Danny Amendola once caught passes in a Rams uniform before winning two Super Bowls in his 13 season career. And he arrived to the league without hearing his name called by an NFL franchise on draft day.
But now, he has ran his final route and caught his final pass.
The beloved New England Patriots wide receiver, who began his career with the Los Angeles Rams when they were in St. Louis, officially announced his retirement from the NFL per ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter on Monday, July 25.
Amendola Was Fielding Interest
Schefter reported that Amendola had “multiple teams calling this offseason” but the wideout decided to hang up his cleats.
“It was better than I could have ever imagined,” Amendola told the longtime NFL insider.
Despite multiple teams calling this offseason, two-time Super-Bowl champion WR Danny Amendola has decided to retire from the NFL. “It was better than I could have ever imagined,” Amendola said about his career.
Before suiting up for the Rams, Amendola was cut by two different NFL teams in the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2008 season — the former team severing ties before the 53-man roster cutoff on August 30 and the latter team waiving him on September 5, 2009.
However, September 22, 2009 would help spark Amendola’s NFL career.
Amendola With the Rams
Amendola would be claimed off waivers by the Rams on that late September day.
He joined the Ram during a time former Eagles quarterbacks coach Pat Shurmur was on the Rams’ staff, who had ties to Amendola on the Eagles. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound undrafted wideout from Texas Tech would only blossom from there.
Amendola saw action in 14 regular season games and cracked the starting lineup in two contests in his first season with the Rams. The result: 43 catches on 63 targets, 326 yards and one touchdown. But his production ascended from there.
In 2010, Amendola would go on and produce his only 80-catch season in his career: 85 grabs, 689 yards and three touchdowns while in St. Louis. Amendola never had a season like that for the rest of his career, but became valuable in opening up the air attack with the Rams.
Per Pro Football Reference, Amendola caught 196 of his career passes with the Rams from 2009 to 2012. He also totaled 1,726 yards and scored seven touchdowns in 42 games played and 17 starts.
He was additionally masterful at getting the first down grabs while with the Rams. In his breakout season of 2010, 35 of his receptions were good for a first down. Two seasons later and after coming back from an injury riddled 2011, Amendola produced 39 first downs — which at the time was a career-high.
He wasn’t just known for catching pass as a slot wide receiver, though. He was also equally skilled as a return ace.
Danny Amendola was a very underrated return man as a Ram. Though he never scored a touchdown in his Rams career, he was very consistent in getting the Rams in position for points and reliable with fielding punts. There was a flag on this play but I it shows his ability! 2012 @ SF
But he’s likely revered by Rams fans for this spectacular 2012 performance against Washington:
In 2012 the Rams defeated the Robert Griffin III led Redskins and Danny Amendola had a career day. The Dolamite hauled in a whopping 15 receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown in the victory
Post Rams Success
The Rams will go down as the first team to truly believe in a miniature undrafted wide receiver who was cut twice by his first two NFL places.
Of course, he’ll be revered among New England Patriot fans…also known as the place where he won his only Super Bowls.
Amendola spent five of his 13 seasons in Foxboro and went on to total 230 catches for 2,383 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. He would go on and win Super Bowl 49 and 51 as a Patriot.
Amendola had additional NFL stops in Miami, Detroit and Houston.
What a career for Danny Amendola:
• undrafted
• 5’11, 183 pounds
• Spent entire rookie season on Cowboys practice squad
• Let go by 2 teams before playing first NFL down
• 11,761 all-purpose yards
• 14 NFL seasons
• 2x Super Bowl champion
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Super Bowl Champ Who Began With the Rams Announces 2022 Decision