There's also a banner featuring Vince Wilfork in an ad. Says "irreplaceable" and "In-Vince-ible" sandwich pic.twitter.com/Q4voGD8kdj

— Mark Daniels (@MarkDanielsPJ) October 25, 2015

Vince Wilfork lost just three games during the entirety of his stellar three-year career at the University of Miami.

This year’s Miami Hurricanes are on the verge of potentially losing their third game this month, with powerhouse Clemson coming to town this Saturday.

Now with the Texans after spending his first 11 seasons with the Patriots, Wilfork shared his views on the state of the Canes’ football program during a conference call with the Miami media in advance of Sunday’s Texans-Dolphins game.

“That’s one of those things where no matter where we go we’re gonna always be Hurricanes,” Wilfork said, “but it’s time for us to start winning the big ones. I’m not blaming nobody down there but there’s a certain level of play that is acceptable down there and right now, for me, I haven’t been happy for 11 years now being in the league, and there’s a lot of guys who feel the same way as me. But we’ll never turn our back on our Hurricanes. Hopefully sooner rather than later we can get it going and get it fixed. But we’re running out of time.

“You’ve got a lot of frustrated Hurricanes that’s in the league and that played in the league. We’re frustrated because that’s not the type of football we’re used to seeing and we’re just waiting for it to get back to where it used to be. Hopefully sooner rather than later.”

Like all former players of this once prestigious program, big Vince is yearning for his program to thrive again. Dropping a juggernaut like Clemson this weekend would be a nice start.


(miami.cbslocal.com)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Vince Wilfork is not a patient man.

At least not when it comes to waiting for his team to start clicking.

"We're running out of time," Wilfork said after the Texans' 24-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers. "It's just getting too crazy right now. We're running out of time. We have to get this fixed quick, so back to the drawing board again this week."

Wilfork's sentiment wasn't matched elsewhere in the locker room, which was permeated by talk of patience and confidence that the Texans defense would soon dominate they way they, frankly, should. But Wilfork has never played for a team that's started the season 0-2 (the Texans haven't done it since 2008). The worst season record he ever experienced in his 11 with the New England Patriots was a 10-6 record. The Texans have only been 10-6 or better twice in their entire history.

His expectations are different.

"It’s very frustrating because we talked about it in [organized team activities]," Wilfork said. "Bad football, we do not want to play bad football, and we did today at times and it cost us. When you do that, this is the result. We got to get it figured out."

The Texans defense wasn't the reason they lost the game. The defense held for much of it as the offense was unable to move the ball. The Texans got into Panthers territory only twice in the first half and got past the Panthers' 41 only once.

Finally in the second quarter, the Panthers began to encroach on Texans territory. They scored all 24 of their points in the final three quarters, aided by penalties. The 80-yard drive that ended with Newton's acrobatic touchdown run featured three Texans penalties, one of which wiped out an interception by safety Rahim Moore.

The Texans also gave up passing touchdowns of 25 and 36 yards.

"We just played poor," Wilfork said. "Penalties and big plays killed us. We’ll watch film and figure out what we can do better to get going. It’s starting to get old now. We need to step up, all of us. It’s going to be a big goal of ours this week. We got to challenge each other this week and get back on track."

He did say it was fixable. What needs to be fixed exactly?

"Eliminate bad football," Wilfork said. "That's one thing, so we'll start with that."


(espn.com)

Imparting knowledge to younger teammates is something that comes naturally to Texans veteran nose tackle Vince Wilfork.

A five-time Pro Bowl selection and a two-time Super Bowl champion entering his 12th NFL season, the massive defensive lineman has reached the age where he’s known for his wisdom.

“He comes out every day and teaches us the little things,” reserve nose tackle Louis Nix said. “He helps us with our technique and after practice we do little drills together just to help us stop the run and use our hands. Stuff like that. You just try to get any pointers you can from a vet and try to help better your game.

“He obviously is one of the top at his position and I just want to learn as much as I can. I love it, to be honest. Regardless of what happens at the end of the day, it is always a great opportunity to get pointers from somebody that has done it and that still can do it. I feel great about it, me and the guys on the team.”

As the elder statesman of the defensive line, Wilfork has his share of nicknames.

“Yeah, we call him OG, big Vince, big dog,” Nix said. “He doesn’t mind.”


(chron.com)

The Texans call this period "dynamic stretching."

It sure was dynamic today.

While most of his teammates were on a knee, nose tackle Vince Wilfork stood up and bobbed around to Houston rap anthem Wanna Be a Baller. His teammates around him did, too, though a bit more subtly.

We Are Texans... #texans #nfl #vincewilfork #jjwatt (@mrs75 @teamwilfork) #houston #htown

A video posted by Houston Texans Astros Rockets (@dtexanz) on Aug 18, 2015 at 9:00am PDT

(espn.com)

Vince @wilfork75? More like Vinny Buckets! You have never seen a big-man hoop like THIS! #HardKnocks http://t.co/0OqpmznqJL

— NFL (@NFL) August 11, 2015

New team, same Vince Wilfork. The 6-foot-2, 325-pound defensive tackle joined the Houston Texans in the offseason after spending over a decade with the New England Patriots. Wilfork will turn 34 in November, and some have wondered just how much gas he has left in the tank.

This video should settle that debate. During the team session of the Texans’ joint practice with the Washington Redskins, Wilfork completely manhandled a Redskins offensive lineman to the point of knocking him into his own running back.

Just back from a Super Bowl ring ceremony in Boston, where he’d received a parting token from the town he’d left behind for the Bayou City, Vince Wilfork, the Houston Texans’ new 325-pound nose tackle, was tucking into a meal of brisket, collard greens, dirty rice and fried mac ‘n’ cheese at Jackson Street BBQ.

“There’s a rumor you left the Patriots and signed with the Texans because the barbecue in Houston is so much better than the barbecue in Boston,” we said, prompting Wilfork to set down his fork and smile. “Let’s just say it didn’t hurt.” The fact that he could create the most fearsome defensive line in the NFL, along with J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, probably didn’t hurt either. 

“There aren’t any barbecue joints in New England. I had to cook for myself,” said the Florida native, explaining that he loves to make ribs, pork chops and chicken. Wilfork even built his own barbecue smoker, something the internet caught a glimpse of last May, after his wife posted what became a viral video of her husband tending a batch of ribs, all the while singing and dancing to a chopped and screwed version of “Wanna Be a Baller” by Houston’s own Lil’ Troy. 

And with that, Wilfork went from being an interesting addition to the Texans’ line-up to a fledgling Houston celebrity. “It’s like he knew he was coming to Houston, already jamming to H-town music,” commented an excited new fan on YouTube. “Welcome to H-town, Vince. Looks like you [are] going to fit in perfectly.” 

Eager to compare techniques, we asked him about his pork ribs, which he barbecues untrimmed and without either parboiling or braising them. “Cooking in the oven is not barbecuing,” he said. “I wrap them in foil when they are done and hold them in an ice chest.”

 What about brisket, we asked. Turns out, Wilfork was initially reluctant to embrace the Texas favorite. “Back in Boston,” he said, “a friend of mine came over one day and said, ‘Let’s cook a brisket!’ We put it on at 9 o’clock at night. We got a 24-pack of beer to keep us awake. About midnight, we decided to take a little nap. I woke up in the middle of the night and asked him if he’d been checking on the fire. He said he had, but when I got up and went outside, there was snow on top of the smoker.”

Undeterred, Wilfork tried again and again over the next few months, each time with mixed results. “I cooked brisket a few times after that and got it right—it tasted okay. But the truth is, brisket is hard to cook—you’ve got to have 12 or 18 hours or whatever, and I like my sleep.”

The brisket at Jackson Street, however, seemed to be working its magic. “This is good” came the verdict. “I want to put this on a sandwich!” Overhearing the request, Jackson Street pitmaster Brandon Allen sent out the restaurant’s popular burnt-ends biscuit. Wilfork took a large bite before roaring his approval. “Gol dog it!” 

Wilfork was given an up-close look at Jackson Street’s twin J&R Oyler smokers, which are heated exclusively with wood but contain electric rotisseries that rotate the meat, necessitating little supervision. “You can even go home and get some sleep when you cook briskets on one of these,” laughed partner Greg Gatlin. Wilfork seemed to consider the idea, or at least store it away for future reference.

