The New England Patriots dusted off Donte' Stallworth this week when they signed the wide receiver to replace the injured Julian Edelman, who is out for the rest of the season.
Stallworth was cut by the Patriots in August and never caught on with another team. He played one year with the Patriots during their 2007 run to the Super Bowl.
Four days after his return, Stallworth got behind the Houston Texans' secondary for a 63-yard touchdown during the Patriots' 42-14 win Monday night. Apparently, he got an assists from the Gillette Stadium video board.
"I didn't even see the guy behind me until I looked up at the screen," Stallworth told the Boston Globe after the game. "So that's why I grabbed it with two hands. ... Last time I was here and I did that I got myself in trouble doing that. I got caught from behind, so I didn't want that to happen again this time. ... Guys do it all the time, it's like having eyes in the back of your head."
The touchdown was Stallworth's first as a Patriot since 2007. He was the 16th Patriot to score a touchdown in 2012. New England tied the NFL record with 21 different players scoring in 2007.
"When I first got signed earlier this week it was really good being back around the guys, being back here in the locker room with the fellas," Stallworth said. "It's been a good week. I wanted to come in and make sure that I was prepared. I've been studying hard all week and I felt like I was prepared coming in."
One thing stood out about Stallworth's touchdown -- the fact he needed the video board. There was a time when Stallworth got behind a defender, he wasn't getting caught. He ran past Brandon Harris then had to angle away from Quintin Demps Tecmo Bowl-style and drag him the last six yards. We're just not used to Stallworth being caught from behind.
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.
