Art Stapleton

Staff Writer, @art_stapleton

The pregnant pause on the other end of the phone was noticeable.

Chris Hogan needed a moment to wrap his mind around what was about to become his football reality.

This was back in March, and Art Weiss, his Franklin Lakes-based agent, had just finished telling Hogan the financial details of the offer sheet he was about to sign with the New England Patriots: a contract worth $12 million for three seasons, a deal that would change his professional and personal life.

And Hogan earned that moment of appreciation for how far he’d come in his gridiron journey from Wyckoff to the NFL.

Undrafted after playing just one season of college football at Monmouth University, Hogan’s dream was initially deferred, but he was undaunted. Five years later, the former Ramapo High School star wide receiver is on the doorstep of reaching the Super Bowl, readying to play for those Patriots in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Hogan had a career year in his first season with New England, catching 38 passes for 680 yards with four touchdowns and 17.9 yards per reception, best in the NFL. He was one of quarterback Tom Brady’s go-to receivers last Saturday night in the Patriots’ 34-16 divisional-round win over the Houston Texans when he caught four passes on four targets for 95 yards before leaving the game with a thigh injury.

Giants and Jets fans endure playoffs in grief

Jets owner Johnson is Trump's pick as UK ambassador

Giants' Beckham is top NFL player on Twitter

Hogan has been adamant with reporters this week that he will be on the field against Pittsburgh with the Patriots needing a victory to punch their ticket to Super Bowl LI in Houston.

“It’s gratifying, and more so, I’m happy for Chris because I know what it takes for guys like him to hang in in this process,” Weiss said.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick has referred to Hogan as a “four-down player,” noting his exceptional talent on special teams. Hogan was a restricted free agent last winter when he signed with New England. His contract includes $7.5 million guaranteed.

The Buffalo Bills had the right to match the contract and keep Hogan, but opted to not stand in the way of his departure to their AFC East rivals.

Now, after playing in his first playoff game last weekend, Hogan is on the verge of being part of the sport’s biggest game.

"Man, I mean it's an all-or-nothing kind of thing," said Hogan, 28. "We were fortunate enough to win the last game and now we're moving on. Everything that we have to do to win this game, we're putting everything we have into it. Whatever we feel as players, as coaches that we could do to help the team win, we're going to do it this week.”

Hogan played college lacrosse for three seasons on scholarship at Penn State before he decided to take advantage of a redshirt year and not just switch schools, but sports. He wanted to play at Syracuse, but his transfer credits did not match up, so Hogan ended up at Monmouth, where he played wide receiver and defensive back.

Of his 12 catches at Monmouth, three went for touchdowns.

Weiss landed a pre-draft workout for Hogan at Fordham, and he impressed, although those scouts present were unable to swing enough attention his way on draft day.

“I’m extremely happy for him, his family, and gratified that going from a [bad weather] day at Fordham five years ago to being a starting receiver for arguably the best team in all of pro football, and it’s remarkable," Weiss said. "But, I’m not surprised he could do it. The ability was always there.”

Hogan spent time with the 49ers, the Giants' practice squad, and then with the Dolphins before catching on in Buffalo, where his emergence opened the eyes of those around the league – those in Foxborough, in particular.

“Obviously you don’t know about a guy’s work ethic until you get around him more,” said Patriots safety Devin McCourty, the former St. Joseph and Rutgers star who trained with Hogan in North Jersey this offseason. “That’s what stuck out, everything he puts into the offseason, route running, lifting … I texted a couple of the guys in the offseason and said, ‘This guy’s gonna fit in pretty well here.’

“He’s done a great job of just doing his job, making big plays for us in the big moments.”

That’s a significant change from where Hogan was at this time a year ago.

“On a couch watching football, wishing that I was in this position,” he said. “I'm fortunate to be in this position now and I'm going to go out there and give it everything I have to help this team win."