During the process of NFL teams reducing their rosters to 53 players, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., an alumnus of Stony Brook football, secured a place on the roster of the New England Patriots. This development came shortly after he was traded to the Patriots, an announcement made by the organization on Tuesday.

Wheatley Jr., who plays as an offensive tackle, participated in much of the training camp with the Cleveland Browns. He trained alongside his former Stony Brook teammates Sam Kamara and Gavin Heslop. However, he was traded by the Browns to the Patriots on Sunday, as part of a deal that involved running back Pierre Strong Jr.

Wheatley Jr. transferred to Stony Brook from the University of Michigan. During his time with Stony Brook, he contributed to the team’s success by making six receptions for a total of 36 yards while playing as a tight end in 2018. He was featured in 11 games and started eight for the Seawolves, and his performances contributed to Stony Brook’s consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs. Notably, he played a pivotal role in a crucial victory against Delaware on November 10, 2018, where he made three receptions.

Transitioning from his impressive college career, Wheatley Jr. began his professional football journey in The Spring League during the spring of 2021. He underwent a position shift from tight end to the offensive line. Subsequently, he secured his first NFL contract with the Chicago Bears during the summer of 2021. Throughout the 2021 season, he was part of the practice squad. Following this, he joined the Raiders in May 2022, and later in September of the same year, he became a part of the Browns’ practice squad, where he remained for the entirety of the 2022 season.

It’s worth noting that Tyrone Wheatley Jr.’s father, Tyrone Wheatley Sr., had a successful NFL career spanning ten seasons. Notably, he spent six of those seasons with the Oakland Raiders from 1999 to 2004.

Beyond the NFL, alumni of Stony Brook football continue to represent the program in professional leagues. Examples include Carthell Flowers-Lloyd and Tyrice Beverette in the Canadian Football League (CFL), and Jean Constant, Tyquell Fields, TJ Morrison, and Dajon Owens in the European League of Football.