Chris Hogan said it's a "very surreal feeling" that he is joining the Patriots. After going undrafted in 2012, he signed with San Francisco before bouncing from the New York Giants to the Miami Dolphins. He eventually found his home in Buffalo, where he spent the last three seasons.
The newcomer has an active social media presence and shares much about his life with his fans. From his recipes to a passion for a second sport, Chris's life off the field is well documented on social media. Here are five facts we found interesting about the newest Patriots wide receiver.
1. First there was lacrosse.
Although Chris played football throughout high school, he chose to play lacrosse when he headed off to Penn State after graduation. He played for the Nittany Lions for three seasons as a midfielder, leading them in goals for the 2009 season. In 2010, Chris headed to Monmouth University to play football after exhausting his lacrosse eligibility. He hasn't completely shut the door on the sport and still manages to net a couple of shots every once in a while.
2. He's a master chef.
One look at his Instagram shows that Chris can throw it down in the kitchen. From his diligent meal prepping for the week to his BBQ chicken pizza with a sweet potato crust, Chris doesn't disappoint when he shares his latest creation. Perhaps he can do a cook off with Patrick Chung.
3. He's big on motivational books and quotes.
It's good to have multiple sources of motivation. Whether you lean on friends or compete with teammates to get better, it always helps to have another place to turn to in order to get inspiration.
4. His heart is with the Nittany Lions and his high school.
Like many of us, we never forget our college teams. Though Chris used his last year of eligibility with Monmouth, his pride for the Penn State seems to run strongly through his veins.
Not only does he remain a huge fan of his alma mater, he continues to cheer on his high school team, Ramapo, and celebrates their wins with them.
5. He was featured in HBO's Hard Knocks series and got a nickname out of it.
When HBO featured the Dolphins on its sports series Hard Knocks, Chris saw quite a bit of screen time. He also got his “7-11” nickname when cameras caught running back, Reggie Bush, yelling it to him. Even though he didn't stick with the Dolphins, the nickname followed him.
