Filed under: New England Patriots
Doug Flutie announced his retirement today, stating that he would not return for his 22nd season of professional football. Flutie, a Natick native, spent most of his time with Canadian Football League but also did tours with the United States Football League and the National Football League. He is perhaps best known around these parts for his legendary career at Boston College. Flutie led the Eagles from 1981-84, a career that transcended BC football to national fame and left him as a local deity, a reputation that has continued to subsist at the Heights throughout the post-Flutie decades.
He has also used his fame to promote his Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation, which helps raise money and awareness for autism. Doug is also known for routinely joining in local pick-up basketball games as well as helping to promote a lot of the clubs and student organizations at Boston College. You would be hard-pressed to find a lot of New Englanders who would speak ill of Doug, although he will be the first to tell you that he’s always had critics.
His football career in the States is most notably highlighted by a November 22, 1984 Hail Mary pass to Gerard Phelan on the last play to upset #1 ranked Miami, a 1984 Heisman Trophy, and of course, his own cereal called ‘Flutie Flakes’. Which should be the true mark of an athlete’s career if you ask me. I mean, say what you want about Count Dracula’s pro tennis career, but the guy’s still got his own cereal. And despite Tony the Tiger’s lifetime ban for violating every performance enhancing drug policy known to man, his cereal is pretty popular.
Flutie’s best years were the eight seasons he spent with the Canadian Football League, where he took home six Most Outstanding Player awards and three Championship rings while racking up 41,355 yards and 270 touchdown passes. His career in the NFL was spotty at best, highlighted by a lone Pro-Bowl appearance. However, watching Flutie was anything but dull and, as ESPN’s Mark Kreidler explains, his career as a ‘professional’ football player just might be Canton worthy after all.
Regardless of his numbers, Flutie was a great football player and a joy to watch. He almost epitomized the Cinderella story, constantly ignoring or proving all of his critics wrong. I agree that we were all lucky to witness Doug’s career.
Doug Flutie will forever go down as one of the greatest athletes in Boston’s history. And if you ask me, one hell of a good guy.
theaveragefan@bostonprosports.com
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