Dan Connolly Updates



INDIANAPOLIS • Offensive lineman are supposed to remain anonymous. St. Louisan Dan Connolly was like that, a hard worker and grinder known for his quiet dedication and persistence.
Through stops in Jacksonville and New England, Connolly never succumbed to frustration no matter how many times he was cut or demoted to the practice squad. They couldn't keep this good man down.
Connolly definitely fit the strong-silent profile until the football and 15 minutes of fame found him on the evening of Dec. 19, 2010. Connolly fielded a squib kickoff, scooped it up and set off on a startlingly nimble and evasive 71-yard kickoff return that was the longest by a lineman in NFL history.
Connolly was part Crazy Legs Hirsch, part Red Grange, with a little Forrest Gump and Barry Sanders mixed in. Big Dan hugged the ball to his chest, busted a few moves, warded off a tackler with a stiff arm and found an open lane down the left side.
The Green Bay Packers, undoubtedly shocked and winded after chasing the 315-pound Connolly on the fields of Foxborough, finally recovered to drop him at the 4-yard line.
Connolly's memorable mad dash through Gillette Stadium made him an instant You Tube sensation, inspired an entire nation of big and brawny men and cranked up the Patriots for a 31-27 comeback victory.
"I'm Dan Connolly, kick returner," he joked earlier this week.
Connolly will start at center for the Patriots against the New York Giants in Super 46. The kickoff return, while hilarious, wasn't his most incredible journey. The long road that led him to a starting job for a Super Bowl team is more impressive, because it says a lot about the man.
Connolly grew up in Ballwin as the youngest of John and Mary Beth Connolly's three sons. He began competing in CYC sports at Holy Infant grade school, played football at Marquette High and was a four-year starter at offensive tackle at Southeast Missouri State.
The undersized Connolly wasn't drafted, but made the Jacksonville Jaguars' roster in 2005. An injury put him on injured reserve for the entire 2006 season. The Jaguars cut Connolly early in the 2007 season, and he was signed to New England's practice squad. He briefly made the 53-man roster in 2008, but was cut and then re-signed to the practice squad.
The Patriots put Connolly back on the roster late in the 2008 season, and he wouldn't budge this time. Connolly has started 28 games over the last three seasons, mostly at guard. But he took over at center this season when the Patriots lost starter Dan Koppen to a season-ending injury.
And now New England's No. 63 will fulfill a dream by starting the Super Bowl, protecting Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
"It hasn't been easy," Connolly said. "It's been a hard road. Playing small-college football, not getting drafted, working to make the team, being released, having to put in lots of time on the practice squad, just trying to hang in there. But the hard work has paid off. You don't have to be the biggest or the best coming out of high school or college. Sometimes it's just how hard you work and how much time you put in. There's an opportunity for everybody if you're willing to do it."
Connolly will distribute 15 tickets to the Super Bowl. His parents and two brothers are headed to Indy. His wife, Lori, and their young daughters, Caroline (two years), and Caitlin (two months), will be there along with other relatives and friends.
When the Super Bowl is over, and after Connolly packs up in New England, he'll return to St. Louis and his home in Glendale.
"We're all very proud of him," said Dan's father, John, the former chief of police in Des Peres. "The football is one part. But he's always done the right thing and has character and integrity, and that's what I'm most proud of."
The family is proud of all three sons.
Christopher Connolly, 31, is a competitive cyclist who works at Mesa Cycles on Big Bend in Richmond Heights. Patrick Connolly, 33, is an acclaimed chef, currently based in New York, who won the prestigious James Beard Award for best chef in the Northeast region in 2008.
Blogging at CNN.com, Patrick Connolly explained why he wouldn't be spending Super Bowl Sunday in the kitchen: he must attend the big game.
"Generally speaking, the Super Bowl is about three things: food, drink and excessive partaking of each," Connolly wrote. "This year is a little different for me as my youngest brother Daniel is the starting center for the Patriots. He's the guy who hikes the ball to Gisele Bundchen's husband."
Chef Connolly helpfully suggested a Super Bowl Sunday menu to fit each fan base.
For Patriots fans: fried Wellfleet oysters, a lobster roll grinder on brioche and Maine corn nachos with corn tortillas, and Fall River Portuguese linguica sausage and chicken wings with a spicy New Hampshire maple syrup.
For Giants fans: Hudson Valley duck wings, a pastrami grinder, sweet Italian sausage, and baked potato skins with sliced NY strip steak.
Connolly the Center isn't surprised by Chef Connolly's success. And he credits his older brothers for prepping him for a football career.
"Three brothers. Three boys loving to eat," Dan said. "We spent a lot of time together after school, raiding the cabinets trying to find something to eat. I guess that's how he developed those cooking skills. And then me, being the youngest, I had two big brothers trying to beat me up. They made me tough. They got me ready for this."
Just about everyone who watched that classic 71-yard kickoff return was surprised by Connolly's elusiveness. But father knew best. He'd seen it before.
"Even if he didn't have that No. 63 on, I'd know it was him running," John Connolly said. "His two brothers were always picking on him, and he had to learn how to deal with it. Every now and then Dan would take a shot back, and of course his brothers would start chasing him. I'd look out the window and he'd be running away from them, dodging them, zig-zagging through the backyard."
Well, now. Let's imagine the possibilities. What might happen Sunday if Connolly plays special teams and the Giants kick the ball his way?
Memories of that 71-yard run to daylight (and exhaustion) still draw a smile from Gisele's husband.
"That was pretty funny and I'll never forget it," Brady said. "We were worried he'd fumble. I was hollering, 'Get down!' But once he broke outside, I was 'Go!' He was bummed because he didn't score. He always says he wants another chance. I keep telling him not to come up with any fancy ideas."


Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bernie-miklasz/st-louisan-connolly-makes-super-journey/article_d1591ead-aba7-5194-88a0-f2698a9c8ee5.html#ixzz1lJaEorJy






On March 21 I went to Dan's house to get a few photos signed. He said his concussion is gone and that he is feeling great. He Still has no idea if there will be a season this fall. He invited me to his basement where he has memorabilia from high school to current. This is what it looks like.

Kickoff Return Ball from the Packer game.

Jax Helmet

Boston Globe the day after the runback.

Semo teammate and friend Eugene Amano.

Pats



Jacksonville

New England

SEMO

Marquette





Koppen, Connolly take in Super scene

February, 3, 2011
FEB 3
1:35
PM ET
DALLAS -- Patriots offensive linemen Dan Koppen, Dan Connolly and Mark LeVoir are here at the Super Bowl media center as part of the second annual "Madden Most Valuable Protectors" promotion.


Pats O Line
Courtesy of New England PatriotsPatriots offensive linemen Dan Koppen, Dan Connolly and Mark LeVoir received the award.
The way it worked is that five clubs were eligible based on John Madden's choice -- the Patriots, Chiefs, Giants, Saints and Falcons -- and fans voted on NFL.com for the winner of the promotion, which is presented by Prilosec.


The fan vote went to the Patriots, so Koppen, Connolly and LeVoir punched their ticket to the Super Bowl.


It wasn't their preferred reason for being in Dallas, especially after the offensive line struggled in the playoff loss to the Jets, but it gives them a chance to experience Super Bowl hype from a different perspective.


Reports that Connolly was assisting the Packers on the finer points of kickoff returns could not be confirmed.







September 18 2011 after Pats win over Chargers
Dan and Patrick after November 13 win over Jets