The New England Patriots released former University of Tennessee receiver Kelley Washington in an apparent salary cap move.
Washington, 29, has made his mark mostly on special teams since joining the Patriots as a free agent before the 2007 season. In 24 regular-season games, he caught just one pass as a receiver. He was second on the club with 18 special teams tackles in 2007 - to go along with the team's first blocked punt since 1999 - before posting just seven special teams tackles last season.
The Boston Globe reported that finances could have played a part in the Patriots' decision, with Washington entering the final year of his contract.
Washington was scheduled to earn $800,000 in 2009, with a $57,000 workout bonus. His salary cap charge was $1.08 million.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Tennessee defeats Georgia 3-2 in…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 49
VOLAFAN writes:
Good, I hate that guy!
racasey71 writes:
future = the past, one of a very few Vols I never liked, the curse of Kelly Washington has hung over this program since he stepped foot on The Hill.
VOLnNASH writes:
I guess the New England offense doesn't need to run through the Horse (as he so eloquently put it back in 2002)
CrankE writes:
I didn't realize Washington was with the Patriots. So that means he was a part of two of the biggest upset losses of the decade. UT, 2001 SEC Championship loss to LSU. New England, 2008 Super Bowl loss to New York.
Ah....the future.
mjmsaysgovols writes:
very talented, but a mal-content...good luck with your future endevours Kelly...
MrBamSeydu writes:
hahaha THE FUTURE!!
ctownvol writes:
Q. So what does the future hold now?
A. An unemployment check.
GotPearl writes:
That was funny!!! LMFAO
volzcrushm writes:
Yes!!! He's a real piece of phooey! The self center butt-head only cause dissention while he wore orange. He's a punk!!
huntined#565710 writes:
He was not my favorite receiver but I do have his old VOL jersey ..In fact I had it on when he scored in the bowl game against MICHIGAN.. I guess we both can hang them up now..But he was a VOL and I will not bash a VOL player.
suPEARLman writes:
I'm just glad I dont have to watch and hear those ridiculous "The Future" clips at Neyland anymore.....
Way overplayed...
DancingOutlaw writes:
he should have stuck with baseball
CoverOrange writes:
Maybe he can get a job building that Harry Reid Memorial Railroad from Anaheim to Vegas.
Seriously, all I know is what I read in the newspapers. How do any of you know Washington was a bad egg? My mother's brother's neighbor's cousin thrice removed "said so" doesn't count.
DenverVol writes:
Say what you will about the guy, but A) he was and always will be a Vol, B) always did have a ton of talent and C) seems like he's been making a pretty decent career ($800,000/year) playing a sport. Not bad if you ask me.
I say good luck to him wherever he lands as I'm sure some team will pick him up. Go VOLS!
StroVol writes:
Finally the "Future" is now. Good thinking NE. What a clown
OrangeronFan writes:
Look, I know everyone feels like he ruined the team or something cause of the deceptive play he made with Stallworth and then coincidentally (or not) was hurt all the next season, but he was a VOL, and before all that went down, a great one.
If u read the article he has been earning his money on special teams. I mean, if you were not trying and poisoning your team you would not be a stand out on special teams.
Exfix writes:
Buh. Bye.
Volchaz writes:
I remember being there as we rode "the horse" to a victory in South Bend......best of luck to him..
MidTennVol writes:
TOTALLY agree. If there was ever a former Vol I would be glad to not see make it in the NFL, this is the guy.
Hey, FUTURE: WHATCHA GONNA DO NOW?
Basketball_Jones writes:
I sat infront of his brother at a few games when he was here. All he did was complain of how he wasn't getting th ball enough and how or QB was horrible. He was telling anyone who would listen that UT fans would see when he went pro....Blah blah blah..
This guy reminds me of Freddie Mitchell, all talk no game.
VolGraduate writes:
Washington was definitely a prima donna but he helped win several big games. i'm sure he has learned or is learning from his past mistakes. if i were held accountable for everything I said in my early 20s I would be in huge trouble.
gbeejr#1354500 writes:
K. Washington had one terrific year and one disappointing year, didn't slug anyone or have run-ins with the law, he was a head case, but not everyone can be perfect. And besides, if he was a flop as a receiver but worked to become a special teams star, then he showed some dedication and perserverence. Give the guy his due! I think some of you posting on here are bigger loosers than he ever was.
crappieking writes:
He11 I thought he was still with the hapless Bengals. Looks like he made a real NFL impact. 800k/yr is nothing to sneeze about though.
OrangeronFan writes:
What he said.
Major_Magilicutty writes:
seriously..the guy hasnt been shooting his mouth of in the NFL. So what, he acted like a child in college. Some of you are worse than he ever was, and I am betting you are much older.
Get over it for god's sake.
volmac72 writes:
I swear some of these UT fans are retarded. What's wrong with a cocky player who can back up his talk. The only reason the team didn't gel was because of CPF. (A 20 year old can't be held accountable for something Fulmer is getting paid over 2 Million to manage!!)Imagine how explosive KW could have been if we had hired Kiffin (or the likes) back then INSTEAD if settling for the "good-ole-Boy" system including Fulmers'and Cutcliffe's famous three-and-out drives??? Example: Compare S. Cal players and coaches to CPF and Vol teams of the last 10years. I'd rather have the cocky coaches and players as seen at USC anyday over a defective coach and unenthused, mediocre player and/or team. Get real, I hope Kiffin recrut 100 more like KW and get this team playing like they were born with a pair and BEAT Florida with some consistancy and maybe CONFIDENCE. You girly fans keep watching the soaps. I mean, are we to only recruit timid, humble, soft spoken atheletes? Hell no! Go get'em Volunteers!! UT girly fans find something else to complain about! Like why is Crompton and the rest of Phils sub par recruits still on the team??? Just kidding..let them earn the education promised....
dwolfcreek#397971 writes:
he was the beginning of fulmers fall , but he and fulmer has the same mentality . zero
utfpmd writes:
Time to get a real job.
