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Two football seasons, two rings -- that's what Patriots wide receiver **Chas Gessner** has accomplished in professional football over the last year, winning a Super Bowl ring as a practice squad player for New England last fall and a World Bowl ring as a standout with the Berlin Thunder this spring in NFL Europe.
"It was pretty wild," Gessner said recently after a workout at Gillette Stadium following his return from Germany. "I couldn't have written it any better. I got a chance to be on two unbelievable teams this year and it was good to be able to work with great coaches over there. We had a great group of guys and everybody came together pretty fast. It was a good opportunity to be a part of another winning team."
The 6-4, 215-pound former Brown University star ranked in the top ten in NFLEL in touchdowns, receptions and receiving yards for the Thunder. He finished the spring with 38 catches for 566 yards and six touchdowns as one of quarterback Rohan Davey's favorite targets.
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But as much as Gessner was happy with the statistics he put up this spring, he was even more pleased with some of the work he was able to accomplish in some of the fundamental aspects of being a receiver that could help him win a job in the NFL.
"I think I got to work on a lot of things," Gessner said. "I went over there with goals and I tried to accomplish as many things as I could. I tried to work hard and just get better all around. It was mostly just about being a polished receiver, running better routes, getting in and out of breaks better, getting off the jam, making plays in the red zone, being physical and getting a chance to block better."
And while Gessner knows that many on this side of the pond will question the competition level he faced in NFLEL, he believes he showed what he is capable of as he continues to improve as a professional athlete.
"I'd say the competition level was pretty good," Gessner said. "Coming out of I-AA they say you haven't gone against the guys from Florida State or all the big programs. So I got a chance to go against those guys, the Kansas States, the Florida States and all the big-time schools. I got a chance to go against all those guys. I think the competition level was pretty high because people were going out there trying to earn a job. So we competed pretty hard and I think I got a chance to bring my level of play up a little bit."
It's that improved level of play that Gessner hopes to bring to training camp in New England in an effort to win a roster spot at a crowded wide receiver position with the Super Bowl champs.
"My mindset right now honestly is just to get myself ready, get my mind right and just kind of put my head down and start grinding," Gessner said. "I am going to worry about myself. I'm going to worry about showing them that I have become a better receiver and what I can do out there. Hopefully I can just let the chips fall where they may."
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In Gessner's mind at least, he believes he brings a physical package of size and skills that could add a new look to a generally undersized Patriots receiving corps.
"I'd say I am a big, physical receiver," Gessner said. "I think I could help in the red zone. I think I create a little bit of an advantage matchup wise, maybe, in the slot or what have you against maybe a linebacker or a safety. I think I have some intangibles. I can block real well. I can run the inside routes, come across the middle, things like that. I think I have a big advantage in size. I am a big target for the quarterbacks, which might be a little mix up in terms of our other receivers that are smaller and quicker. So I think that might be what I bring to the table."
Gessner will also try to avoid playing the mental G.M. game as he battles with guys like J.J. Stokes, P.K. Sam, David Patten and others for the final one or two wide receiver spots.
"I did a little bit of that last year and the only thing that comes out of that is negatives," Gessner said. "All you can control is yourself and the faster you learn that the better off you are. You look at things a lot more positively. If you focus all your energy on improving yourself…there are so many things you can't control and once you think that you have everything figured out they will make a move that will totally throw everyone off or somebody will get hurt. So I've learned to just kind of worry about myself and just let everything fall into place."
If things fall into place this season as well as they did over the last 12 months, then Gessner has nothing to worry about. Just days after winning the World Bowl he returned to New England and collected his diamond-covered reward for his first season in the NFL, a reward from which he is still recovering.
"It's amazing," Gessner said of the Patriots Super Bowl ring. "It's the most ridiculous thing that I have ever seen. I almost passed out when I saw it, I really did.
[
]()
Two football seasons, two rings -- that's what Patriots wide receiver **Chas Gessner** has accomplished in professional football over the last year, winning a Super Bowl ring as a practice squad player for New England last fall and a World Bowl ring as a standout with the Berlin Thunder this spring in NFL Europe.
"It was pretty wild," Gessner said recently after a workout at Gillette Stadium following his return from Germany. "I couldn't have written it any better. I got a chance to be on two unbelievable teams this year and it was good to be able to work with great coaches over there. We had a great group of guys and everybody came together pretty fast. It was a good opportunity to be a part of another winning team."
The 6-4, 215-pound former Brown University star ranked in the top ten in NFLEL in touchdowns, receptions and receiving yards for the Thunder. He finished the spring with 38 catches for 566 yards and six touchdowns as one of quarterback Rohan Davey's favorite targets.
[
]()
But as much as Gessner was happy with the statistics he put up this spring, he was even more pleased with some of the work he was able to accomplish in some of the fundamental aspects of being a receiver that could help him win a job in the NFL.
"I think I got to work on a lot of things," Gessner said. "I went over there with goals and I tried to accomplish as many things as I could. I tried to work hard and just get better all around. It was mostly just about being a polished receiver, running better routes, getting in and out of breaks better, getting off the jam, making plays in the red zone, being physical and getting a chance to block better."
And while Gessner knows that many on this side of the pond will question the competition level he faced in NFLEL, he believes he showed what he is capable of as he continues to improve as a professional athlete.
"I'd say the competition level was pretty good," Gessner said. "Coming out of I-AA they say you haven't gone against the guys from Florida State or all the big programs. So I got a chance to go against those guys, the Kansas States, the Florida States and all the big-time schools. I got a chance to go against all those guys. I think the competition level was pretty high because people were going out there trying to earn a job. So we competed pretty hard and I think I got a chance to bring my level of play up a little bit."
