Patrick Chung

At 36 years old, Patrick Chung has this physical status:

Patrick Christopher Chung (born August 19, 1987) is a Jamaican-born American footballer who plays for the New England Patriots of the National Football League.

In the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Patriots drafted him.

He played college football at Oregon and has been a Philadelphia Eagles fan.

Early life

Chung was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Sophia George, a one-hit wonder in the United Kingdom with her 1985 hit "Girlie Girlie" that reached number one in Jamaica, topped the RJR chart for 11 weeks, and she was also a top-ten hits in the UK, and was also a top-ten surprise in the UK. Sophia was a teacher of hearing impaired learners at the time of recording. She married Ronald Chung (Patrick's father), with whom she moved to Miami in the mid-1990s and later settled in Los Angeles. Patrick has four brothers and three sisters. He is of Chinese descent on the paternal side of his lineage.

Chung lived in Jamaica until he was ten before heading to California, where he played football as a safety and wide receiver and was a two-time All-League pick.

Personal life

Chung is of partial Chinese Jamaican descent. Sophia George-Chung, Chung's mother, is a Jamaican reggae artist who was famous in the 1980s. Ronald Chung, his father, was a music engineer and Sophia's boss. Chung has his Chinese name (Zhng Jitong) tattooed on his right arm.

On September 18, 2010, Chung's first child, Taj James Chung, was born.

On August 21, 2019, Chung was arrested on suspicion of cocaine possession in Laconia, New Hampshire. On January 13, 2020, the charge was conditionally dismissed.

Chung was charged with assault on October 26, 2021, after reportedly pushing a woman to the ground, slapping her face, and breaking her phone outside her house in Milton, Massachusetts.

Major League Rugby's team, the Chung and his former colleague Nate Ebner, are minority owners of the New England Free Jacks.

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College career

Chung was accepted at the University of Oregon in 2004. Chung took over in 2005 after redshirting in 2004, ranking second on the team with 91 tackles (5 solo), as he caused a fumble and deflected five passes. He received All-Pacific-10 Conference honorable mention awards as well as a spot on the Sporting News Freshman All-American Team. Chung earned an All-Pac-10 honorable mention for his 2006 debut, finishing third on the team with 84 tackles, two sacks, and four interceptions.

Chung, a junior, was named Second Team All-American and first-team All-Pac-10 Conference. He was named the Gordon E. Wilson Award, the team's top special teams player. When leading the Ducks with a career-high 117 tackles (71 solos), he averaged 22.3 yards on nine kickoff returns, with 7.5 stops for loss. He failed up nine passes and was given a pair of interceptions.

In addition to making the All-Pac 10 first-team for the second year in a row, Chung earned Third Team All-American honors in addition to his second consecutive year. The pair, as well as offensive lineman Max Unger, set the school record for the first time in 51 consecutive starting assignments. In 13 games, he had 92 tackles (58 solos), leading up to two sacks in his 6.5 stops for loss. He caused and recovered a fumble, batted down seven runs, and returned his only interception, 31 yards for a touchdown.

Since starting 51 games in a row throughout his collegiate career, Chung holds the record of starting more games than any other defensive player in Oregon history.

Professional career

Chung had to forego his last year of eligibility and enroll in the 2008 NFL Draft, which was announced on January 16, 2008. Chung revealed three days later that he had rather return to Oregon for his senior year. Chung was a member of the Cincinnati Bengals' head coach Marvin Lewis' North team, which lost 18–35 to the South on January 24, 2009. He continued to participate in the NFL Scout Combine and finished the majority of drills before suffering a knee injury. Due to his injury, he was unable to participate in the short shuttle and three-cone drill. He attended Oregon's pro day and was responsible for the short shuttle, three-cone drill, and positional drills on March 12, 2009. He was expected to be a second round pick by NFL draft analysts and scouts at the end of the pre-draft process. DraftScout.com rated Chung as the top safety prospect in the draft and second best safety by NFL analyst Mike Mayock.