“Cooking is in my blood—I may want to open a restaurant some day after I retire,” he said, speculating that Houston might be a great place to gather ideas. “I want to learn all about Texas barbecue. I’m in the capital of barbecue, and I’m going to take advantage of that.”

Wilfork said he was only 6 or 7 when he started barbecuing with his dad. “I would keep an eye on the grill and move things around. And I got a little sample as my reward.” His father having passed away in 2002 while Wilfork was still in college at the University of Miami, he sees tending the pit as a way of connecting to his roots. 

“I am carrying on a family tradition with my barbecue. I think of my dad every time I make barbecue sauce.”


(houstoniamag.com)

HOUSTON (CBS HOUSTON) – The signing of Vince Wilfork was indeed a notable one this offseason. The Texans had never had anyone with his resume man the middle of their defensive line. Little did they know they were adding to J.J. Watt’s family with his addition.

“Vince and I have, like, a brother relationship,” said Watt. “Like a younger brother older brother relationship.”

Watt said he is close to the veteran and talks everyday with him about life, football, and everything in between.

“It’s nice to be able to have a guy like that who I can talk to everyday about anything.”

Wilfork does some talking in the meeting room too.

After pointing out his ability on the field, Jared Crick noted that the veteran tackles sharpness and ability extends to the film sessions and even his position.

Crick lauded Wilfork’s ability to point out details that as an end Crick wouldn’t have been thinking about. The experience of Wilfork’s career leaving a mark on the defensive line.

“Like I said he’s a force on the field, he’s gonna be awesome on the field but he’s also awesome off.”

Watt and Wilfork toss a football to each other in the early parts of the workout before stretches. They do often display the jovial brotherhood but like any elder sibling, Wilfork knows when to get to business.

“Today he told me ‘why you messing around all the time man?’ At that moment I felt like the little brother that’s like ‘hey you wanna play? Like come on let’s go outside and play.'”

Watt said though Wilfork had dealt with enough and wanted to get back to work.

They’re never too serious though.

“We have fun, and that’s what’s fun about training camp…it’s the little things that people would never think are cool that we are going to remember for the rest of our lives.”


(houston.cbslocal.com)

HOUSTON -- "I'm the best dad in the world right now," Vince Wilfork said with a grin after practice Saturday.

What Herculean feat won him the title? Introducing his daughter, Destiny, to J.J. Watt.

"One of the reasons I came here was because of my daughter," said Wilfork, who signed with the Texans this spring after 11 seasons with the New England Patriots. "She said the only reason she was going to move here is if she got a chance to meet him. I said, 'OK, well' and I made that promise some months back. It finally paid off for me right now."

The meeting produced this adorable photo:

Destiny was not happy about moving .... Until she realized @justinjames99 played for @houstontexans she said daddy if we move to Texas and you sign this contract you have to have JJ Watt over for a BBQ and I have to meet him.... He sent her a special video to hold her over and today her wish came true ! Thanks @justinjames99 😘

A photo posted by Bianca Wilfork (@mrs75) on Aug 1, 2015 at 10:12am PDT

(espn.com)

Vince Wilfork definitely should stick to his day job. The now-Houston Texans nose tackle and his wife, Bianca, took on the song “I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By” by Method Man and Mary J. Blige during a karaoke performance this weekend, but there was a little creative twist. Big Vince elected to take on Blige’s part, while Bianca rapped.

Bianca Wilfork crushed her verses, but the former New England Patriot, on the other hand, might need a lesson or two.

They had a sing along last night and Vince and I did this classic with a twist he did maryj part I did method man had a blast #thebig50 🙈🙈

A video posted by Bianca Wilfork (@mrs75) on Jun 28, 2015 at 8:03am PDT

If you had any doubts about Houston Texans tackle Vince Wilfork’s ability to parent or fart, he has an epic T-shirt to clear up that confusion.

Vince Wilfork + The Greatest Shirt Ever. pic.twitter.com/ZVxsPhEFA1

— Toucher and Rich (@Toucherandrich) June 16, 2015

During a press conference from Texans camp, Wilfork was sporting a T-shirt that reads: “World’s greatest farter…I mean father.” According to ESPN’s Tania Ganguli, the shirt was a Father’s Day gift a few years ago.

In summation, Vince Wilfork is awesome


(suntimes.com)

When Vince Wilfork first joined the Houston Texans, he said that all he wanted to do was free J.J. Watt up to be himself. "I don't want to change his game one bit," Wilfork said. "I'm not coming in here to say, 'You need to do this differently.' No. You continue to do what you do. We're going to learn off of you. We're going to play off of you. My goal is to let J.J. be J.J. I'm pretty sure the coaching staff is going to feel the same way."

Now that the two players are in camp together, though, it seems Wilfork couldn't help but dispense some valuable leadership advice. "He said, 'Listen, just keep doing what you're doing,'" Watt said, per ESPN.com. "I'm going to just keep doing what I'm doing. Keep working hard. Lead by example. Be vocal when I feel like I need to be vocal. For the most part, I don't think there's ever any better leadership style than going out there and working as hard as you possibly can and setting an example for us to follow.

"He's seen championship teams, he's been around great players, great leaders. Obviously myself being a leader I'm always trying to be the best leader I can be, so I go to him and [ask], 'What made your championship teams great? How did you guys get to where you were?' Then I just let him speak and listen to what he has to say. Let him talk about my leadership style, what he thinks I can do better."

For his part, Wilfork seems very impressed with Watt as both a player and a leader already, independent of anything the younger player (and current best defensive player on the planet) might pick up from one of the best defensive linemen of his time. "Just to be with him every day to see exactly what he puts in, because a lot of guys don't put a lot of work in the game," Wilfork said. "They just get to a certain level and they get complacent. They're just happy with where they're at. To see him work every day, he's going to be a great player for a long time and it all starts with the way he works. He makes me work harder."

These two already seem like a match made in heaven.


(cbssports.com)

Houston Texans defensive tackle Vince Wilfork has moved on after 11 seasons with the Patriots, but he returned to New England over the weekend to tie up one important loose end. On Sunday, Wilfork attended a party at owner Robert Kraft's house where members of the 2014 Patriots received their Super Bowl rings.
While another former Patriot, Darrelle Revis, was unable to attend because of a "prior commitment," Wilfork was there and seemed happy to mingle with his former coaches and teammates as he picked up his new hardware.

What a difference 11 years can make super bowl OUR rookie year as Patriots super bowl OUR last year as patriots one ring coming in one ring going out a very emotional night but a humble one 11 years nothing can change that football brings people together realness keeps them together

A photo posted by Bianca Wilfork (@mrs75) on Jun 14, 2015 at 9:01pm PDT

Big Vince & Coach Belichick showing of the bling. #OnToTheRings pic.twitter.com/bZhL1gpinM

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) June 15, 2015

Wilfork won two Super Bowls during his time in New England. The 33-year-old signed with the Texans in March after the Patriots elected not to pick up his option for the 2015 season.

The five-time Pro Bowler will have a chance to catch up with his old friends again when the Texans host the Patriots Dec. 13.


(espn.com)

The Houston Texans website published a video last week, showing their players as they filmed in-stadium game-day videos to be used during the 2015 season. 

At certain points, it looked like a Patriots reunion. 

Among the players featured in the video were former New England backup quarterbacks Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer. Defensive lineman Vince Wilfork also featured prominently in the brief clip.

Here's a link to the video and a first look at Wilfork in his Houston Texans uniform. 

Of course, the Patriots influence in Houston isn't limited to the players on the roster. Former New England offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien is running the show as Texans head coach. Defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel had a long run on the Patriots sidelines, and linebackers coach Mike Vrabel has three Super Bowl rings with the Flying Elvis design.

Unfortunately -- as of now, at least -- there is no video on the Texans site of those three mean-mugging for cameras, trying to get their hometown fans pumped up.


(csnne.com)

Vince Wilfork, former New England Patriots defensive captain and lineman and former Governor Philip W. Noel will receive honorary degrees at the Sunday, May 3 New England Institute of Technology commencement ceremonies at the Rhode Island Convention Center.

Wilfork who won bookend Super Bowls in his first and last year with the Patriots, will deliver the commencement address and help to mark the college’s 75th anniversary. Commencement ceremonies begin at 11 a.m.

