Jesse Holley, a 28-year-old receiver and winner of the reality TV series 4th and Long, signed with the Patriots on Monday.
After going undrafted out of North Carolina in the 2007 NFL Draft, Holley was signed to the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad and spent two weeks with the team before being released. Holley was out of football for nearly two years before winning the final spot on the 2009 Dallas Cowboys training camp roster by winning the competition on former Cowboys' receiver Michael Irvin's reality show.
Holley, who measures out at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, played in 28 games for the Cowboys between the 2010 and 2011 seasons, hauling in seven catches for 169 yards and mostly contributing as a special teams player. Holley is likely best remembered for pulling in a 77-yard reception in overtime during the Cowboys Week 2 win against San Francisco.
The Patriots also signed two other players to their roster on Monday.
Mike Ingersoll, 24, is a second-year offensive lineman out of North Carolina. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound tackle signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as a rookie free agent after going undrafted in 2011. He was released before the end of training camp and ended up linking on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad for the final month of the season.
Tight End Tyler Urban was also added to the 90-man training camp roster. Urban went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft and spent a few weeks with the Buccaneers before being released in late May. Urban played both wide receiver and tight end in college at West Virginia, finishing his four year career with 37 catches, 429 yards and five touchdowns.
None of the three project out as legitimate contenders to make the roster, although Holley certainly has the best shot given his special teams potential.
Photo via Facebook/Jesse Holley