BigDaddyVol writes:
I was there the night Kelly lit up LSU for about 270 yards I think. Maybe the best single game performance by a Vol I ever seen, he made LSU DBs looked as lost as last years Easter eggs. I would love some insight on why this guy never cracked the starting lineup in the pros. Was it lack of heart? I don't know, but he seemed to have all the other tools. No doubt his last year on the Hill he was abolutley looking to the "future". If you know what I mean. $$$$
BigDaddyVol writes:
Sorry, once again, to the grammar police. My spelling and typing both stink. I guess my proof reading does too.
Ironcity writes:
Yeah what a jerk he didn't want to play witha broken neck. Wow what a wuss. Yes he was outspoken but he did come back when he could have turned pro. SOme of you posters are the most ungratious humans of all time. If a player goes pro he's a punk, a jerk, or a self center premadonna. If he stays and doesn't perform up to your standsards. Then he is all of the above and worse.
I agree Washington was brash and arrogent but he almost lost everything (breaking his neck) staying an extra year at UT. I am glad he had a successful cazreer and I think the fact that he was considered a special teams stand out contradicts the idea that he was only about himself.
RockyTop1998 writes:
Poor Guy.
hahahahahahhahahhahahahhahahha
MidTennVol writes:
Good point. But I differ. Cheese never, ever ran his mouth while he was here. He was a team player. Heck, he didn't even give himself his nickname - his teammates did.
I'm glad he made it in the NFL ... and heartbroken that he turned out to be, apparently, very, very stupid.
gslaton#227127 writes:
Amen to that! What an ego.
tums writes:
Please don't bring up politics, this is the only place that I can get away from it.
ncvol17 writes:
Well we'll never have to see him again love him or hate him. I sincerely doubt there will ever be a Kelley Washington day in Neyland. Kind of like never a Chuck Webb or Hubert Simpson day.
I wonder if Kelley even remembers what college he attended?
If he saved half of his yearly NFL salary he will never have to work again. Unless he invested with Madoff.LOL
rockytopwest writes:
Plese not the TITANS!!!
thevoice writes:
Good one. Too many double standards on here!! Also, I'd like to see the weights of some of the folks who called CPF "big." Bet most are bigger than him... remember, we live in the south, and for some reason we like fat.
Bearwuzacheater writes:
While $800K a year is nothing to sneeze at, it is not much above, or just at, league minimum for a NFL player with more than 6 years experience. Not quite the "future" Kelly Washington proclaimed himself to be!
bluetick writes:
I totally agree. But dude was all about the money. If it didn't come easy to him then he didn't want anything to do with it. Should have stayed another season along with Donte and seen what could have been.
There certainly won't be any streets named after him or statues sculpted, thats a FACT JACK!
davemanthevolfan writes:
He says as he drops a big bowl of cornbread and gravy on his big fat beer gut.
straightshooter writes:
For all the negative talk about Washington, remember one thing. UT would have won less games during the years he did play had he not been on the team. The last decent bowl game UT was in, the 2001 Citrus bowl UT dominated because Michigan couldn't defense Washington nor Stallworth. And Stallworth would have went pro regardless of whether Washington was there or not. He went out on a great season and had a new kid to feed. Likely most critics are jealous of his $800,000 salary which while low for an NFL player is far more than the average citizen will ever began to see.
ZR writes:
DANG, KW was a good Vol. He never called out a teammate and never said anything against the team. Playboy put grease all over him and told him he was the Future for their preview issue. He repeated it and it went overboard.
Tennessee fans jumped on Washington like Chris Fowler's favorite Volnalagy: in a trailer park frenzy.
Meanwhile the biggest crybaby Vol back then ran his mouth about the other players every week. He got mad and threw reporters out of his house in Upper East TN when he did not get drafted high enough. Fans still love him and hate the more true team player.
rocky_topper writes:
so much for "THE FUTURE"!!!! he was a cancer for any team! i just hope he stays away from Knoxville!
UT37916 writes:
Are you bragging or complaining?
UTVol39 writes:
I once saw TDTN eat two bags of Funyuns and poop out a full purple onion. Which Dupree proceeded to cut up and put on his hamburger.
Free TDTN!!
jack_2222#231746 writes:
Presently The Future is the past.
Stumps writes:
unreal - the support that Washington gets... unreal.
There is nothing wrong with a player being cocky, confident, eager.
There is EVERYTHING wrong with a player that only cares about himself, and not the team - and THAT is who Washington is.
Football is the ultimate team sport, and this guy has failed to see the value in working with the other 10 players on the field with him. I live about 15 miles from his high school - He's been a big-headed jackass forever, and by the sounds of it, he still is. He was a failure for Tennessee and he's failed to make his name in the pros. Hey Kelly, guess what, sometimes it really is about just humility and hard work.
GoVol writes:
another example of great talent that Fulmer did not know how to control. Fulmer's fault Washington's attitude was off the charts while at UT!
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