New England Patriots
Tommy Kelly - DT
| Status | Active |
| Height/Weight | 6' 6"/ 325 lbs. |
| Birthday | 12/27/1980 |
| Birthplace | Jackson, MS |
| College | Mississippi State |
| Years played | 10 |
Patriots release Branch; Hernandez likely out Sunday
The Patriots made roster moves Saturday, including releasing WR Deion Branch again, and they could be without TE Aaron Hernandez against the Colts.
Friday's key matchup: Colts QB Andrew Luck vs. Patriots defense
In Sunday’s marquee game between the 6-3 Colts and 6-3 Patriots, the No. 1 pick of April’s draft will help determine if Indy can pull the upset.
CB Aqib Talib preparing for Patriots debut
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Flawed defense? No problem for Patriots
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Patriots release LB Tarpinian
The Patriots released LB Jeff Tarpinian from the 53-man roster, the team announced Monday.
AFC East Spin cycle: Patriots survive; Dolphins, Jets fall flat
While the Patriots escaped with a win over the Bills to extend their lead in the division, the Jets and Dolphins suffered bad losses.
Patriots survive late rally to top Bills
The Patriots kept the surprisingly tough Bills winless at Gillette Stadium with a 37-31 victory on Sunday.
Patriots activate TE Shiancoe off injured reserve
The Patriots announced Saturday that TE Visanthe Shiancoe has been activated to the 53-man roster from the injured reserve list.
49ers aim to join Giants as San Francisco champs
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Patriots RB Bolden suspended four games
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Key matchup: Bills RBs Jackson, Spiller vs. Patriots defense
The Bills need to establish a run game and get the ball into the hands of Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller often if they want to score an upset win.
Patriots' new-look secondary could impact S Chung
If Aqib Talib's presence moves Devin McCourty to safety for the long-term, that will impact S Patrick Chung, who is in a contract year.
Week 11 Patriots-Colts game flexed
The NFL announced Monday that the Week 11 game between the Colts and Patriots will be flexed to a late-afternoon time slot.
AFC East Spin cycle: Bills', Dolphins' strengths falter on Sunday
The Bills' run game and Dolphins' third-down defense, each team's respective strength, failed them in losses on Sunday.
PLAYER NEWS
The Oakland Raiders have released Kelly, cutting ties with their longest-tenured position player on the roster.|||||||
Kelly signed a $50.1 million, seven-year contract to remain with Oakland in 2008. He was owed $6.5 million this year before being cut. Kelly had one sack in 16 games last season.
Kelly accepted responsibility for his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, saying he made a bad mistake.|||||||
Kelly went out drinking Sunday night after the Raiders returned from a road trip to Kansas City. He was booked at Oakland's Glenn E. Dyer Detention Facility on Monday and later released. Kelly acknowledged that he is under more scrutiny this season after signing a seven-year contract in the offseason that was worth up to $50.5 million and included $18.125 million in guaranteed money. Coach Lane Kiffin sat down with Kelly on Wednesday to talk about the situation.
Kelly was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Authorities say Kelly was booked at Oakland's Glenn E. Dyer Detention Facility on Monday and later released.|||||||
The Raiders signed Kelly to a $50.5 million contract this year even though the veteran defensive lineman was coming off a serious knee injury that cut his 2007 season short. Kelly had surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Kelly replaced Warren Sapp as the anchor of the Raiders' defensive line.
The Raiders resigned Kelly on Thursday to a seven-year contract that reportedly could be worth more than $50 million. Kelly, coming off reconstructive knee surgery, was set to become an unrestricted free agent on Friday. But the Raiders pre-empted that with a lucrative contract that guarantees Kelly more than $18 million.|||||||
Keeping Kelly was an offseason priority for Oakland after defensive tackle Warren Sapp retired. Kelly was the team's most consistent defensive lineman last season before sustaining the season-ending knee injury Oct. 28 against Tennessee. Kelly's versatility is one of his biggest strengths as he is able to play inside at tackle or outside at end. He finished 2007 with 27 solo tackles, one sack and a blocked kick.
Kelly will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ligament in his right knee, the latest injury to hit Oakland's defensive line.|||||||
Kelly had 27 solo tackles and one sack this season, moving back and forth between end and tackle with ease. He also came up with one of the biggest plays of the season for Oakland, blocking a potential winning 40-yard field goal attempt by Cleveland's Phil Dawson on Sept. 23.
