Poteat Gives Back

Hank Poteat helped crush the hopes of Philadelphia Eagles’ fans as a cornerback for the 2004 Super Bowl champion New England Patriot.

Now a New York Jet, Poteat is hoping to inspire new football dreams among Newark-area children at an in-store appearance in Bear this weekend.

Poteat is slated to appear at The Athlete’s Foot in the Fox Run Shopping Center on Saturday to help promote his summer football camp at Glasgow High School for children between 8 and 14 years old.

Registration for the camp usually goes for $230, but kids who sign up during Poteat’s appearance at The Foot Locker will receive a discount, according to Hank’s wife, Jasmine, who has lived in Delaware with her husband since 2002.

The camp will run from July 14 through July 17 and feature appearances by pro football players such as fellow Jets cornerback Drew Coleman; Na’Shan Goddard, an offensive tackle for the 2008 Super Bowl champion New York Giants; and Brandon “Bam” Childress, a wide receiver who signed a two-year deal with the Eagles this off-season.

Childress also is expected to join Poteat for Saturday’s in-store appearance, according to a spokeswoman for the Bear Athlete’s Foot.

Anyone who signs up for the camp this Saturday also will be eligible to receive a pair of cleats for $20 compliments of franchise owner Cesar Dumet Jr.

Poteat will be available to meet fans and sign autographs from noon until 2 p.m. on Saturday and then again from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

For those who don’t know, Poteat is an eight-year veteran of the National Football League, who was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2000 draft.

After playing a single game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he signed with the New England Patriots and played in three playoff games en route to their Super Bowl victory in 2004.

A member of the New York Jets since 2006, he recorded a career season in 2007 with 16 games played, 45 tackles and two interceptions, including a pick of Eagles QB Donovan McNabb in week 6.

Source: Newark Post

Jets Resign Poteat

The New York Jets have re-signed unrestricted free agent DB Hank Poteat. The announcement was made by Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum.

Poteat (5’10”, 195) returns to the Jets after appearing in all 16 games in 2007. He started nine games, recording the first two interceptions of his eight-year career in consecutive games vs. Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb and Cincinnati’s Carson Palmer. On the season, Poteat registered a career-high 45 tackles and five pass breakups.

Poteat first joined the Jets in 2006 after stints with Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and New England. He was drafted by the Steelers in the third round (77th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft.

Related: Jets re-sign veteran CB Hank Poteat to one-year deal

Poteat a Possibility

The Patriots have had dialogue with free-agent cornerback Hank Poteat about the possibility of him signing with the club.

At this point, nothing is imminent and no official visit has been scheduled.

Poteat spent parts of 2004, 2005 and 2006 with the Patriots. He was with the Jets for most of 2006 and all of last season.

The Patriots currently have Ellis Hobbs, Tim Mixon, Mike Richardson, Antwain Spann and Jason Webster under contract at cornerback. Also, 2007 first-round pick Brandon Meriweather is an option at corner, while Chad Scott, who is an unrestricted free agent, is a candidate to return.

Poteat warns Giants against comments

Here are America’s favorite underdogs, preening for the cameras, appearing on late-night television, boldly calling out the opposition while aiming their slingshots directly at Goliath.

The New York Giants are basking in the fairy tale that accompanies every Cinderella story.

But eight-year veteran NFL cornerback and Delaware resident Hank Poteat said the Giants should be careful.

Every slight of Super Bowl opponent New England — overt or subtle — and every boast of supremacy is bound to catch the attention of Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

“Belichick is very thorough,” said Poteat, who lives in Glasgow and played for Belichick when the Patriots edged the Eagles in the Super Bowl, 24-21, in 2005.

“He gets everything throughout the league or the newspaper, where someone might have said this or that. Even if it had nothing to do with our game or our team, he’ll have info on a guy.

“That’s why you see guys pretty much not say a lot, because if you do say the wrong thing or say too much, you best believe it’s going to be brought up in a team meeting.”

Full Story: Poteat warns Giants against comments - [The News Journal]

Poteat’s Patient Approach Pays Off

In the 71st game of his career — after an overthrown Donovan McNabb pass sailed into his arms — Hank Poteat walked toward the Jets’ sideline without so much as a fist pump. He did not speak. He did not smile. He did not bump chests.

Only a select few knew that Poteat waited eight years and seven seasons for that very moment, the first interception of his vagabond career. When safety Kerry Rhodes found this out, he could not resist a little needling.

“That’s your first one,” Rhodes said. “You aren’t going to celebrate a little bit?”

Full Story: Poteat’s Patient Approach Continues to Pay Off for Him and the Jets - [New York Times]

Related: Poteat’s Been Potent - [New York Post]

Perseverance Pays, Poteat Tells His Campers

Never underestimate the power of the ring. Hank Poteat happened to have it — his Super Bowl XXXIX ring, that is — with him when he opened the doors to his first football camp for 50 kids at a sizzling hot high school football field in northwest Philadelphia on Monday and Tuesday.

“First of all, anytime you have a Super Bowl ring, a lot of people want to see it,” the Jets cornerback told newyorkjets.com Thursday. “I showed the kids the ring and told them the significance of it to me. I wanted these kids to know we all have plans and dreams in our lives, but your first plan, your first try is not always going to go as expected. But if you have that desire in your heart, keep going after it and don’t quit.”

Full Story: Perseverance Pays - [New York Jets]

Jets Sign Poteat to Bolster DB’s

Anyone who paid attention to the final quarter of the Jets’ season would not be surprised by the moves the team made yesterday, re-signing cornerback Hank Poteat and releasing running back Kevan Barlow.

Poteat went from training camp casualty, cut just before the regular season, to starting right cornerback for the final six regular-season games and the playoffs. Eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next month, Poteat signed a one-year deal worth $635,000.

Source: Poteat signed, Barlow let go - [Newsday.com]