Before Stephen Gostkowski was a Patriot, he was a Tiger. At the University of Memphis, Stephen walked onto the football team his freshman year. By the end of the 2002 season, he was the team's starting kicker, setting records with his steady foot over his four years, and on Feb. 11, Stephen was honored by his alma mater.
Along with three other athletes, Stephen was inducted into the "M Club," or the Hall of Fame at the University of Memphis.Â
As a member of the Tiger football team, Stephen set and still holds records for total points scored (369), extra points (159) and field goals (70), and he also played on the school's baseball team.Â
Stephen told Matt Schad of the USA Today Network that being able to play both football and baseball was a big draw for him.
"Memphis said, 'Hey, we want you to come here and play both.' And that's pretty much all they needed to tell me. I was sold, and it's the best decision I think I've ever made," he said.
Though Stephen said he hasn't been able to get back to Memphis as often as he would like, he has been a proud Tiger from afar, and being celebrated by the university was special.
"It's very humbling to be back here and to be honored by the M Club," Stephen said. "The four best years of my life were spent in this place. ... I bleed blue. I love being a Tiger and love being back here in Memphis."
