Patriots team owner Robert Kraft a 'big fan' of former URI standout Coby Tippett
FOXBORO — The name Tippett is one that still resonates with Patriots fans throughout New England. If all goes well this weekend, it’s a name that Patriots Nation might learn even more about this summer.
The Pats' rookie minicamp runs this weekend, with first-year players practicing Friday through Sunday. That includes the team’s recent draft picks, undrafted free agents and one local player, Coby Tippett, looking to follow in the footsteps of his father, NFL Hall of Famer Andre Tippett.
Coby Tippett will suit up with Patriots rookies this weekend in hopes of landing a contract and a spot on the team’s 90-man roster. An accomplished safety and return man for the University of Rhode Island, the younger Tippett has Patriots owner Robert Kraft in his corner.
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Kraft has known the younger Tippett since he was a boy. Coby Tippett has been a frequent guest of the Patriots over the years and used to work out with Kraft’s grandson, Harry Kraft, in the team's weight room.
“It’s so great. I’m in his corner rooting for him,” Kraft told The Providence Journal. “I used to see him — he used to workout in the weight room with one of my grandsons. Harry went on to play at Dartmouth and Coby went to play in Maryland at Towson and came back to URI. ... And to see him signed here as a free agent, I have my fingers crossed. I’m a big fan of Coby. He has good [genes] with his mom and dad.”
Tippett is a 5-foot-11-inch, 195-pound defensive back. He grew up in Sharon, Mass., and was a standout for Towson and Rhode Island, which play in the Colonial Athletic Association. Last season, for URI, he earned All-Conference First Team honors as a punt returner and All-Conference Third Team honors at safety. He also was a finalist for the 2021 CAA Football Chuck Boone Leadership Award.
He’s certainly no stranger to Gillette Stadium. Prior to COVID-19, Tippett was often seen on the sideline at training camp, where he would observe the practices and help the staff. With Harry Kraft, he not only worked out in the team weight room but the two then-high school students would go out on the field and run routes. Harry Kraft went on to play quarterback at Dartmouth.
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Last year, Tippett told The Journal that Matt Patricia was a mentor as well. When Patricia was the team’s defensive coordinator, he would bring Tippett into a team meeting room and break down different defensive coverages on a white board to help him learn the game.
The rookie minicamp invitation wasn't the first time the Patriots had shown interest in Tippett. The team brought him into Gillette Stadium for a pre-draft visit last month. If Tippett lands a contract with the Patriots, it would be a great story. His father is a legend among Patriots fans and still works for the team as the executive director of Community Relations.
“His dad, when we were fans sitting in the old Foxboro Stadium and seeing Andre was one of along with John Hannah, Steve Grogan — they carried things for us,” Robert Kraft said. “So, to think that his son might have a chance of making the team, I’m rooting for him.”
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Patriots owner Robert Kraft rooting for URI's Coby Tippett
