FOXBOROUGH — The New England Patriots have released receiver Malcolm Mitchell.
The 2016 fourth-round draft pick played in 14 regular-season games as a rookie, catching 32 passes for 401 yards and four touchdowns. He caught six passes for 70 yards in the Super Bowl victory over Atlanta — five of them in the fourth quarter as the Patriots rallied from a 25-point deficit to force overtime.
But Mitchell, 25, spent all of last season on injured reserve.
He was released three days after the Patriots signed receiver Eric Decker as a free agent.
Dog of former Pat Mayo found dead, trainer charged
A 5-year-old English bulldog that belonged to New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo and has been missing since June has been found dead inside the home of its trainer.
The Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says the dog named Knox died in the custody of a trainer. In an Instagram post on Monday, Mayo writes that trainers hid the dog in a trash bag for two months while making it look like he ran away, was stolen or drowned, sending the family “on a wild goose hunt and our kids on an emotional roller coaster.”
The animal welfare group says the trainer is being charged by the Cranston Police Department with one count of obstruction and could faces charges of animal cruelty.
Police asked for the public’s help after Knox disappeared in June while going on a walk with a trainer.