‘Cause I, gonna make you see. There’s nobody else here. No one like me. I’m special, so special. I gotta have some of your attention, give it to me. -Pretenders
Public Service Announcement: Ok, here we go! Football coach Bear Bryant once brought USC running back Sam Bam Cunningham into the Alabama locker room after a game and told his players, “This is what a football player looks like.” Well, take a look at the picture above. That my friends, is what a football player looks like too.
Bill Parcells once said, “Football players play football.” Bill Parcells once said, “Players make plays.” Tedy Bruschi played football. Tedy Bruschi made plays. Tedy Bruschi played football and made plays for the New England Patriots for thirteen seasons. Thirteen smashmouth seasons. Thirteen hard-nosed seasons. Thirteen uncomprimising, unrelenting, unshakable seasons.
Before Tedy Bruschi, there was no joy in Mudville. Before Tedy Bruschi, the New England barely sniffed a Super Bowl ring. And you know what they say. They say, it don’t mean a thing, if you ain’t got that ring. Enter Tedy. With the 86th pick, the New Patriots select University of Arizona defensive end Tedy Bruschi. Hooray Tedy Bruschi! Hooray New England Patriots!
Before Tedy Bruschi, the Patriots toiled in professional football for 35 seasons and played in only one Championship game. They played in one AFL Championship game and lost to the San Diego Chargers 51–10 during the 1963 season. All that changed in 1996. All that changed with the arrival of one Tedy Bruschi.
In 1996, Tedy played in every game as a rookie. He was a pass rush specialist and played on special teams. He was a mainstay on the first Patriot team to ever make it to the Super Bowl. He recorded two sacks against Green Bay in that Super Bowl, just one shy of the Super Bowl record set by Reggie White. Sweet sassy molassy! Welcome to New England.
During his tenure in New England, Bruschi played in 189 regular-season games for the Patriots. He played in more games than any other LB in team history. Big games. Important games. Meaningful games. 22 big, important, meaningful games. 22 career playoff games, the highest total in Patriots history. And in all those big, important, meaningful games, he made big, important, meaningful plays.
- Plays like scoring the only touchdown on a 5-yard interception return in the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins in the snow. A 5-yard interception return in the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins in the snow that clinched the AFC East and set of a barage of snowballs into the night.
- Plays like picking off a Donovan McNabb pass to seal the deal for a third Super Bowl Championship and setting off the dynasty talks.
- Plays like on on Thanksgiving Day in his throwback uni returning an interception 27 yards for one of New England’s two touchdowns against the Detroit Lions.
- Plays like recovering two fumbles, one of which he caused by stripping the ball out of the hands of Colts RB Dominic Rhodes, as the Pats won 20-3 and advanced to the AFC championship game.
Bill Belichick called call Tedy Bruschi “a perfect player.” To me he was so much more. To me he represents the new New England Patriots. Lunchpail. Grit. Championships. Football players playing football, making plays.
Public Spectacle:
Peace out homies. Six two and Even!
Need More? NFL, New England Patriots, Tedy Bruschi
.jpg){kind=small}
