True patriot

Years from now, Kyle Eckel will be able to tell of his time playing fullback for Super Bowl champs the New England Patriots. His short-lived NFL career might’ve lasted just four preseason games, but the chance to play is something few athletes ever get.

Eckel was cut Sunday, the final day for NFL teams to trim their rosters to 53 players. The 23-year-old, originally from 17th Street and Packer Avenue, signed with New England as a free agent April 29 and played in all four of the Patriots’ preseason games. In last Thursday’s 27-3 loss to the Giants, he carried the ball 10 times for 34 yards.

It didn’t really matter how many yards the 5-foot-11, 244-pound Eckel tallied in the game, the 2005 Naval Academy grad had a military commitment to fulfill.

During his time with the Patriots, Eckel was temporarily stationed in Newport, R.I., so he could pursue his NFL dreams. There was a proposal for the athlete to be commissioned as officer in the drilling reserves, which was denied. The Department of Navy explained the denial in a letter stating:

"There is no doubt MIDN 1/C Eckel has great potential to provide value to the Navy’s public affairs program. However, because we are in the midst of a national emergency, it is not in the best interest of the Navy, U.S. Naval Academy or the individual to expand the current policy that requires at least two years of service in the Fleet. I encourage MIDN 1/C Eckel to revisit this subject [an NFL career] as he approaches completion of the minimum active service requirement."

In the preseason games, Eckel tallied 20 carriers for 80 yards with two touchdowns and caught two passes for 11 yards.

In four seasons at Navy, Eckel recorded 13, 100-yard rushing games, fourth most in the school’s history. The midshipman also graduated as just the third player to rush for more than 1,000 yards twice. He was named MVP for the Army-Navy game his junior and senior seasons and was the only Navy grad to play in the NFL during the preseason.

2005 kickoff

Neumann-Goretti 2005 schedule/results

Sept. 3 …North Catholic …Away, W 19-0*
Sat. …Bartram …Home 1 p.m.*
Sept. 17 …Episcopal Academy …Away Noon*
Sept. 24 …Kennedy-Kenrick …Away 7 p.m.
Oct. 1 …Archbishop Carroll …Home 1 p.m.
Oct. 8 …Archbishop Wood …Home 1 p.m.
Oct. 15 …Conwell-Egan …Home 1 p.m.
Oct. 22 …West Catholic …Away 2 p.m.
Oct. 28 …Bishop McDevitt …Away 7 p.m.
Nov. 5 …Cardinal Dougherty …Home 2 p.m.
Nov. 24 …Southern …Away 10:30 a.m.

*Denotes non-league game. Home field 11th and Bigler streets.

Bok 2005 schedule

Fri. …Upper Moreland …Away 7 p.m.*
Sept. 16 …Edison …Home 3 p.m.*
Sept. 24 …University City …Home 10:30 a.m.*
Sept. 29 …Imhotep Charter …Away 3 p.m.
Oct. 6 …William Penn …Home 3 p.m.
Oct. 15…Freire Charter …Home, 10:30 a.m.
Oct. 21…Communications Tech Home 3 p.m.*
Oct. 28 …Ben Franklin …Home 3 p.m.
Nov. 4 …Southern …Home 2:30 p.m.
Nov. 10 …Overbrook …Away 2:30 p.m.

*Denotes non-league game. Home field 11th and Bigler streets.

Southern 2005 schedule

Fri. …West Philadelphia …Away 3 p.m.*
Sept. 15 …Imhotep Charter …Away 6 p.m.*
Sept. 23 …Ben Franklin …Home 3 p.m.*
Sept. 30 …Overbrook …Home 3 p.m.
Oct. 7 …Edison …Home 3 p.m.
Oct. 14 …Lincoln …Home 3 p.m.
Oct. 21 …Olney …Away 3 p.m.
Oct. 27 …University City …Home 3 p.m.
Nov. 4 …Bok …Away 2:30 p.m.*
Nov. 10 …William Penn …Home 2:30 p.m. *
Nov. 24 …Neumann-Goretti …Home 10:30 a.m.*

*Denotes non-league game. Home field 11th and Bigler streets.

2004 Public League South Division final standings

Bok 6 0
Bartram 5 1
Overbrook 4 2
Ben Franklin 3 3
Southern 2 4
West Philadelphia 1 5
University City 0 6

2004 Catholic League Blue final standings

West Catholic 8 0
Archbishop Wood 6 2
Conwell-Egan 6 2
Archbishop Carroll 5 3
North Catholic 4 4
Bishop McDevitt 3 5
Kennedy-Kenrick 3 5
Neumann-Goretti 1-7
Cardinal Dougherty 0 8