In the second round (34th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected Chung. Chung was the second safety draftee in 2009, one pick behind Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas. Chung was traded from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Patriots in exchange for Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel, according to the second round pick.

The New England Patriots signed Chung to a four-year, $5 million deal, with a signing bonus of $2 million.

Dean Pees, the offensive coordinator, organized a competition to choose the right starting safeties for Chung, Brandon Meriweather, James Sanders, and Brandon McGowan. Bill Belichick, the head coach, named Chung the back-strong safety for the regular season, behind Brandon Meriweather.

In a 25–24 victory, Chung made his NFL debut against the Buffalo Bills in the Patriots' season-opener against the Buffalo Bills, recording one tackle. On cornerback Leodis McKelvin's return to the fourth quarter, he made his first NFL tackle with teammate Darius Butler on cornerback Leodis McKelvin. Chung finished with a season-high eight combined tackles, deflected a pass, and made his first NFL interception after being defeated by quarterback Vince Young in Week 6, defeating the Tennessee Titans 5–0. In the Patriots' 35–7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Josh Johnson recorded four solo tackles and made his first NFL sack on him. During a narrow 35-34 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 10, Chung made his first NFL appearance and five combined tackles.

Chung's rookie year was his best on record (25 solo), two sacks, a pass deflection, and an interception in 16 games and one start.

With a 10–6 record, the Patriots finished at the top of the AFC East. In the AFC Wildcard Game, Chung appeared in his first NFL playoff game as the Patriots were defeated 33-14 by the Baltimore Ravens.

Defensive coordinator Dean Pees would not be renewing his deal or returning to the Patriots, according to a tweet on January 15, 2010. For the season, head coach Bill Belichick took over defensive coordinator duties. Chung was up for the challenge against Brandon McGowan and James Sanders, who provided him with a solid defense. He and free safety Brandon Meriweather were both named as the starting strong safety for the regular season.

In a 38–24 victory, Chung got off to a good start in the Patriots' season-opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, where he had a career-high 16 combined tackles (12 solo). Chung made five combined tackles and returned an interception by Chad Henne for a 51-yard touchdown, his first game of his career. In Week 4, the Patriots defeated the Miami Dolphins 41–14, with a punt and a field goal. In a 23–20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6, he had 13 combined tackles (five solo) in a 23-20 victory. Chung made a tackle the week before winning by 23–20 over the San Diego Chargers after injuring his knee. Due to the knee injury, he was ruled out for the next two games (Weeks 8–9).

Chung's second season in football (72 solo), nine pass deflections, three interceptions, and a touchdown in 14 games and 13 starts saw him win in his second season (96 total).

The Patriots finished in last place with a 14-2 record, clinching a first-round bye and home-field advantage. During a 28-21 loss to the New York Jets in the AFC Divisional round, Chung made his first NFL appearance in a playoff game and recorded four solo tackles. With 1:14 remaining in the second quarter, Chung made the call call on a punt and decided on a trick play instead to try to gain four yards on the first down. At New England's 37-yard line, he botched the direct snap and recovered the fumble for no gain. The New York Jets capitalized on their field position and scored a touchdown in four plays and 41 seconds to lead the Patriots 14-3. Chung admitted responsibility for the error and said it was his decision to call for the direct snap. After finding that the Patriots had an eight-on-eight advantage with their blocking scheme, he called the audible.

Chung's training camp was slated as the starter for the regular season, opposite free safety Brandon Meriweather. During a 35–21 victory over the San Diego Chargers in Week 2, Chung made five combined tackles on September 18, 2011. In the fourth quarter, he quit the game in the third quarter and returned with a hard cast around his thumb. Since undergoing surgery to repair his fractured thumb, Chung was inactive for the Patriots' Week 3 loss at the Buffalo Bills. In the Patriots' 25–17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 30, 2011, he totaled 13 tackles (ten solo) and broke up a pass. After suffering from a foot injury, Chung was suspended for seven games (Weeks 10–16).

Chung finished the 2011 season with 62 combined tackles (37 solo), four pass deflections, an interceptor, and a sack in eight games and eight starts.