Wilfork was drafted by the Patriots in 2004 and became a leader on the team and one of the NFL’s best defensive tackles. He registered 516 combined tackles and 16 sacks during his 11 years with the Pats and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl five times. After becoming a free agent at the end of the season, Wilfork recently signed to play with the Houston Texans for a contract worth a reported $9 million.

“This has been an interesting process for me and my family, one we have taken very seriously and given a lot of thought,” Wilfork said. “We will forever be Patriots in our hearts.”

At 6-foot-2 and 325-pounds, Wilfork is an imposing player on the field. Off the field he has tackled issues close to his heart. He has raised $1.5 million to help fund diabetes research, education and care in memory of his father, who died from complications of diabetes. He and his wife Bianca sponsored a wing at the Mattapan Community Health Center and they raise money for the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston and the Diabetes Research Institute in Florida. They have also worked to help disadvantaged children and families in Massachusetts and in Florida where both Wilfork and his wife grew up. In recognition of his work to improve the lives of others, Vince Wilfork will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters during commencement.


(warwickonline.com)

After spending 11 seasons with the Patriots, Texans defensive tackle Vince Wilfork is ready to put pressure on his new teammates and coaches to raise their performance levels, according to the team's official website.

"You have to put pressure on each individual, and that's what I'm going to do," Wilfork said. "I'm going to put pressure on everybody. Not just myself. Not just the older guys. Not just J.J. (Watt). The quarterback. The coaches. No. It's everybody."

"I'm not a rah-rah guy," Wilfork said. "And that's one of the things that they'll get to know quick. I love to have fun. I have the passion. I love the game. But if I need to say something, I will say something."

Entering his 12th season, the five-time All-Pro selection has recorded 516 total tackles, 16 sacks, 25 passes defensed, three interceptions and four forced fumbles.


(cbssports.com)

After being signed by the Texans this offseason, defensive tackle Vince Wilfork is excited to be a part of a defensive line that includes J.J. Watt, reports ESPN. Watt told Wilfork that he is excited, as well.

"Yeah, we talked since I signed," Wilfork said in an interview. "He's probably more excited than I am. But little does he know, I'm very excited to come down here."
Although the Texans will rely on Wilfork to be one of the leaders on the defense, he isn't going to try to change anything about Watt.

"My goal is to let J.J. be J.J.," Wilfork said. "I'm pretty sure the coaching staff is going to feel the same way, when you have a guy that dynamic. You can't ask him to change anything. He's been a beast, and hopefully he'll continue to be that beast and I'm looking forward to it."

Over his 11-year career, the 33-year-old has compiled 516 total tackles, 16 sacks, 25 passes defensed, three interceptions and four forced fumbles.


(fantasynews.com)

Former Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork isn’t completely done in New England.

The 11-year staple along the Patriots’ defensive line is scheduled to deliver the commencement speech at the New England Institute of Technology May 3, the school said Monday.

Wilfork, who wore No. 75, will help celebrate the college’s 75th anniversary and will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters during the ceremony.

The 6-foot 2-inch NFL veteran signed a two-year deal with the Texans last month after the Patriots declined to pick up his $4 million roster bonus, which made him a free agent.

NEIT will also honor former Rhode Island governor Philip Noel at the ceremony.


(bostonglobe.com)

Two years ago, the Texans gave $5 million in guaranteed money to an 11-year veteran defender who had just won a Super Bowl.  It didn’t work out.

This year, the Texans once again gave $5 million in guaranteed money to an 11-year veteran defender who had just won a Super Bowl.  Some wonder whether it will work out.

Obviously, owner Bob McNair believes Vince Wilfork won’t be another Ed Reed.  Otherwise, the Texans wouldn’t have taken a chance on a player that Patriots coach Bill Belichick opted to not keep around.  So what’s the difference between Reed and Wilfork?

“I think the difference is when you have someone at a position where they have to be able to run, then age is more of a consideration,” McNair said at the league meetings, via Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com.  “We thought Ed was in good shape and was going to be able to come down and play and he was a big disappointment.  At nose tackle, you don’t have to run that much.  He’s got to be strong.  So there’s some positions you can play for more years and you aren’t taking as much risk.”

The notion that old guys are more likely to lose speed than strength seems a little simplistic.  Plenty of fast guys retain their speed well into their 30s.  Plenty of strong guys lose their strength well before turning 40.

The biggest difference between Reed and Wilfork is that Reed was damaged goods when he signed with the Texans.  The Texans didn’t notice that Reed needed hip surgery when giving him a passing grade on his physical.

So it’s less embarrassing for the Texans to distinguish Reed and Wilfork based on the speed vs. strength of older players, and not to remind everyone that whoever gave Reed a clean bill of health in 2013 made a major mistake.  Ultimately, Reed’s short stay in Houston had a lot more to do with the hip problem the team didn’t spot than an age-related reduction in his speed.


(profootballtalk.com)

PHOENIX -- At the end of warm-ups before each New England Patriots game, defensive lineman Vince Wilfork would pass by owner Robert Kraft and kiss him on the cheek, which was a sign of the connection between them.

With Wilfork signing a two-year, $9 million contract with the Texans last week, Kraft reflected on that turn of events.

“That was one of the toughest things. It was harder than anything else [this offseason]," he said. "He’s someone we watched come in here; I developed a very strong personal tie to him. It’s the hardest part of this game, speaking as a fan and also someone who got to know he and Bianca and his kids. He wrote something beautiful; he’ll always be a Patriot and he’s keeping his home here.

"Once again, we have certain disciplines and unfortunately -- you know, the other thing sometimes the player is more valuable to one team than other team given how they’re constructed. Losing Vince is probably one of the hardest things that happened. Some emotional ties. He’s a pretty special guy.”

Wilfork was one of several notable departures, a group including cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, as well as running back Shane Vereen.
Kraft was asked his level of concern on the turnover of personnel.

"Well, there are good guys in the locker room as well. I have full faith in my head coach, and we’ve actually brought in some really good players," he said. "When you think about it, I believe 18 of our starters from last year are here. We were the fourth-highest scoring team, and we basically have that whole [offense] coming back, except for Shane [Vereen]. And we have the draft and a lot of things are going to happen now. I think the core of our group is still pretty good. We have a lot of young, up-and-coming players.

"We want to be good year in and year out. Our objective is to try and make the playoffs. If you make the playoffs, then you have a chance of anything else happening. We’ve gone to four [AFC] championship games in a row. In the last 19 years, we’ve gone to 10 championship games, we’ve been in seven Super Bowls. We’re going to try to keep it going."


(espn.com)

PHOENIX — Talking with Houston coach Bill O’Brien yesterday, you almost got the feeling he had won the lottery.

The topic was Vince Wilfork, a player he considers a significant free agent pickup for the Texans. In fact, one Houston paper referred to Wilfork as the “most important free agent in franchise history.”

Usually, when coaches acquire players, there’s a bit of uncertainty. They might know the player from what they’ve seen on tape, what they’ve had to face on the field or what they’ve heard. But they really don’t know what they’re going to get. Not completely.

In this case, there’s no mystery. Having been a coach with the Patriots, O’Brien knows what Wilfork brings to the football field, in the locker room and in meeting rooms. He also knows what Wilfork is going to bring to the community, which is something else New England is going to miss about No. 75.

That’s why O’Brien’s face lit up at the mention of Wilfork’s name. He knows first-hand the Texans have gotten someone pretty special and are going to reap the benefits, even if Big Vince is on the back nine of his career.

“I’m very aware of what he meant to the Patriots and what he meant to the community in Massachusetts and Boston,” O’Brien said from the Biltmore Hotel, site of the league meetings. “We’re thrilled to have him. With his experience, his playing ability, his leadership and his knowledge of the defense, he just brings a lot to the table for us that’s going to help our team and help our younger players.”

Specifically, Wilfork is the perfect mentor for Louis Nix, the 6-foot-2, 342-pound defensive tackle out of Notre Dame who was the Texans’ third-round draft pick in 2014. Nix, whose stock dipped considerably after undergoing knee surgery just before the draft, spent last season on injured reserve.

But beyond providing much-needed guidance for the younger players, O’Brien also believes Wilfork, with plenty of experience in the two-gap, 3-4 scheme the Texans employ with defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, can also share his wisdom with J.J. Watt. The two already have spoken several times about the prospects of being teammates and linemates.

