Kyle Eckel Kyle Eckel ( born December 30 , 1981 ) was an American football fullback in the National Football League . He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005 and won Super Bowl XLIV with the New Orleans Saints . He played college football at Navy . Eckel has also been a member of the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles . Early years . Eckel attended Holy Spirit School in South Philadelphia throughout elementary school , where he played baseball and basketball . He played football for St . Monica ' s School , as Holy Spirit didn ' t have a program . Changing parishes during eighth grade , Eckel was able to attend and graduate Holy Spirit while playing football for The Saint Denis Bulldogs of Havertown , Pennsylvania . He then attended Episcopal Academy in Merion Station , Pennsylvania ( which later moved to Newtown Square , Pennsylvania ) and was a letterman in football ( three years ) , baseball ( three years ) , and ice hockey ( one year ) . In football , he was a two - time first team All - Area and All - League selection . As a senior , while team captain , he earned first - team All - City and All - Area honors as a middle linebacker . Eckel amassed nearly 3 , 000 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns in his high school career . While playing baseball for the Churchmen of Episcopal Academy , Eckel recorded a . 460 batting average during his junior season , earning All - League , All - City and All - Area selections . He helped the Churchmen win their first league title in 50 years . As a senior , Eckel earned similar accolades , helped the Churchmen win another league title , and he was selected to the All - League and All - Area teams . Eckel was most recently added to Ted Silary ' s " 30 Year Inter - AC Football All - Star " team . College career . Eckel attended the Naval Academy and was ranked as a preseason All - American and the top NFL fullback prospect in the country by draftboardinsider . com prior to his senior season at Navy . He was also nominated as a preseason candidate for the 2004 Doak Walker Award . He rushed for 1 , 147 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior , notably rushing 26 times for a career - high 179 yards and one touchdown against Army en route to being named the Philadelphia Sportswriters Most Valuable Player of the Army - Navy game for the second consecutive year . Eckel had 13 career 100 - yard rushing games , the fourth most in school history , and became the third player in school history to twice gain 1 , 000 yards rushing in a season . As a junior , Eckel carried the ball 236 times for 1 , 249 yards and 10 touchdowns . He was named to the All - Independent team by College Football News . As a sophomore , Eckel rushed for 510 yards and four touchdowns before having his season cut short by injury . He finished his career with 2 , 906 rushing yards , which ranks fourth all - time at Navy , and registered 25 career rushing touchdowns , fourth in school history . Professional career . First stint with Patriots . Eckel was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent on April 26 , 2005 . He was waived by the team on September 3 . Miami Dolphins . Eckel was claimed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins and subsequently placed on the Reserve / Military list on September 7 , 2005 , just days after being claimed by the Dolphins . The Dolphins received a roster exemption for Eckel after his return to the team , allowing him to practice without counting against roster limits . He was not activated during the season , and was an exclusive rights free agent in the 2007 offseason . He was re - signed to a one - year contract on March 19 , 2007 , but released on September 1 during final cuts . Second stint with Patriots . Eckel was signed to the Patriots ' practice squad on September 3 , 2007 , at a salary of $ 125 , 000 , significantly higher than that season ' s base salary for practice squad players ( $ 79 , 900 ) . He was promoted to the active roster on October 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals . Eckel made his regular season debut in that " Monday Night Football " contest , playing on special teams for much of the game , recording one tackle and getting his first carry ( for three yards ) in the fourth quarter . He scored his first NFL touchdown in the final minute of the Patriots ' Week 6 game against the Dallas Cowboys , and a second in their Week 10 rout of the Buffalo Bills . In the Week 9 game between the undefeated Patriots and undefeated Indianapolis Colts , Eckel led all players with three special teams tackles in a Patriots 24 - 20 win and received special teams player of the game honors . The Patriots released Eckel on August 26 , 2008 , in the first round of preseason cuts . He was re - signed to the Patriots roster on September 15 , 2008 , the day after their Week 2 game . The Patriots again released Eckel on September 22 . Philadelphia Eagles . Eckel was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles on October 21 , 2008 . He played much of the season as a special teams starter and short yardage running back . He made his Eagles debut on Thursday , November 27 against the Arizona Cardinals on Thanksgiving Day . His first play as an Eagle came in the first quarter on a third - and - one at the Cardinals 37 - yard line . Eckel finished the game with six carries for 27 yards . He was waived on September 5 , 2009 at the conclusion of training camp . Eckel ' s most notable accolade during the 2008 season was being named the team ' s most valuable special teams performer in a playoff victory against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands . New Orleans Saints . On October 29 , 2009 the New Orleans Saints announced that they had signed Eckel to their roster . Eckel was primarily a fullback and special teams player on the 2009 Saints that won Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts , 31 - 17 . Denver Broncos . Eckel was signed by the Denver Broncos on June 4 , 2010 . He was waived / injured on June 17 , and subsequently placed on injured reserve on June 21 .