The Patriots finished atop the AFC East with a record of 13–3, clinching a first-round bye and home-field advantage. In the AFC Divisional Round and the Baltimore Ravens, they defeated the Denver Broncos and the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game. In the Patriots' 21-17 loss to the New York Giants, Chung got off to Super Bowl XLVI on February 5, 2012, total tackles and a pass deflection.

Matt Patricia, the defensive coordinator, retained Chung as the starting point for a healthy safety, as well as free safety Steve Gregory. Chung started the season with a shoulder injury and missing four games (Weeks 7–11). Devin McCourty, who was moved from cornerback to safety during his absence, was able to replace him. Chung was voted the back-up strong safety behind McCourty after his return in Week 11 and was limited to 65 defensive snaps in the next four games (Weeks 11-14). During a 23–16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 23, 2012, Chung combined tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by Chad Henne. In the Patriots' 28–0 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Week 17, Chung recorded a season-high six combined tackles and deflected a pass. Chung finished the season with 44 combined tackles (29 solo), five pass deflections, and two interceptions in 12 games and eight starts.

The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to a three-year, $10 million deal with a $4 million guarantee on March 12, 2013. He was reunited with Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, who was also Oregon's offensive coordinator during Chung's last two years.

Billy Davis, the defensive coordinator, was ranked in an open competition to select two new starting safeties. Chung, Kenny Phillips, Colt Anderson, Nate Allen, Kurt Coleman, Kurt Coleman, and David Sims were among the competitors. Head coach Chip Kelly named him the starting free safety for the season, as well as solid security Nate Allen.

In a 33–27 victory, Chung got off to a good start in the Eagles' season-opener at the Washington Redskins, receiving seven combined tackles. Due to a shoulder injury, he was forced to miss two games (Weeks 4–5). In Week 6, Chung made two combined tackles before winning the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by 31–20 in the third quarter after aggravated his shoulder pain. He missed two games due to sickness (Weeks 7–8) and then lost his starting position to rookie Earl Wolff. After Wolff sustained a knee injury in Week 11, Chung recovered his starting position in Week 11 and began the last six games of the regular season. During a 24-22 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on December 29, 2013, Chung had a season-high ten combined tackles (five solo) during a season-high score. With 59 combined tackles (39 solo) and three pass deflections in 12 games and ten starts, he had his best season with the Eagles in his first season (39 solo).

With a ten-6 record, the Eagles ranked at the top of the NFC East. In the Eagles' 26–24 loss to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Wildcard Game on January 4, 2014, Chung made four solo tackles.

The Philadelphia Eagles cut Chung after just one season, saving $2.25 million in cap space on March 11, 2014. His demise was largely due to his injuries and difficulties with pass coverage. As potential reasons for his release, problems with tackling and several instances of mistakenly delivering hits to teammates were also cited.

The Patriots agreed to a one-year, $1.10 million deal with a $120,000 guarantee and a signing bonus of $60,000.

Chung competed against Duron Harmon for the position as the starting point of strong safety after the Patriots refused to re-sign starting strong safety Steve Gregory during training camp. Bill Belichick, as well as free safety Devin McCourty, named Chung the starter to start the season.

During a 26–21 loss to the Green Bay Packers on November 30, 2014, Chung made a season-high 11 combined tackles (eight solo) for the 11th season's highest 11 combined tackles (eight solo). In Week 15, Chung combined tackles (five solo), two pass deflections, and intercepted Ryan Tannehill's pass in the Patriots' 41-13 victory over the Miami Dolphins. He ended the season with 85 combined tackles (54 solo), pass deflections, and an interceptor in 16 games and 15 starts. In 2014, Pro Football Focus gave Chung an overall rating of 84.4.

The Patriots finished at 12–4 on the AFC East, clinching a first-round bye and home-field advantage. Chung got off to a winning 35–31 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on January 10, 2015. In the AFC Championship Game, the Patriots advanced to the Super Bowl after defeating the Indianapolis Colts 45–7. Chung got off to Super Bowl XLIX on February 1, 2015, beating the Seattle Seahawks 28–24.