“They’re both very excited about having the opportunity to line up next to each other,” O’Brien said. “Vince, I know, has a ton of respect for J.J., and it’s the same from J.J. to Vince.

“I think it’ll be a great experience for J.J. to have a guy who’s been in the system for a long, long time, similar to what we’re doing in Houston, so he’ll be able to bounce questions off him.”

O’Brien said he was pleasantly surprised to see Wilfork available in free agency. Even at age 33, O’Brien believes Big Vince has enough left to help his defense, which was 16th-best in the league last season.

The coach knew he would have a bit of an advantage in the Wilfork pursuit, given the lineman’s familiarity with several members of O’Brien’s coaching staff (Crennel, Mike Vrabel, George Godsey).

“When he comes into our building, he sees a lot of the guys who were there during his time in New England. He knows there’s a similar philosophy in Houston,” O’Brien said. “I’m not going to speak for him, but he’s told me he’s very excited about the opportunity.”

O’Brien also indicated knowing Wilfork outside the realm of football, knowing about all of his charitable work, was helpful during recruitment. Houston not only got better on the field but off the field by signing Wilfork to a two-year, $9 million deal.

“Vince did so much for the Boston community. I know he and his wife are really looking forward to doing the same thing in Houston, helping kids and helping people that are underprivileged,” O’Brien said.

“Everything he does, it’s so much more than just being a football player.”

Former Pats linebacker Andre Tippett echoed O’Brien’s remarks last week from Foxboro. He summed up what the area was losing, and what Houston was now gaining.

“You always tell a player when they come in to find somebody to emulate that does it the right way. Vince has been that guy from Day 1,” said Tippett, the Patriots executive director of community affairs.

“He first established himself as a player. After that, he took it a step further, establishing himself in the community as a giver. Not many guys are built that way. A lot of guys see it and want to do it and want to talk about it, but I think he and Bianca, they both put their money where their mouth was. And they weren’t looking for a lot of attention and fanfare. They really do it from the heart.”

O’Brien knows the Wilfork résumé on all fronts. He experienced it up close and personal. That’s why he was beaming yesterday.


(boston.com)

Vince Wilfork still has some gas in the tank, and he's heading down to Patriots South to finish his career.

The veteran nose tackle and career-long New Englander will play for the Houston Texans, the team announced on Monday. The Texans' staff has his former teammate Mike Vrabel on the coaching payroll alongside head coach Bill O'Brien, a former Patriots offensive coordinator, and Romeo Crennel, a former Pats defensive coordinator.

According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, the deal is for two years and $9 million with $5 million guaranteed.

"This has been an interesting process for me and my family, one we have taken very seriously and given a lot of thought," Wilfork wrote in a message posted on his official Twitter page Monday. "We want to thank the Kraft family and the entire Patriot organization for the last 11 years however we will be starting a new chapter in our lives as Houston Texans."

He added: "The coaching staff in Houston has made this new exciting transition feel like home to us. We will forever be Patriots in our hearts, thank you everyone for everything."

Of all the puzzles free agency has presented us with this offseason, Wilfork joining the Texans seems like a logical, clean fit. The team is in desperate need of a 3-4 nose tackle but, more importantly, they could stand to expand the group of influential veterans around 2014 No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney.

Wilfork, 33, will be perfect in such a role.

"He is the best defensive linemen I ever coached, an all-time great Patriot whose place on our team will be missed but whose remarkable career as a Patriot will be remembered forever," Bill Belichick said in a statement released through the team.

Houston now boasts one of the more fearsome defensive lines in football. Wilfork's run-stopping ability alongside party-crashers like Clowney and J.J. Watt will go a long way toward supplementing the team's offense.

On one hand, defensive tackle Vince Wilfork presents the Texans with a completely different set of circumstances than did safety Ed Reed.  On the other hand, the similarities are sufficient to make Texans fans worry a little.  Or a lot.

Two years ago, the Texans pounced on free-agent safety Ed Reed, who left the Ravens after winning a Super Bowl in his 11th NFL season.  A pre-existing hip problem that the Texans apparently didn’t notice when giving him a physical resulted in surgery before he ever suited up once for Houston.  Reed was released during the season after getting $5 million guaranteed.

On Monday, the Texans signed free-agent defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, who left the Patriots after winning a Super Bowl in his 11th NFL season.  Surely, the Texans poked and prodded the big guy in order to be sure that he won’t suddenly need to have one of his body parts surgically repaired now that he, like Reed, has gotten $5 million guaranteed.

Sandwiched between the two veterans was a No. 1 overall pick who apparently had a pre-existing need for hernia surgery that may or may not have been noticed by team doctors.

Bottom line?  If the team doctors missed any problems with Wilfork, the Texans eventually may be getting new team doctors.


(profootballtalk.com)

A lot has happened in the last 48 hours in the NFL as far as Free Agent signings and our proCanes have been at the center of it all with several proCane stars joining new teams. See a recap of all the action below:

Former 49ers RB Frank Gore signed a 3-year $12 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts.

Former Texans WR Andre Johnson signed a 3-year $21 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts.

TE Jimmy Graham was traded from the New Orleans Saints to Seattle Seahawks.

Former Giants S Antrel Rolle signed a 3-year $11.25 million contract with the Chicago Bears.

Former Redskins WR Leonard Hankerson signed a 1-year $1 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons.

OT Eric Winston re-signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Former Broncos OL Orlando Franklin signed a 5-year $36 million contract with the San Diego Chargers.

OT Jason Fox re-signed with the Miami Dolphins.

MLB Jon Beason re-signed with the NY Giants.

Notable proCane Free Agents still available: Chris Myers, Brandon Meriweather, Santana Moss, Colin McCarthy, Reggie Wayne, Vince Wilfork, DJ Williams, Darryl Sharpton.

Former Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork has three offers -- worth approximately $10 million over two years -- on the table from unnamed AFC teams, according to Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel.

The Patriots declined Wilfork's option on March 5, making him a free agent as of Tuesday. The 33-year-old registered 516 combined tackles, 16 sacks, four forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries and three interceptions through 11 seasons with the Patriots.


(cbssports.com)

When Vince Wilfork shared a heartfelt note thanking the Patriots and their fans for 11 great years on Twitter last Tuesday, it felt like a goodbye. The Patriots had declined to pick up his 2015 contract option, but the 33-year-old nose tackle asserted that he had plenty left in the tank. At the time, the team had more pressing players to focus on, namely Devin McCourty and Darrelle Revis.

With the NFL’s free agency period underway, multiple reports suggest Wilfork could still end up in New England next season, albeit at a reduced salary. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport named the Patriots and the Texans as two of the four teams the 5-time Pro Bowl selection is considering.

I wondered about Vince Wilfork and we’re he’ll land. He’s considering 4 teams (including #Pats & #Texans). Will take his time.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2015

Yahoo’s Charles Robinson reported that Wilfork was taking his time to make a decision about his future, but that a return to Foxborough remained possible.

With defensive tackle money drying up a bit, there is still a chance Vince Wilfork and the #Patriots work out a deal. He's taking his time.

— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) March 11, 2015

In addition to the Patriots and Texans emerging as possible destinations, the Indianapolis Colts are reportedly interested in Wilfork. In 2014 regular and postseason defeats to the Patriots, the Colts’ run defense surrendered a combined 423 rushing yards. It would make sense that a team with such a porous defense would want a XXX-pound All-Pro on the field.

While a reunion with Wilfork seems possible, the Patriots might still see him as a backup plan of sorts. The Providence Journal’s Mark Daniels reported that the Patriots were interested in Nick Fairley, the “other” free agent defensive tackle from the Lions. The market for the 27-year-old Fairley and his raw talent (the 13th overall pick in the 2011 draft, he ran a 4.84 40 yard dash at 291 pounds). The Bengals had Fairley in for a visit on Wednesday, and the Rams are also reportedly in the mix at the moment.

Aside from Fairley, the Patriots are also reportedly “in” on ex-Browns nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin. Denver’s Terrance Knighton is also on the market, and figures to be the most lucrative defensive tackle not named Ndamukong Suh in this free agent class.

