FOXBORO, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced the signing of former Dallas Cowboys tight end Eric Bjornson today. Terms of the two-year deal were not disclosed.
Bjornson, 28, started 35 of 74 games and caught 127 passes for 1,232 yards (9.7 avg) and four touchdowns during his five-year career with the Dallas Cowboys. In 1999, he played in every game, making six starts, and caught 10 passes for 131 yards. He was also credited with a 20-yard touchdown run on a fake field goal against the N.Y. Jets (12/19).
The 6-foot-4-inch, 235-pound tight end was originally drafted in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 1996 NFL draft by the Cowboys. During his rookie season, he played in 14 regular season games, including one start, and participated in three postseason games, including the Cowboys victory in Super Bowl XXX.
He established a career high and finished second on the team in 1996 with 48 receptions for 388 yards and three touchdowns. He also finished second in the NFC and seventh in the NFL in receptions by a tight end. In 1997, he caught 47 passes in just 14 games and established a new career high with 442 receiving yards before suffering a fractured left fibula in Week 14. Bjornson played in a total of seven postseason games with the Cowboys, catching six passes for 35 yards.
