The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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JANUARY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 61 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? "You have to find a way to win sometimes," Patmon said. "Looking back on it, there's always, 'Man, there were a couple games we should have won.' It's a play here and there." Michigan made those plays at the end of the season, beating Penn State (31-27), Ohio State (24-17) and Ala- bama in overtime at the Orange Bowl (35-34) to close out Tom Brady's career in foreshadowing fashion. "At the end of the year, we beat a great Alabama team," Patmon said. "It's one of those things you look back on. It's great to win that one, but you could have won a couple more, just because of all the talent we had. A lot of first-rounders, a lot of depth and a lot of talent on that team." In three seasons, Patmon played with a host of future NFL performers. "Charles is obviously going to be in the Hall of Fame," he said. "Steve Hutchinson should be in the Hall of Fame. Obviously, Brady is going to be in the Hall of Fame. You're looking at three Hall of Famers. "You can have success in college, but to say you played with three [Pro Foot- ball] Hall of Famers … and it could have been more. The potential was there." The '99 squad didn't win the Big Ten, but finished No. 5 in the final na- tional rankings. Patmon added a third Big Ten championship ring as a senior in 2000, despite another pair of narrow defeats at Purdue (32-31) and North- western (54-51). He finished his career with wins at Ohio State (38-26) and over Auburn in the Citrus Bowl (31-28) to make it 3-1 against the Buckeyes and 4-0 in bowls, including 3-0 versus the SEC. Patmon picked off a pass in that final game, winding up with 11 interceptions in his career. "It's good to win the first game of your career and the last game," he said. "It wasn't where we wanted to be, but hey, we were playing a good team, an SEC team. We wanted to win for the seniors and for momentum go- ing into the next year." Patmon wasn't drafted, but played two seasons for the NFL's New York Giants, enjoying another high-profile venue. "The fact I had the chance to live in New York City was a blessing that you look back on," he said. "You ex- perience stuff that normally wouldn't happen." He just kept on experiencing such things, like appearing in football movies like "Friday Night Lights" and "Two For The Money." Patmon's high school coach happened to have a brother-in-law that worked as a cam- era operator and got him in on the first opportunity. "You realize, how many times are you going to be able to do this and hang out, be part of something where every once in a while you're on TV — 'Hey, there I am,'" he reflected. "It's just knowing the right per- son at the right time. They needed an actual football player to do some of the stunts." His stunts now — following short stints in sales and education — are real and superheated. "There are a lot of wildfires around here, because of the winds," Patmon said. "It's a different job every day. I love it. It's exciting, it's fun, and you get to do something where you feel good that you're doing something good for the community. "The wildfires are pretty bad. Last year, we had a couple big one where the fire is all around you. House fires are house fires, but the whole neigh- borhood is not on fire. The last two years have seen a couple of the biggest wildfires in California history." He got in on the initial attack, Pat- mon noted. "You go out there, and at nighttime, all you see is the glow of the fire," he said. "You try to put out as many houses as you can. There are neigh- borhoods of houses on fire. You're just trying to do your part." Even a Hall of Famer notices. That's what Patmon discovered when con- versing with Woodson at Michigan's '97 reunion. "He was sincerely interested," Pat- mon said. "He was like, 'Wow, I can't believe that. How do you do that?' It assures me that I'm doing something that really matters, and it helps people out." ❑ The DeWayne Patmon File M i c h i g a n Acco m p l i s h m e nt s: Performed in seven games for the 1997 national champions as a fresh- man … Recorded 186 tackles and 11 interceptions over four years, the latter figure is tied for sixth on the Michigan career records list … Gar- nered a national championship ring, three Big Ten titles and went 4-0 in bowl games. Professional Accomplishments: Played two seasons with the NFL's New York Giants (2001-02) … Ap- peared as an extra in several foot- ball movies, including "Friday Night Lights" … Served for the past several years as a firefighter, the last three for Los Angeles County, working in a station called "The Big House." Michigan Memory: "Every year, every day, when people ask where you went to school, it's good to say you graduated from the University of Michigan. Right now, I'm in para- medic school for the fire depart- ment, and I have a Michigan back- pack. "People will say, 'I went to Harvard' or wherever. I feel as much pride saying I went to the University of Michigan. Twenty years after gradu- ating, I still have that pride." Education: Earned a B.A. degree in sports management and communi- cation from Michigan in 2001. Family: Married to Erica Patmon, and they have three children — daughters Charlize, 10, and Raquel, 7, along with son Savion, 4. Patmon has spent the past several years as a firefighter, including the last three for Los Angeles County, working in a station called "The Big House." PHOTOS COURTESY DEWAYNE PATMON