So with Darrelle Revis gone and over $9 million in cap room to play with, the Patriots are financially flexible and can look for value elsewhere. And their biggest free agent signing may still turn out to be a returning Vince Wilfork.


(boston.com)

Vince Wilfork has been one of the cornerstones of the Bill Belichick Patriots for a decade. The team released him earlier in the offseason, bringing an end to the tenure of one of the better players to ever wear the team’s uniform.

But by some reports, Wilfork might be back in that same uniform again next year.

I wondered about Vince Wilfork and we’re he’ll land. He’s considering 4 teams (including #Pats & #Texans). Will take his time.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2015

Wilfork, 33, has been manning the middle of the Patriots’ defensive line since being drafted in 2004. Listed at 6’2″ and 325 pounds (ha!), Wilfork was in some ways the unsung hero of those always-good Patriots defenses under Belichick. He may not command the attention of a Darrelle Revis or a Rodney Harrison, but what he did was just as valuable.

Wilfork was an invaluable member of the NFL’s preeminent franchise; his release last week was heartbreaking for Patriots fans, and most likely for the team as well. But this is Bill Belichick’s team; past performance and nostalgia mean nothing for Belichick, only results. Randy Moss and Dion Branch were traded at midseason; Wes Welker was lowballed on his way out the door; Lawyer Milloy was cut just before the season. This is not a team that values loyalty when it stands in the way of a better roster.

Wilfork understands that the NFL is a business (at least, he probably does), and if he doesn’t harbor any resentment toward the Patriots for declining his option in a cost-saving move, he could make a return to the only franchise he’s ever known. If, of course, the price is right.

He may not go back to the Patriots at all; maybe he’ll end up joining the Texans or one of the other two unnamed teams in Rapoport’s report (say that five times fast. Or don’t; do whatever you want with your time).

It’s hard to imagine Wilfork with another team, mostly because he’s never played for one. If all goes the Patriots’ way, though, we may not have to.


(fansided.com)

It appears the Texans are looking to add a little depth on defensive. You know, because JJ Watt can't do everything.

Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com is reporting Houston has its eyes set on veteran tackle Vince Wilfork.

Texans' interest in Vince Wilfork sensible: HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans are trying to fill a hole at... http://t.co/cyWAkm0XAv #Texans

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) March 10, 2015

more on Wilfork's market--> RT @omarkelly: Houston and Indy have interest in Vince Wilfork too.

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) March 10, 2015

It would be somewhat of a reunion for Wilfork if he does land in Houston. His first year in the league, Wilfork played under then-Patriots defensive coordinator, current Texans' DC Romeo Crennel. Wilfork also crossed paths with Texans head coach Bill O'Brien as O'Brien's tenure with New England lasted from 2007-2011.

Wilfork played 11 years with Patriots after being drafted in the first round in 2004. Last week, New England elected to not pick up his option.
Wilfork finished 2014 with 47 tackles.

So if this deal does in fact happen, the Texans could have Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and Wilfork on defense. Let the crazy expectations start in 3, 2, 1...


(foxsports.com)

The Patriots made their first big move of the offseason when they reportedly agreed to bring back safety Devin McCourty Sunday night.

One of the next big looming questions is will Vince Wilfork join McCourty on the Patriots after the defensive tackle was informed his contract would not be picked up for the 2015 season? The Patriots would like Wilfork to take a pay cut, but the 33-year-old is a free agent and can now sign with any team.

McCourty wants Wilfork to return to New England and make a run at another Super Bowl. McCourty discussed this and other matters appearing on a number of ESPN shows Monday.

“Me playing with him for five years and seeing him, there might not be 10 sacks in a season, but he causes so much havoc up front,” McCourty said on “Mike & Mike”. “It’€™s tough to think about [Wilfork leaving], especially for me. I’€™ve grown very close with him over the last couple of years and I’€™ve been talking to him throughout the whole process, but I think you have to try to move on.

“Obviously with me returning, I’€™m going to do everything I can do to get him back there playing in New England. It’€™ll be cool just to see what happens over the next month and hopefully he’€™s still back there helping out.”

Wilfork, like McCourty, has never played for another team besides the Patriots.


(weei.com)

Vince Wilfork might have gone out on top with the New England Patriots.

The All-Pro defensive tackle announced Thursday on Twitter that the Patriots aren’t picking up his two-year option, which clears $8 million in salary cap room. Wilfork will hit free agency Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.

Wilfork will hit free agency and said in his statement he will consider many options. He didn’t specifically rule out a return to the Patriots, which obviously would come at a reduced rate.

If Wilfork has played his last game with the Patriots, then he went out the right way, winning Super Bowl XLIX. Wilfork returned from a torn Achilles tendon and had a great 2014 season, playing all 19 games and being a cog in the middle of the Patriots’ defense.

Wilfork will have bookended his career in New England with Super Bowl victories, also winning Super Bowl XXXIX in his rookie season.

Freeing up this cap room could help the Patriots re-sign Darrelle Revis or Devin McCourty. Once Revis’ option is declined, the Patriots will have around $16 million in cap space.

Morning guys ... Please read below this will be my only statement pic.twitter.com/gClv03hqet

— Vince Wilfork (@wilfork75) March 5, 2015

(nesn.com)

ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi was on “SportsCenter” Thursday, and he discussed Vince Wilfork and the Patriots not picking up his contract option.

Bruschi senses that Wilfork’s letter was a goodbye.

“It’s the evolution of a roster. You get to be turning 34. I was turning 36. There comes a time … you don’t have 20-year careers in the NFL,” Bruschi said. “Vince is enough of a veteran to realize that. He probably saw that it was coming. The letter that he wrote was all class, to the fans of the New England Patriots. I think that, right there … was a farewell from him and his wife Bianca.”

Bruschi was asked about possible fits around the NFL for Wilfork.

“I don’t see a team that can’t use a Vince Wilfork,” he said. “He’s not going to give you 10 to 12 sacks. He isn’t that explosive one-gap pass rusher, but in terms of a first- and second-down player that can take on blocks, if I’m a linebacker, I’m throwing a party if we sign him. Right now, it’s a sad day if you’re Dont’a Hightower or Jamie Collins, Jerod Mayo, those type of linebackers that play for the New England Patriots, because the reason why you’re successful as a linebacker is because of the Vince Wilforks of the world. …

“Individually, I benefitted from having big No. 75 in front of me, and knowing what he could do against one blocker, against two blockers,” Bruschi said. “I always looked at Vince Wilfork as the defensive lineman that he was, but he had the mind of a linebacker. I remember making calls where the defensive line would have to shift, or would have to take a gap to their left, or to their right, those adjustments they’d have to make – “Lucky! Ringo! Shift!” – things like that. Vince would already be doing those things, and he would be communicating them to the defensive linemen next to him. So I think that’s a big thing the team will be missing next year, not only his physical ability. I know they run a 4-3 scheme there, but it has two-gapping principles and that’s what Vince was so good at. But also those young linemen, like Dominique Easley, Sealver Siliga, Chris Jones, those type of players, will miss his leadership and contribution along the defensive front.”


(espn.com)

Defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said Thursday that he would not return to the New England Patriots next season, ending an 11-year stay in which he won two Super Bowls and established himself as the cornerstone of the team’s defense.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Wilfork said the team had told him that it would not pick up his option for 2015, making him eligible for free agency.

“I’m in a good place,” Wilfork said in the statement, adding: “I will take my time, think things through, take into consideration many things but mainly my family and see where life goes from there. But regardless, remember I will always remain a New Englander, a Patriot, forever.”

A 6-foot-2, 325-pound gap-stuffer who was drafted in the first round out of Miami in 2004, Wilfork helped the Patriots win the Super Bowl when he was a rookie. He returned to the title game in two losing efforts, and last month he helped the franchise win its fourth championship.

He was due to receive a $4 million roster bonus by Monday and would have gotten $14 million over the next two seasons if his option had been picked up. The money the Patriots saved could help them bring back cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Wilfork, 33, missed 14 games in 2013 with a torn Achilles’ tendon. But he returned to play in every game last season, including three in the postseason.


(nytimes.com)

A group that was pushed around at the beginning of the season stepped up late, following Vince Wilfork's lead the whole way.

The midseason addition of Alan Branch helped against the run, as did the return of Sealver Siliga, who missed Weeks 4-12 while on short-term IR with a foot injury.

