NFL CAREER – In 2007, the speedy Patten proved that he stretches a defense and can make the tough catches across the secondary as well as ever, returning to form with 54 catches for 792 yards and three touchdowns in his first season in New Orleans. He ranked second on the team in receiving yardage, recorded a trio of 100-yard performances and tied for the club-lead with 14 catches of 20 yards or more, including a 58-yard grab that was the Saints’ longest play of the season. Of his receptions, 37 went for first downs, and his 14.7 average was second on the team. Patten, who started five of 16 games, was also the leader of a youthful wide receiver corps. Patten was signed by New Orleans prior to last season after stints with the Washington Redskins, the New England Patriots, the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants since 1997. In his career, he has started 70 of 142 contests and has hauled in 313 passes for 4,553 yards and 23 touchdowns. Patten has posted 35 or more catches five times in his career, and has been particularly effective at moving the chains, with 205 of his catches going for first downs. During his stretch with the Patriots (2001-04), he was part of teams that won three Super Bowls.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Re-signed a two-year contract with the Saints (UFA), 3/3/08; Signed by Saints to one-year contract (FA), 4/12/07; Released by Washington Redskins, 3/22/07; Placed on injured reserve by Washington, 11/18/05; Signed by Washington to five-year contract (UFA), 3/3/05; Placed on injured reserve by New England Patriots, 11/7/03; Signed to four-year contract by New England Patriots, 4/2/01; Signed to one-year contract by Cleveland Browns, 4/16/01; Placed on injured reserve by New York Giants, 12/16/98; Signed to active roster by NY Giants, 8/27/05; Signed to practice squad by NY Giants, 8/25/97; Released by NY Giants, 8/25/97; Signed as undrafted free agent by NY Giants, 3/24/97.

2007 – Rebounded with a top-notch season after a pair of injury-plagued years in Washington limited his effectiveness…Played in all 16 games, with five starts…Finished second on the team with 792 receiving yards, had 54 catches (third on club), averaged 14.7 yards per reception (second) and tied for third on the squad with three TDs…Receptions total was second-highest of his career and yards were third-best…Tied with WR Marques Colston with 14 catches of 20 yards or more…Had two grabs at Tampa Bay, Sept. 16, including 58-yard catch that was the Saints’ longest play of the season…Recorded 113 yards on eight catches at Seattle, Oct. 14, including a 36-yard grab…Had first start of season at San Francisco, Oct. 28, and responded with five receptions for 109 yards, including a 43-yard catch on the first play from scrimmage…Nov. 4 vs. Jacksonville had four catches for 81 yards, with a long of 36, and a four-yard TD, his first in New Orleans and first touchdown since 2004…At Atlanta, Dec. 10, posted career-high totals with nine catches for 122 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown…Scored on a 32-yard touchdown catch vs. Arizona, Dec. 16, part of a four-catch, 71-yard day…Started vs. Philadelphia, Dec. 23, and had six grabs for 55 yards, leading the team…Started in finale at Chicago, Dec. 30 as Saints opened in four-receiver set and had four receptions for 39 yards. 2006 – Played in five games for the Redskins, with one reception for 25 yards, declared inactive for remaining 11 contests. 2005 – Appeared in nine games for Washington with seven starts before suffering a knee injury and being placed on injured reserve, Nov. 18…Recorded 22 receptions for 217 yards, with a long of 32…Top performance came at Denver, Oct. 9, with seven catches for 63 yards. 2004 – With New England, opened 11 of 16 games and had 44 grabs for 800 yards and a career-best seven touchdowns…Yardage total was second-highest of his career, and 18.2 per catch average was a career-high…Notched five grabs for 113 yards at Buffalo, Oct. 3, including a 30-yard TD…Had a team-high 107 yards on five receptions and a touchdown vs. Cincinnati, Dec. 12. 2003 – Started five of six games for New England before being placed on injured reserve, Nov. 7…Had two catches for 48 yards at Buffalo, Sept. 7, including a 42-yard grab…Hauled in a 39-yard pass vs. NY Giants, Oct. 12, part of three-reception, 55-yard performance. 2002 – Ranked second on the Patriots with a career-high 61 receptions for 824 yards...Added five touchdowns, a pair of 100-yard days and averaged 13.4 yards per catch…38 of his 61 grabs resulted in first downs…Hauled in seven passes for 108 yards vs. Kansas City, including a 38-yard touchdown…Added seven catches for 95 yards vs. San Diego, Sept. 29…Had a pair of touchdowns among five catches for 102 yards vs. Miami, Oct. 6…Made game-winning catch in the back of the end zone with 28 seconds remaining vs. Chicago, Nov. 10. 2001 – Started 14 of 16 games and had 51 catches for 749 yards with four receiving TDs and added five rushes for 67 yards and another touchdown…Also attempted two passes with a 60-yard TD…Against Indianapolis, Oct. 21, had a career performance, as he became the sixth player since 1960 – and the first since RB Walter Payton (10/21/79) – to rush (29 yards), catch (91 yards) and pass for a touchdown (60 yards, to WR Troy Brown) in one game. The 91-yard touchdown grab was the longest play from scrimmage in franchise history, and he finished with 117 receiving yards. Patten accounted for 206 of the team’s 385 yards in the contest…In the playoffs vs. Oakland (1/19/02) he had eight catches for 107 yards. 2000 – With Cleveland, had 38 catches for 546 yards while starting 10 of 14 games…Had the first two 100-yard days of career and also returned 22 kickoffs for 469 yards (21.3 avg.)…Had seven catches for 113 yards vs. Baltimore, Oct. 1, the first 100-yard performance of his career…Added 103 yards vs. Philadelphia on seven grabs, Dec. 10, with a touchdown. 1999 – Appeared in all 16 games with the NY Giants and led the team with 33 kickoff returns for 673 yards (20.4 avg.) and added nine catches for 115 yards…Had a season-high three receptions for 51 yards and a pair of kickoff returns for 53 yards vs. Washington, Nov. 21. 1998 – Played in 12 games for the Giants, recording 43 kickoff returns for 928 yards, including a 90-yard touchdown return at Washington, Nov. 1…Had 11 catches for 119 yards on the season, including a 39-yard touchdown grab…Missed two games with a back injury and suffered a knee injury vs. Denver, Dec. 13 that placed him on injured reserve for last two games. 1997 – Played in all 16 games with three starts for the NY Giants as a kick returner and wide receiver…Had 13 catches for 226 yards with two touchdowns and returned eight kickoffs for 123 yards…First NFL reception was a nine-yard touchdown catch vs. Arizona, Oct. 12…First NFL start came vs. Philadelphia, Dec. 7, and he had three catches for 54 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown.

COLLEGE – Four-year letterman at Western Carolina, finishing his career with 14 touchdown receptions – tied for ninth in school history upon his departure…As a senior in 1995, named All-Southern Conference with 59 catches for 881 yards…Led the conference his final season with an average of 88.7 receiving yards per contest….Ranked sixth in the Southern Conference as a junior by averaging 3.6 catches per game.

PERSONAL – Born Aug. 19, 1974 in Columbia, S.C….His career is proof that perseverance can lead to NFL success. Patten wasn’t drafted out of Western Carolina in 1995 and spent time working in the landscaping business, as an electrician and hauling 75-pound bags in a coffee bean factory until joining the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League. With the Firebirds, he played both defensive back and wide receiver in 1996 before signing with the New York Giants in 1997 and making the club…He and wife, Gailena, have three sons: Daquan, Quintin and David.