RUNNING BACK LAURENCE MARONEY
ITS ALL ABOUT LAURENCE
HIGH SCHOOL YEARS
COLLEGE CAREER
NFL CAREER
Maroney declared for the 2006 NFL Draft after the completion of his junior season and was selected in the first round with the 21st overall pick by the New England Patriots. He was the second running back selected behind Reggie Bush. While splitting time with fellow running back Corey Dillon in 2006, Maroney was part of what coach Bill Belichick called the best running back corps he had ever coached. After Corey Dillon was released, Maroney became the starting running back for the Patriots.
In Week 4, Maroney earned 125 yards and 2 TDs (of 11 and 25 yards) on 15 carries, a performance that earned him both FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week and Diet Pepsi Rookie NFL Player of the Week honors. In Week 7, he was voted AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after a 74-yard kickoff return, while in Week 8 he had a 77-yard kickoff return (the two longest non-TD returns of the season outside of Antonio Cromartie's 91-yard kickoff return against the Oakland Raiders). Moreover, those two returns gave Maroney the longest kickoff return average among all NFL players.
In Week 11, Maroney had 82 yards rushing, and four receptions for 34 yards, including a 19-yard reception that became his first receiving touchdown.
Although Maroney rushed for 835 yards in the Patriot's undefeated regular season, he became a huge factor in the post-season, compiling 244 rushing yards and two touchdowns in only two games before playing in Super Bowl XLII. In Super Bowl XLII Maroney had 14 carries for 36 yards in a loss against the Giants.