The Patriots' pass rush took a hit when Chandler Jones suffered a hip injury in Week 7, but Akeem Ayers filled in nicely and made timely plays in Jones' absence.

A full breakdown of the Patriots defensive line going forward:

VINCE WILFORK: The big fella re-structured his contract a year ago when he was coming off a torn Achilles. Wilfork rebounded with a strong 2014, playing 73.6 percent of the Patriots' defensive snaps.

But Wilfork, 33, may be asked to restructure again. He carries a cap hit of $8.4 million next season, according to The Boston Herald. Wilfork is due to collect a $4 million roster bonus on March 10, the first day of the new league year, so there exists the small possibility that the Patriots cut ties with him before then.

It seems more than likely that the two sides will try to reach a new deal that lowers Wilfork's cap hit. He is the unquestioned leader of New England's defense.


(masslive.com)

Hi ass was laughing at me cuz waves almost knocked me over he's yelling "haha you almost fell" lmfao that's what his ass gets laughing at me he forgot he was standing on a sandbar 😂😂😂😜😜😜@wilfork75 @teamwilfork

A video posted by Bianca Wilfork (@mrs75) on Feb 16, 2015 at 11:18am PST

New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork recently found out that karma can work very quickly.

While spending some time at the beach, Wilfork's wife, Bianca, apparently almost got knocked over by the waves. Seeing his wife struggle to stay on her feet made Wilfork laugh.

Bad move.

A few seconds after he laughed at his wife, the 6'2", 325-pound Wilfork lost his footing and went down with a splash. Let's just say she enjoyed the sudden turn of events.


(bleacherreport.com)

Me and my new famous friends from Denmark lol he said he saw himself on TV and it's crazy lol pic.twitter.com/AEuUurozcg

— Vince Wilfork (@wilfork75) February 10, 2015

Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork said today he is fully committed to a 12th season in the NFL.

The 33-year-old was asked about the bubbling retirement speculation on WEEI's Dale & Holley.

"There's no way in the world this is my last season," Wilfork said. "I doubt if this is my last one."

Wilfork said he worked too hard last year to return from a torn Achilles, and he was already looking forward to defending the Super Bowl title in 2015. The thoughts of retirement haven't even entered his mind.

"I still have a lot of football in me," Wilfork said.

The Patriots have until March 9 to pick up Wilfork's option for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, so his return to the team isn't necessarily cemented until that happens. The Patriots would owe Wilfork a $4 million roster bonus on the first day of the league year, which is March 10, and his 2015 cap hit will be $8,433,333. Wilfork, who has a $3 million base salary in 2015, can earn up to $8.5 million in cash next season by reaching all of his incentives, including a $300,000 weight bonus, $200,000 workout bonus, $500,000 roster bonus ($31,250 per game on 46-man roster) and $500,000 based on playing time and playoff success.


(bostonherald.com)

A week that started in wonderful fashion for Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork has gotten even sweeter.

Great Minds, a four-year horse owned by Wilfork, captured the eighth race at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans on Thursday. It was the gelding’s first career win in nine tries.

In victory, Great Minds rallied in deep stretch, pulling away for a one-length triumph on a race contested on dirt. (A hat tip to John Dooley, track announcer at the Fair Grounds, for mentioning Wilfork’s horse would be running.)

The winner’s share of the purse is $22,200, raising Great Minds’ career earnings to $66,965. He had previously raced in New York, Florida and Kentucky before trying Louisiana on Thursday after a lay-off of nearly eight months.

The 33-year-old Wilfork earned his second Super Bowl ring as a member of the Patriots on Sunday. In an interview with Boston radio station WEEI on Thursday, Wilfork indicated he planned to play in 2015.


(profootballtalk.com)

CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Those around him say New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is driven, uncompromising and that he keeps his intentions well camouflaged behind a surrender-nothing, stoic expression.

But yet Vince Wilfork said Wednesday that Belichick is different for his sixth Super Bowl trip -- the defensive tackle used words like "more understanding" and "soft heart" to describe the coach.

"I think Bill had to do a good job of that ever since I've been in the league because we've changed so much," Wilfork said. "We were a veteran team. [Then] it was a younger team -- at one point we were the youngest team in the league. So I think he had to try to find the identity in what works for that team. And I think he's done a great job over the years of doing that.

"But at the end of the day, he is still Bill. He coaches the same way. He demands everything the same way. But I think he's got a little soft heart now. Over time, he got a little softer, though."

Wilfork, who was selected with the 21st pick of the 2004 draft, is in his 11th season with the Patriots. He and quarterback Tom Brady are the only players on New England's roster who played in Super Bowl XXXVIII to close out the '04 season. So he's covered some ground with Belichick along the way.

"Yeah, I've seen the difference in Bill in the 11 years that I have been here, and I tell him he is getting soft," Wilfork said. "But this is a different era of football now -- with how the team has shaped up and how a lot of guys are younger guys.

"You don't really have that veteran team that he used to have. When I first came in the league, he had a veteran team that didn't take much to get those guys going. But if I have to say anything, I think over the years he got a soft heart. He's more understanding now."


(espn.com)

PHOENIX -- Newton’s Third Law: When one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

Newton’s Third Law? Rickey Bethel begs to differ. Don’t worry; you’re not supposed to know who Rickey Bethel is. He’s a campus policeman at Florida Atlantic University, if you were wondering, but today we are concerned only with what he was. Back then, 16 years ago, Bethel was a scrawny, 130-pound high schooler, the quarterback-in-waiting at Santaluces High in Lantana, Fla. As a freshman, Bethel made varsity, with the expectation he’d start a year later. He was talented, and one teammate took it upon himself to make sure he was ready.

That teammate was Vince Wilfork, Vince Wilfork before Miami, before the Patriots, before the Super Bowls. The junior defensive tackle (and offensive lineman, and occasional punter, but we’ll get to that a bit later) had known Bethel and his family for years, and he looked at the young quarterback like a little brother. He saw his talent, thought he was the player his team needed at quarterback, and so he decided to send each of his close to 300 pounds flying at Bethel. Once, twice, dozens of times over the course of his freshman season, the quarterback was pancaked out of the blue.

“It was crushing,” Bethel recalls, laughing. “I used to just keep a smile on my face. I always would try to make it feel like it didn’t hurt as much."

And so he would crumple. “When I saw him coming,” Bethel explains, “usually I would just go with it.” There was no equal and opposite force. There was only giving in; to take a hit from Wilfork -- who has the highest BMI of any player in this year’s Super Bowl -- is to think only of survival. It is to bend, to scrunch, to fold. This is the physics of pain.

You see, even when Wilfork was an eighth grader, his frame dropped jaws. His high school coach, Ray Berger, recalls the hype during the spring before Wilfork hit high school; even his father, David, had a brag or two to share with the coach, but Berger discredited it all. This was just a case of too-proud parents, he thought, and kids prone to hyperbole. And then Wilfork showed up to play.

He weighed about 255 pounds at the time, Berger says, and the coach recalls the teenager resembling a grown man. “He just had the broad shoulders, the thickness,” Berger explains. “He had a baby face, but other than that, everything was solid.”

By his senior year, Wilfork played nearly every role he could. He took snaps on offense and defense, convinced his coach to let him punt -- an errant snap and Wilfork lumbering after the loose ball ended that experiment quickly -- and was the unofficial team motivator. That’s why he wouldn’t stop hitting Bethel, not even after he ascended to the starting job, not even when Berger told him to cut it out. That’s how he found himself wrestling his brother during an intersquad scrimmage.

He wanted his teammates to be the best. He wanted to test them, to stretch their limits.

He didn’t want them to crumble. He wanted them to push back.
--

Momentum is mass in motion, an object’s mass times its velocity.

If a man can be reduced to physics, then that is Wilfork: some 325 pounds of mass in the most surprising of motion. He’s older now, 33, and slower after tearing his Achilles a season ago, but the things that made the five-time Pro-Bowler into the anchor of this Patriots' defense over the past decade remain in his repertoire. He fills gaps. He can handle multiple offensive players at once, freeing up teammates for mismatches, and unlike most men of his (immense) size, he’s no slouch at running down a quarterback. He’s still catlike in his responses and footwork, too; talk to any teammate or coach, past or present, about Wilfork, and that is the adjective they hold in common for this elephant of a man.

