Pat O'Connor
refer to caption
O'Connor with the Buccaneers in 2021
No. 79 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Position:Defensive end
Personal information
Born: (1993-11-01) November 1, 1993 (age 30)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:270 lb (122 kg)
Career information
High school:Chicago (IL) St. Rita
College:Eastern Michigan (2012–2016)
NFL draft:2017 / Round: 7 / Pick: 250
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Total tackles:24
Sacks:1.5
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Patrick Joseph O'Connor (born November 1, 1993) is an American football defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Eastern Michigan.

College career

O'Connor recorded 42 tackles and 8.5 sacks as a senior playing for Eastern Michigan University.[1] He recorded 166 total tackles and 20 sacks primarily playing the defensive end position in college, and was noted for his work ethic.[2][3] He was named to the All-Mid-American Conference team in 2016.[4]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 4+12 in
(1.94 m)
277 lb
(126 kg)
32+34 in
(0.83 m)
9+58 in
(0.24 m)
4.84 s 1.62 s 2.75 s 4.36 s 7.34 s 31.0 in
(0.79 m)
9 ft 6 in
(2.90 m)
17 reps
All values from Pro Day[5][6]

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions selected O’Connor in the seventh round with the 250th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.[7] On May 12, 2017, the Lions signed O'Connor to a four-year, $2.46 million contract with a signing bonus of $64,270.[8] He was waived on September 2, 2017, and was signed to the Lions' practice squad the next day.[9][10] He was released by the team on September 13, 2017.[11]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On October 9, 2017, O'Connor was signed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad.[12] He was promoted to the active roster on November 29, 2017.[13]

On September 1, 2018, O'Connor was waived by the Buccaneers and was re-signed to the practice squad.[14][15] He signed a reserve/future contract with the Buccaneers on December 31, 2018.[16]

On September 2, 2019, O'Connor was waived by the Buccaneers and re-signed to the practice squad.[17] He was promoted to the active roster on September 24, 2019.[18]

In Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings in 2020, O'Connor recorded his first career sack on Kirk Cousins during the 26–14 win.[19] O'Connor played in all four games in the Buccaneers' playoff run that resulted in the team winning Super Bowl LV.[20][21][22]

O'Connor was given an exclusive-rights free agent tender by the Buccaneers on March 9, 2021.[23] He entrenched himself as a core special teams player for the Buccaneers in 2021. He suffered a knee injury in Week 15 and was placed on injured reserve on December 21.[24] On March 15, 2022, the Buccaneers announced they would not tender O'Conner.[25]

On April 12, 2022, the Buccaneers re-signed O'Connor to a one-year contract.[26]

On August 29, 2023, O'Connor was released by the Buccaneers and re-signed to the practice squad.[27][28] He was promoted to the active roster on September 20.[29] He was released on October 31 and re-signed to the practice squad.[30] He was promoted to the active roster on December 1.[31]

References

  1. ^ Atkins, Nate (April 30, 2017). "2017 NFL Draft: EMU DE Pat O'Connor selected by Lions in the seventh round". MLive.com. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  2. ^ "Pat O'Connor – NFL Draft Countdown". www.draftcountdown.com. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  3. ^ "2017 NFL Draft Profile: Pat O'Connor". NFL.com. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  4. ^ Monarrez, Carlos (April 29, 2017). "Lions pick Eastern Michigan DE Pat O'Connor in Round 7 of NFL draft". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  5. ^ "Lions select Pat O'Connor No. 250 in the 2017 NFL Draft". YouTube.com. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  6. ^ "2017 NFL Draft Scout Pat O'Connor College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  7. ^ Twentyman, Tim (April 29, 2017). "Detroit Lions draft defensive lineman Pat O'Connor". Detroit Lions. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  8. ^ "Spotrac.com: Pat O'Connor contract". spotrac.com. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  9. ^ "Lions establish 53-man roster". DetroitLions.com. September 2, 2017. Archived from the original on September 3, 2017.
  10. ^ "Lions assigned G Zac Kerin and T Brian Mihalik via waivers". DetroitLions.com. September 3, 2017. Archived from the original on December 9, 2017.
  11. ^ Reisman, Jeremy (September 13, 2017). "Lions re-sign Storm Norton to practice squad, waive Pat O'Connor". PrideOfDetroit.com. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  12. ^ Smith, Scott (October 10, 2017). "Bucs Add DE Webster to Practice Squad". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  13. ^ Smith, Scott (November 29, 2017). "Dotson, Marpet to IR Among Multiple Moves". Buccaneers.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2018.
  14. ^ Smith, Scott (September 1, 2018). "Robinson, Tandy Among Cuts as Bucs Get to 53". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  15. ^ Smith, Scott (September 2, 2018). "Bobo Wilson Returns on First Practice Squad". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  16. ^ Smith, Scott (December 31, 2018). "Bucs Sign Eight to Reserve/Futures Contracts". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  17. ^ Smith, Scott (September 2, 2019). "Bucs Claim RB T.J. Logan, Add Two to Practice Squad". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  18. ^ Smith, Scott (September 24, 2019). "Bucs Put Blaine Gabbert on IR, Promote Patrick O'Connor". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  19. ^ "Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – December 13th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  20. ^ Patra, Kevin (February 7, 2017). "What we learned from Buccaneers win over Chiefs in Super Bowl LV". NFL.com. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  21. ^ "Super Bowl LV – Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Kansas City Chiefs – February 7th, 2021". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  22. ^ "Pat O'Connor 2020 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  23. ^ Smith, Scott (March 9, 2021). "Bucs Extend Tender Offers to Four Exclusive Rights Free Agents". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  24. ^ Smith, Scott (December 21, 2021). "Chris Godwin, Patrick O'Connor Land on Injured Reserve". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  25. ^ Easterling, Luke (March 15, 2022). "Bucs won't tender restricted free agent DL Pat O'Connor". Bucs Wire. USA Today. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  26. ^ Easterling, Luke (April 12, 2022). "Bucs bring back special-teamer Pat O'Connor on 1-year deal". Bucs Wire. USA Today. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  27. ^ Smith, Scott (August 30, 2023). "Bucs Cut Down to 53 for Regular Season, Place Ryan Jensen on IR". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  28. ^ Smith, Scott (August 31, 2023). "Bucs Fill Out Practice Squad with Patrick O'Connor, Patrick Laird". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  29. ^ Smith, Scott (September 20, 2023). "Patrick O'Connor Signed Back to Active Roster, Chase Edmonds to I.R." Buccaneers.com. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  30. ^ Smith, Scott (October 31, 2023). "Bucs Promote John Wolford to Active Roster". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  31. ^ "Buccaneers Promote DL to Active Roster". bucsreport.com. Retrieved December 2, 2023.

External links