Super Bowl champion and Patriots running back Shane Vereen is coming back to his home turf in the Santa Clarita Valley to meet with fans and receive a key to the city of Santa Clarita.

The Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce officials invited Vereen to be honored March 26 at the Hyatt Regency form 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

City of Santa Clarita Mayor Marsha McLean is expected to present a key to the city and honor Vereen at the event.

Vereen will also speak to the attendees about his career path and will answer questions.

“My vision for what he would speak about would be about his journey from high school football to becoming professional,” said Terri K. Crain, CEO and president of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce. “He has also agreed to sign a couple

Photo courtesy of Shane Vereen.

autographs.”

SCV Chamber of Commerce officials invited football players from Santa Clarita Valley high schools, she said.  Students from Bishop Alemany High School have reserved a table.

Tickets are $50 per person and $500 for a table.

“We have one pretty high profile sponsorship opportunity,” Crain said. “As part of the package, you will host Shane and his family at your table.”

ABC7 Eyewitness News Sports Anchor & Reporter Curt Sandoval will be the master of ceremonies for the event.

If you’re interested in this sponsorship opportunity, contact Terri K. Crain at the SCV Chamber of Commerce at 661-702-6977.

“A portion of the event proceeds will be donated to Shane Vereen’s Playmaker Camp that donates to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles,” Crain said.

About Shane Vereen, courtesy of SCVHistory

CAREER TRANSACTIONS

• Shane Vereen was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round (56th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft.

SEASONAL REVIEWS

2014 (16,6)

• Finished the season with 52 receptions, the most by a Patriots running back since Kevin Faulk recorded 58 catches in 2008.
• Caught three passes for 14 yards and ran twice for one yard vs. Buffalo (12/28).
• Recorded a 12-yard reception in the second quarter of the win at N.Y. Jets (12/21) to set a new single-season high with 433 receiving yards. Also led the team in rushing with six carries for 38 yards.
• Started at running back and set a new career high with his 48th reception of the season in the win vs. Miami (12/14). Finished the game with one catch for 12 yards and six carries for five yards and one touchdown.
• Caught three passes for 30 yards and had a one-yard rush in the win at San Diego (12/7).
• Started at running back at Green Bay (11/30), carrying three times for six yards and catching one pass for 26 yards.
• Started at running back and recorded eight receptions for 48 yards and added eight carries for 12 yards in the win vs. Detroit (11/23).
• Caught four passes for 59 yards and rushed once for 18 yards in the win at Indianapolis (11/16).
• Rushed 11 times for 29 yards and caught five passes for 38 yards and a touchdown in the win vs. Denver (11/2).
• Started at running back in the win vs. Chicago (10/26), rushing five times for 22 yards and catching three passes for 23 yards.
• Started at running back in the win vs. N.Y. Jets (10/16), rushing 11 times for 43 yards and catching five passes for a game-high 71 yards and two touchdowns. It was his first regular season two-touchdown game, and his 49-yard touchdown reception on the fourth play of the game was the longest by a Patriots running back in Gillette Stadium history.
• Had five carries for four yards and caught one pass for three yards in the win at Buffalo (10/12).
• Rushed for a season-high 90 yards on just nine carries in the win vs. Cincinnati (10/5). Also caught three passes for 18 yards.
• Made his first start of the season and just the third of his career at Kansas City (9/29), finishing with eight carries for 26 yards and five receptions for 41 yards, including a season-long 28-yarder in the third quarter that pushed the Patriots into Chiefs territory and set up a touchdown on the following play.
• Carried seven times for 20 yards and caught four passes for 17 yards in the win vs. Oakland (9/21).
• Rushed six times for a season-high 40 yards in the win at Minnesota (9/14).
• Led the team with 36 yards and one touchdown (a two-yarder) on seven carries in the season opener at Miami (9/7). Also posted five receptions for 35 yards

2013 (8/1, 2/0)

• Played in eight regular-season games with one start and gained 208 yards rushing on 44 carries for a 4.7 average and one touchdown. Also caught 47 passes for 427 yards and three touchdowns and had three kickoff returns for 66 yards.
• Played in both postseason contests with one start and compiled nine rushes for 51 yards and had seven receptions for 75 yards.
• Missed most of the first half of the season after being placed on injured reserve/designated for return (9/10) with a wrist injury suffered in the season opener at Buffalo (9/8).
• Caught five or more passes in five of eight regular-season games he played in
• Rushed for a career-high 101 yards on 14 carries at Buffalo (9/8). Also had seven receptions for 58 yards.
• Returned from the injured reserve/designated for return list and made an immediate impact on the offense at Carolina (11/18). Set a then career-high with eight receptions for 65 yards and had one rush for 7 yards.
• Made his first start of the season at Houston (12/1) and totaled five receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown. Also rushed 10 times for 38 yards.
• Set new team records for receptions and receiving yards by a running back in the comeback win vs. Cleveland (12/8). Vereen had 12 receptions for 153 yards and three rushes for 9 yards and a touchdown.
• Scored the second Patriots touchdown at Baltimore (12/22) on a 4-yard pass. Left in the first half with an injury and did not return.
• Gained 93 combined yards of offense in the AFC Championship Game at Denver (1/19) with five receptions for 59 yards and four rushes for 34 yards in his first career playoff start.