“A lot of guys can make tackles and make plays at the point of attack, right on somebody,” Butch Davis, who recruited Wilfork to Miami, says. “But [guys like Vince], you’d see these guys making tackles on the sidelines.”

Just ask Mike Tolbert about momentum. He’s the Chargers fullback who tried to haul Wilfork down after a 2011 interception. He wasn’t fast enough -- despite being four years younger and 80 pounds lighter -- and found himself flung to the sideline as Wilfork cruised into the end zone.

Or ask Darren McFadden, who two weeks later got the same treatment. The Raiders running back managed to get ahold of his target, as much as any two arms can grasp around perhaps the NFL’s girthiest posterior, but that wasn’t enough to bring Wilfork down. He gained another seven yards with McFadden waving behind him in the wind.

It’s momentum, too, that has brought Wilfork here, to the end of his 11th season, to what he hopes will be his second Super Bowl victory. It’s been a decade since the last, after his rookie year, when the Patriots squeaked by the Eagles, 24-21. Only two players remain from that championship team: Wilfork and Tom Brady, and this week, hours will be devoted to chewing on the dynasty Brady and Bill Belichick have built. The quarterback will smile and the coach will grunt paragraphs from your sixth-grade science textbook, and Wilfork, he’ll just sit at his podium, smile, talk about his children and his wife and the woman he pulled out of a wrecked car two weeks ago. Ho-hum.

But to take Wilfork for granted would be remiss. In fact, to talk about Brady and Belichick without even a mention of the team’s second longest-tenured player is to ignore the defense that’s kept the Patriots playing into February in four of Wilfork’s 11 seasons. “Vince is just as important as Brady,” former Patriots running back Corey Dillon says, and he just might be right.

Although New England’s reputation in recent years has been more focused on Brady’s arm and the aura of Gronk, it’s not been long since the Patriots had the fourth-best defense in the league. That was 2007, the 16-0 campaign and the second year in a stretch during which Wilfork and company ranked sixth, fourth, 10th and 11th in total defense. They weren’t the best unit in the NFL, but with offenses like the Patriots posted over that stretch, their defense did more than enough to keep them perennial Super Bowl contenders.

Then came 2013. New England’s defense had been wavering, and when Wilfork tore his Achilles in September, things devolved. The unit finished the year ranked 26th in total yards and 30th against the run, marking just the second season since Wilfork’s rookie season that the group had not finished in the top half of the NFL in run defense.

This season, though, the Patriots are back. Their star defensive tackle’s prime might be behind him, but he’s healthy, and New England’s defense finished 13th in total yardage, ninth against the run. On the season, Wilfork logged 19 quarterback hurries, 39 tackles and a sack in his return. The numbers aren’t what they were even three years ago, but on a team full of Super Bowl first-timers, Wilfork’s experience will count for nearly as much as his hits in the leadup to Sunday’s game.

“To get to this point and be able to have a chance to become a world champion, I mean, it’s special,” Wilfork says. “You have to do everything in your willpower to make that happen.”

“Nothing is given to you,” he adds a day later. “Everything you do you have to earn. There’s a price to pay for everything. … Sometimes I do things that might be impossible, and I find it out the hard way. Nothing wrong with trying.”
--

Newton’s First Law: Objects will remain in their state of motion unless a force acts to change the motion.

Gibraltar. It’s the giant rock that juts out of the sea south of Spain, and it’s the first word that drawls out of Davis’ mouth. What does Wilfork mean to the Patriots? He’s Gibraltar, this prehistoric beast of a rock, wide and tall, historically impossible to overtake, decidedly not in anything approaching motion. It’s as if it’s been there since the beginning of time, just as it’s a study in ancient history to recall Wilfork before his Patriots uniform.

“They just kind of built around him,” Davis continues, and he’s right. To consider Wilfork on the field is to speak of his surprisingly nimble movements and the speed that defies his size, but in a more meta sense, the defensive tackle’s career has been marked not by movement, but by standing still. Unlike many big-name Patriots before him, he has not moved on, although he came close last spring, when he reportedly asked for his release before restructuring his deal. Still, team and tackle have always been able to agree on a price tag, and over time the Patriots became the force that changed the motion, that said, no, stay here, be our rock.

It’s been more than 12 years since Wilfork’s parents passed away, but he continues to speak of them often, of the values they instilled. He takes “family first” to a new level, even offering parenting tips to some of his coaches, tips he undoubtedly learned from his own mother and father. David Sr. attended almost every one of his son’s high school practices despite battling kidney disease, and over time, he became the unofficial team dad. He’d drive anyone who needed a ride home in his minivan, and the Wilfork household was always a place to stop for water or snacks. When David Sr. passed away in 2002, his relationship with his son’s team remained so close that Berger spoke at his funeral.

And so it’s no shock that Wilfork assumed the role he has on the Patriots. If he isn’t the team dad, then he’s certainly the defense’s father figure, and though he may not speak in quantity, the advice he does give in his booming undertone is of the must-heed quality.

“He’s direct,” former teammate Jarvis Green says. “He knows what he has to do. He knows what he wants. He’s got that voice, that when he wants something done, he speaks.”

Patrick Graham, the Patriots linebackers coach who coached the team’s defensive line in 2012 and 2013, is only two years older than Wilfork, and he admits that to claim he’s made Wilfork a better player would be remiss. Really, he says, Wilfork made him a better coach. If the veteran didn’t like a play he’d installed, he’d never question Graham in front of other players. Instead, he’d wait until the meeting ended and his teammates had dispersed, and he’d offer his opinion. Graham, more often than not, would defer.

And then there were the film sessions. To teach young players their positions, teams show highlights of the best. Look at this Hall of Famer, look at his speed, his cuts, how he reads this offense. Explanation is often necessary, but not when Graham coached the defensive line. No, he’d just pop in the tape, let the action unfold, and if his players had questions, they could turn to its star. They were watching Wilfork, after all.

By now, though, the highlight reel may be complete. To play at an elite level after an Achilles injury and at Wilfork’s age is no small feat, and if the Patriots are going to get their rock one final ring, this is their best chance. Just don’t tell Wilfork; for as much as he concedes his football mortality, he refuses to regress to expectations. A year ago, he read the studies about players returning from Achilles injuries at his age and size. The results: not pretty. But that didn’t matter, didn’t affect his mindset as he launched into rehab and planned his path back. The science was irrelevant.

“Sometimes,” Wilfork concedes. “I tell people I’m not human.”

And so the body set in motion crushes all other forces. It moves and yet is still. It defies physics, but if Vince Wilfork isn’t human, do physics even apply?


(si.com)

While “deflate-gate” continues to dominate the headlines when it comes to the New England Patriots, there is actually other news concerning the team. According to NFL’s Media’s Ian Rapoport Friday, Patriots defensive tackle will be a little light in the pocket when he takes off for Arizona on Tuesday. Wilfork was fined $8, 268 for a late hit in the second quarter of Sunday’s AFC title game.

Ironically, it was Wilfork’s 15-yard penalty that helped lead Andrew Luck and the Colts to their only score in the 45-7 rout at Gillette Stadium. It was after that same game that Wilfork became a real-life hero for his quick reaction in pulling a woman from her car after it had been overturned and trapper her.


(examiner.com)

WRENTHAM — An alleged drunken driver rescued by New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork after a crash following the team’s AFC Championship victory wasn’t talking to reporters Tuesday, but her lawyer says she’s grateful for his help.

Mary Ellen Brooks, 38, of Hanson, who tested more than twice the limit for intoxication, initially had no idea that the massive man who pulled her from her overturned Jeep Wrangler was a Patriots football player.

Brooks’ lawyer, Arnie Lett of West Dennis, did not comment on the allegations against his client, other than to say it was her first arrest for drunken driving, but he did say she was thankful that Wilfork was there to lend a hand.

“She was very grateful that he stopped,” Lett said.

“He had a nice way about him to attend to her. She was very appreciative,” Lett said.

Brooks pleaded innocent in Wrentham District Court Tuesday to charges of drunken driving and driving to endanger.

She had a breath-alcohol test result of 0.17 percent, according to a state police report filed with the court. The legal level for intoxication is 0.08 percent in Massachusetts.

Brooks attended the game Sunday at Gillette Stadium, and told state police she drank four beers with friends before the game, three during the game and two afterward, according to the police report.

