. Family man, team man, devout Christian. All prayers were addressed in this way. RIP David. He will miss you very much.
– Charlie Weis (@charlieweissr) September 3, 2021
“If there’s one thing I want people to know about David, it’s that, as a great player he was, he was a better man,” Gordon told Reiss.
Patten also played for the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints and Washington. He played his last NFL game in 2008 and finished with 324 receptions for 4,715 yards and 24 touchdowns.