2012 (13/1, 2/0)

• Played in 13 regular-season games with one start and rushed for 251 yards on 62 carries (4.0 avg) and three touchdowns. Also caught eight passes for 149 yards (18.6 avg) and a touchdown.
• Appeared in both postseason contests and compiled 57 yards rushing on 11 carries (5.2 avg) and a touchdown. Also caught seven passes for 105 yards (15.0 avg) and two touchdowns.
• Was inactive due to injury for the first three games of the season.
• Rushed once for one yard and a touchdown vs. Denver (10/7).
• Made his first career start and rushed for 49 yards on eight carries (6.1 avg) and caught one pass for 10 yards in the overtime win vs. N.Y. Jets (10/21). Gained 24 yards of offense on the first two plays of the game from scrimmage – a 10-yard reception and a 14-yard rush.
• Rushed for 22 yards on seven carries (3.1 avg) and a touchdown at St. Louis (10/28). Also converted a third-and-long with a 17-yard catch and run in the second quarter.
• Picked up 40 yards on a career-high 11 carries (3.6 avg) and a touchdown vs. Indianapolis (11/18). Also caught one pass for 11 yards.
• Caught two passes for a career-high 91 yards, including a career-long 83-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter of the Thanksgiving Night win at N.Y. Jets (11/22). Also tallied 42 yards on 10 carries (4.2 avg).
• Tied a team postseason mark with three touchdowns – a 1-yard run and 8-yard and 33-yard touchdown receptions – in the Divisional Playoff win vs. Houston (1/13). In total, Vereen caught five passes for 83 yards (16.6 avg) and rushed seven times for 41 yards (5.9 avg).

2011 (5/0, 0,0)

• Played in five games and finished with 15 carries for 57 yards (3.8 avg.) and one touchdown.
• Inactive in Super Bowl XLVI against the Giants (2/5) as well as the Patriots’ playoff wins over Baltimore (1/22) and Denver (1/14).
• Inactive due to injury against Indianapolis (12/4), Washington (12/11), Broncos (12/18), Dolphins (12/24) and Bills (1/1).
• Played as a reserve on offense and gained 18 yards on seven carries in Philadelphia (11/27).
• Saw his first action on offense, rushing for 39 yards on eight carries including a four-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that capped a 34-3 with over the Chiefs (11/21).
• Was inactive against the Jets (11/13).
• Was active but did not play against the Giants (11/6).
• Played special teams and in a reserve role on sepcial teams against the Cowboys (10/16).
• Registered his first career statistic on a special teams tackle against the Jets (10/9).
• Saw his first NFL action in Oakland (10/2).
• Was active but did not play against the Bills (9/25).
• Was inactive for the first two games of the season against the Dolphins (9/12) and Chargers (9/18).

COLLEGE

• Vereen started 19 of 38 games at California, carrying 556 times for 2,834 yards (5.10 avg.) and 29 touchdowns.
• Added 674 yards and six scores on 74 receptions (9.11 avg.) and totaled 210 points as a member of the Golden Bears.
• Returned 24 kickoffs for 551 yards (22.96 avg) and two punts for 10 yards (5.0 avg).
• Collected 4,069 all-purpose yards on 656 plays, averaging 107.08 yards per game.
• Vereen’s 2,834 rushing yards rank seventh on the Golden Bears’ career record list.
• Had 11 100-yard rushing performances in his career, ranking as the seventh-most in school history.
• His 29 touchdown runs tie Marshawn Lynch (2004-06) and Jahvid Best (2007-09) for third on Cal’s all-time record chart behind Russell White (35; 1990-92) and Chuck Muncie (32; 1973-75).
• Rushed for 13 touchdowns in 2010, tying for sixth on Cal’s season record chart.
• Rushed for 12 touchdowns in 2009, tying for ninth on the school’s season record list.
• His 4,069 all-purpose yards rank fifth in school annals behind Deltha O’Neal (4,998; 1996-99), Russell White (4,943; 1990-92), Marshawn Lynch (4,574; 2004-06) and Chuck Muncie (4,194; 1973-75).
• Accumulated 1,757 all-purpose yards in 2009, ranking sixth on Cal’s season record list.

PERSONAL

• Attended Valencia High School (California).
• Combined for over 6,000 rushing and receiving yards with 89 touchdowns during a three-year varsity career.
• One of the Southland’s top sprinters, recording the fastest 100-meter dash time of any junior in Southern California during the 2006 track and field season. His best 100-meter time was 10.6 seconds and his best 200-meter time was 21.5.
• Also a member of the basketball team and excelled in the classroom, holding a 4.0 grade point average.
• Son of Venita Taylor-Vereen and Henry Vereen, both of whom were student-athletes at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
• Graduated with a degree in Media Studies in just three and a half years.

EXTRA POINTS

• Vereen’s mother, Venita, played tennis for the UNLV Rebels, while his father, Henry, played wide receiver for the Rebels before being drafted in ninth round of the 1979 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay.
• Spent the summer of 2010 as an intern with Comcast SportsNet Bay Area.
• His younger brother, Brock, is a defensive back at Minnesota.