The New England Patriots signed Chung to a three-year, $8.20 million contract extension, as well as a $2.40 million signing bonus on January 9, 2015.

Chung defeated the New York Giants in Week 16 on November 15, 2015, with a season-high 12 combined tackles (six solo) on November 15, 2015. Since injuring his hip last week, he was inactive during the Patriots' Week 16 loss to the New York Jets. He had 85 combined tackles (52 solo), nine pass deflections, and a forced fumble in 15 games and 14 starts on the season. Chung was given an overall rating of 88.4 by Pro Football Focus, which was the sixth highest ranking among all qualified safeties in 2015.

For the second straight season, the Patriots finished atop the AFC East with a 12–4 record. During a 27-20 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round on January 16, 2016, he made nine combined tackles. In the Patriots' 20–18 loss to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game the following week, Chung had five combined tackles.

On April 1, 2016, the Patriots agreed to a one-year, $5.70 million contract, as well as a $800,000. Throughout the 2018 season, the deal kept him under control.

During Week 5, Chung made seven combined tackles, a pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Charlie Whitehurst during a 33-13 victory over the Cleveland Browns. In the Patriots' 27-16 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chung finished with a season-high 11 combined tackles (seven solo) and two pass deflections. In a 30-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, he had nine combined tackles and suspended quarterback Colin Kaepernick in Week 11. Chung finished the 2016 season with 91 combined tackles (52 solo), three pass deflections, an intercept, and a sack in 16 games and 16 starts. In 2015, he received a general rating of 56.5 percent on Pro Football Focus.

With a 14-2 record, the Patriots emerged as the top seed in the AFC. Since defeating the Houston Texans 34–16 in the AFC Divisional Round and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game 36–17, they advanced to the Super Bowl. The Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons by a score of 34-28 in overtime on February 5, 2017, winning Super Bowl LI. Chung had five combined tackles and two passes defended. The Super Bowl was the first overtime game and the highest comeback in Super Bowl history.

Bill Belichick retained Chung and McCourty as the starting safety pair in the 2017 regular season. In Week 10, Chung led four solo tackles, broke a pass, and returned an interception by Brock Osweiler for 30 yards. During a 35–17 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Monday, he made ten combined tackles (nine solo) on November 26, 2017.

Chung finished the 2017 season with 84 combined tackles (71 solo), nine pass deflections, and a suspension in 16 games and 11 starts. In 2017, Pro Football Focus gave Chung a score of 79.0 overall. During the season, his rating was his 42nd highest rank among all qualified safeties.

With a 13-3 record and clinched home-field advantage, the Patriots advanced to the first round bye, with a first round bye. In the AFC Divisional Round and the Jacksonville Jaguars 24-20, they defeated the Tennessee Titans 35–14 for their second straight Super Bowl appearance and the Jacksonville Jaguars 24-20 for their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance. Chung started in Super Bowl LII on February 4, 2018 and had six total tackles before being forced to leave the game due to a concussion. The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Patriots 41–33.

On March 19, 2018, the New England Patriots signed Chung to a two-year, $7.80 million contract extension with a one-year guarantee and a signing bonus of $3.60 million, keeping him under control through the 2020 season. For the first time, Chung was also named as a team captain.

Chung was hospitalized early in Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams, suffering a "right hand or wrist injury." An air cast was placed on his arm and he stroded the field, and he walked off the field. He did not return to action, but the Patriots went on to win 13-3. He said he had broken his arm after the game. Chung underwent surgery on February 9, 2019, broke his forearm.

Chung signed a one-year contract extension with the Patriots on April 12, 2019, keeping him under control through the 2021 season.

Chung signed a two-year contract extension with the Patriots through the 2023 season on May 20, 2020. Chung exercised his right to cancel out of the 2020 season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 18, 2021, Chung, a 33-year-old quarterback, declared his retirement from football after 12 seasons.

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