It's that improved level of play that Gessner hopes to bring to training camp in New England in an effort to win a roster spot at a crowded wide receiver position with the Super Bowl champs.
"My mindset right now honestly is just to get myself ready, get my mind right and just kind of put my head down and start grinding," Gessner said. "I am going to worry about myself. I'm going to worry about showing them that I have become a better receiver and what I can do out there. Hopefully I can just let the chips fall where they may."
[
]()
In Gessner's mind at least, he believes he brings a physical package of size and skills that could add a new look to a generally undersized Patriots receiving corps.
"I'd say I am a big, physical receiver," Gessner said. "I think I could help in the red zone. I think I create a little bit of an advantage matchup wise, maybe, in the slot or what have you against maybe a linebacker or a safety. I think I have some intangibles. I can block real well. I can run the inside routes, come across the middle, things like that. I think I have a big advantage in size. I am a big target for the quarterbacks, which might be a little mix up in terms of our other receivers that are smaller and quicker. So I think that might be what I bring to the table."
Gessner will also try to avoid playing the mental G.M. game as he battles with guys like J.J. Stokes, P.K. Sam, David Patten and others for the final one or two wide receiver spots.
"I did a little bit of that last year and the only thing that comes out of that is negatives," Gessner said. "All you can control is yourself and the faster you learn that the better off you are. You look at things a lot more positively. If you focus all your energy on improving yourself…there are so many things you can't control and once you think that you have everything figured out they will make a move that will totally throw everyone off or somebody will get hurt. So I've learned to just kind of worry about myself and just let everything fall into place."
If things fall into place this season as well as they did over the last 12 months, then Gessner has nothing to worry about. Just days after winning the World Bowl he returned to New England and collected his diamond-covered reward for his first season in the NFL, a reward from which he is still recovering.
"It's amazing," Gessner said of the Patriots Super Bowl ring. "It's the most ridiculous thing that I have ever seen. I almost passed out when I saw it, I really did.
]()
Two football seasons, two rings -- that's what Patriots wide receiver **Chas Gessner** has accomplished in professional football over the last year, winning a Super Bowl ring as a practice squad player for New England last fall and a World Bowl ring as a standout with the Berlin Thunder this spring in NFL Europe.
"It was pretty wild," Gessner said recently after a workout at Gillette Stadium following his return from Germany. "I couldn't have written it any better. I got a chance to be on two unbelievable teams this year and it was good to be able to work with great coaches over there. We had a great group of guys and everybody came together pretty fast. It was a good opportunity to be a part of another winning team."
The 6-4, 215-pound former Brown University star ranked in the top ten in NFLEL in touchdowns, receptions and receiving yards for the Thunder. He finished the spring with 38 catches for 566 yards and six touchdowns as one of quarterback Rohan Davey's favorite targets.
[
]()
But as much as Gessner was happy with the statistics he put up this spring, he was even more pleased with some of the work he was able to accomplish in some of the fundamental aspects of being a receiver that could help him win a job in the NFL.
"I think I got to work on a lot of things," Gessner said. "I went over there with goals and I tried to accomplish as many things as I could. I tried to work hard and just get better all around. It was mostly just about being a polished receiver, running better routes, getting in and out of breaks better, getting off the jam, making plays in the red zone, being physical and getting a chance to block better."
And while Gessner knows that many on this side of the pond will question the competition level he faced in NFLEL, he believes he showed what he is capable of as he continues to improve as a professional athlete.
"I'd say the competition level was pretty good," Gessner said. "Coming out of I-AA they say you haven't gone against the guys from Florida State or all the big programs. So I got a chance to go against those guys, the Kansas States, the Florida States and all the big-time schools. I got a chance to go against all those guys. I think the competition level was pretty high because people were going out there trying to earn a job. So we competed pretty hard and I think I got a chance to bring my level of play up a little bit."
It's that improved level of play that Gessner hopes to bring to training camp in New England in an effort to win a roster spot at a crowded wide receiver position with the Super Bowl champs.
"My mindset right now honestly is just to get myself ready, get my mind right and just kind of put my head down and start grinding," Gessner said. "I am going to worry about myself. I'm going to worry about showing them that I have become a better receiver and what I can do out there. Hopefully I can just let the chips fall where they may."
[
]()
In Gessner's mind at least, he believes he brings a physical package of size and skills that could add a new look to a generally undersized Patriots receiving corps.
"I'd say I am a big, physical receiver," Gessner said. "I think I could help in the red zone. I think I create a little bit of an advantage matchup wise, maybe, in the slot or what have you against maybe a linebacker or a safety. I think I have some intangibles. I can block real well. I can run the inside routes, come across the middle, things like that. I think I have a big advantage in size. I am a big target for the quarterbacks, which might be a little mix up in terms of our other receivers that are smaller and quicker. So I think that might be what I bring to the table."
Gessner will also try to avoid playing the mental G.M. game as he battles with guys like J.J. Stokes, P.K. Sam, David Patten and others for the final one or two wide receiver spots.
"I did a little bit of that last year and the only thing that comes out of that is negatives," Gessner said. "All you can control is yourself and the faster you learn that the better off you are. You look at things a lot more positively. If you focus all your energy on improving yourself…there are so many things you can't control and once you think that you have everything figured out they will make a move that will totally throw everyone off or somebody will get hurt. So I've learned to just kind of worry about myself and just let everything fall into place."
If things fall into place this season as well as they did over the last 12 months, then Gessner has nothing to worry about. Just days after winning the World Bowl he returned to New England and collected his diamond-covered reward for his first season in the NFL, a reward from which he is still recovering.
"It's amazing," Gessner said of the Patriots Super Bowl ring. "It's the most ridiculous thing that I have ever seen. I almost passed out when I saw it, I really did.
