Patriots Release Rutgers Alum Day Before Super Bowl

When the New England Patriots added defensive end Alex Silvestro to their 53-man roster Saturday night, they released Rutgers alum Tiquan Underwood.

A day before the biggest game of his life, the rug was pulled out from underneath him.

Underwood was one of four Rutgers University alums on the Patriots, including Silvestro, who was signed off the practice squad. That number is down to three.

According to the Boston Herald, the move was not disciplinary and the Herald said Underwood could possibly be back next year.

Along with Devin McCourty, Silvestro and Nate Jones, the men from Scarlet Knight country have boded well for Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

“I think all four players are very team-oriented, and they come from a great program,” said Belichick prior to Underwood's release. “I think that program has, under Coach [Greg] Schiano, prepared their players well for the NFL. Those four players have done a good job for us. In terms of the program, you can see those types of players on a lot of teams.”

Underwood came to New England from Jacksonville, where he was a seventh round draft pick (253 overall, fourth from last) in 2009.

The Patriots play the Giants Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI, a rematch of the title game from 2008.

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