Former New Orleans Saints wide receiver David Patten lost his life at 47, ESPN reported Friday. Local reports say he was involved in a motorcycle accident Thursday evening. A three-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, Patten retired from the NFL in 2010 and finished his degree at Western Carolina, where he had been working as an assistant football coach.
Patten made the leap to the NFL after initially joining the old Arena Football League’s Albany Firebirds, contributing to a number of teams including the Cleveland Browns, the Patriots, the Washington Football Team, and the Saints.