She was on her way home to Hanson around 12:45 a.m. Monday, when she drove off a 4-foot rock wall at the entrance to Motorcycles of Manchester on Route 1 in Foxboro while attempting to make a U-turn from Route 1 South to Route 1 North, the police report states.

Her 2015 Jeep Wrangler rolled over onto the driver’s side, trapping her inside until the 325-pound Wilfork stopped and pulled Brooks, weighing 175 pounds, out of the vehicle with one arm, according to state police.

The interior of the vehicle and her pants were wet, allegedly from beer that had spilled inside the vehicle, according to state police.

She was examined for injuries by emergency medical technicians but declined to be taken to a hospital.

Brooks limped as she walked to the microphone for her arraignment and had a pair of crutches with her.

The police report indicates that Brooks told troopers she believed she sprained her ankle after tripping in the Rodham Ford parking lot before she started to drive home.

Brooks walked away from reporters without comment after her arraignment.

She is free on her own recognizance and is due back in court March 19 for a pretrial hearing.


(thesunchronicle.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork was driving home from Sunday night's rousing victory against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game when he noticed a Jeep Wrangler rolled onto its side on Route 1 not far from Gillette Stadium.

So he did what he said anyone else would: He pulled over and lent a helping hand, with the Massachusetts State Police arriving soon after and crediting Wilfork with helping pull the driver -- 38-year-old Mary Ellen Brooks of Hanson, Massachusetts -- out of the vehicle.

"Through football and the course of life, I've learned to try to stay poised in certain situations and I'm pretty sure she was kind of scared," Wilfork said Monday in the team's locker room. "The last thing I wanted to do was have her panic, and that was the first thing I told her, 'Don't panic. We'll get you out of here.' We got her out, the cops came and that was about it."

The accident occurred at 12:45 a.m., and trooper Kenneth Proulx reported that he held the driver's door open while Wilfork reached in and helped lift Brooks out of the vehicle with one hand. Wilfork then departed after ensuring no more assistance was needed. Brooks was then arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

"He's got a lot of character and a lot of integrity -- how generous he is with his time and personal support, and the time and interest and compassion he has for other fellow human beings," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "It doesn't surprise me because that's really the type of person he is."

In revisiting his role in helping Brooks, Wilfork was subdued on Monday.

"I think anybody would do the same thing," he said. "I saw the lady in there and asked her if she was OK, could she move. She grabbed my hand, and kind of talked her through [it]. It wasn't a big deal; it was seeing someone that needed help and helping. I was just trying to get her to safety."

Wilfork said he didn't see the car flip over and was unaware how long it had been on its side. He was with his wife, Bianca, at the time.

"You kind of reflect on life a little bit," he said. "Here I am, we won the most important game of our season, and flashing right in front of your eyes is the life of someone who is in danger. ... After I drove off, my wife and I kind of talked in the car and said there are things that are a lot more precious in life than games or anything you accomplish in life. There are things out there that are more important. It showed last night, even though we won the AFC championship, it was life and danger. We were just happy to help.

"I don't want anything from it. If I saw it a million times, I'd do it a million times no matter what the situation would be."


(espn.com)

The two teams advanced in vastly different manners Sunday, but in some ways, Patriots-Seahawks is the Super Bowl many people expected. Add Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork to that list.

"I think you've got the best two teams playing in this game. I think from a staff standpoint, you can't ask for a better game than this," Wilfork said. He added, "To be a champ, you got to beat the champs."

The Seahawks are the first defending Super Bowl champion to get back to the Super Bowl since the Patriots themselves after the 2004 season. Of the previous nine winners (including that second '04 Patriots team), none had made it past the divisional round. The last Super Bowl winner to actually defeat the previous year's winner along the way to becoming the champs was the 2011 New York Giants, who defeated the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round a few weeks before upsetting the Patriots in the Super Bowl for the second time in four seasons.

Wilfork said the fact that the Patriots lost those two Super Bowls to the Giants won't be a factor in this game, at least for him.

"I won't think one time about being in the previous Super Bowls that I've been in. I've been in three and lost two and won one. It's different. Every season is different. Every team is different. My teammates are different. Coaches are different. Everything is different, so you really can't dwell over how many you won, how many you lost. It's all about now. To be a champ, you got to beat the champ, and that's our goal. That's the challenge for us, to be able to go in there and beat the champ, and I'm pretty sure their goal is to defend their Super Bowl. So it's going to be a good matchup."




(cbssports.com)

FOXBORO -- He arrived at the height of the Patriots dynasty, accustomed already to championship games, having twice played for national titles while at the University of Miami (winning one).

In Vince Wilfork's rookie season with the Patriots in 2004, New England won its third Super Bowl title in four years.

The big defensive tackle never took the celebrations for granted. He always knew winning was hard.

Now a 33-year-old father figure who likens watching young Patriots linebackers Jamie Collins and Dont'a Hightower to watching "younger brothers or my kids grow up," Wilfork still reaches for a second Super Bowl ring.

Big Vince is again getting close. This coming Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium, Wilfork will be suited up for his sixth AFC title game. The winner moves on to Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 1.

"As far as having experience in this game, one thing I always try to do is try to treat it like a regular game," Wilfork said about preparing for yet another AFC title game.

"You want to look at it as the next game," Wilfork later added. "But the only thing with that is you lose (this game), you go home. And I don't think anybody in this locker room wants to go home."

The Patriots have reached the AFC title game for the fourth straight year, having lost the last two. This will be New England's ninth AFC title game appearance of the Brady-Belichick Era (5-3 record).

This one comes 15 months after Wilfork underwent surgery for a torn Achilles tendon that reduced him to spiritual sideline leader during the Patriots' AFC title game loss in Denver last January.

Wilfork has not made a big deal about a 6-foot-2, 325-pounder on the wrong side of 30 coming back from an Achilles injury. He has left that to us; all who speculated his injury might be a career-ender. Coach Bill Belichick apparently had his doubts. A contentious contract restructuring last March had Wilfork requesting the team release him. An incentive-laden deal was then hammered out -- and Wilfork reached all the incentives. He has started all 17 games and played more than 70 percent of New England's defensive snaps in his 11th NFL season, while being a team captain for the seventh straight year. All of which Wilfork chalks up to, "I'm a football player."

"I wasn't surprised that I can play and be effective at this level," Wilfork said last week. "Health was never an issue with me this year ... My goal was just getting back on this team and helping my teammates win, and we've done a lot of that around here."

Wilfork was the Patriots' top draft pick in 2004, the 21st overall selection, and the sixth Miami Hurricane taken that year after safety Sean Taylor (5th overall, Redskins), tight end Kellen Winslow (6th, Browns), linebacker Jonathan Vilma (12th, Jets), linebacker D.J. Williams (17th, Broncos) and offensive tackle Vernon Carey (19th, Dolphins).

Wilfork, who in 2002 had lost both his parents to health ailments, was undaunted about joining the reigning Super Bowl champs, who just lost massive nose tackle Ted Washington in free agency.

At the time he was drafted, Wilfork said, "I know what it's like for a team to come out and talk trash and try to throw you off your game. I know what that's about because at the University of Miami we get that year after year."

Wilfork is now a five-time Pro Bowler with one Super Bowl ring. The five Hurricanes drafted ahead of him in 2004 have totaled six Pro Bowls and one ring (though Taylor being murdered in 2007 almost certainly affected that Pro Bowl total). Wilfork and Bears linebacker Williams were the only players from that Miami first-round class still in the NFL this season.

Wilfork's only remaining teammate from his rookie season is Tom Brady, who was then a fifth-year Patriot.

Most of Wilfork's trash talking now is aimed at the Patriots' quarterback at practice.

"I'm in his ear. He's in my ear," Wilfork said. "But at the same time, we make practice live, we make practice competitive, because we try to get it as close to the game as possible ... We've been so successful around here doing that."


(lowellsun.com)

As the Patriots use this week to gear up for the AFC Championship game against Andrew Luck and the Colts, Vince Wilfork addressed the media Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s always a pleasure to be playing in this game,” the defensive tackle said. “It’s hard to get to this level. Winning is hard.”

New England has had major success against Andrew Luck, who is 0-3 in his career versus the Patriots.

“Our next opponent, which is a good opponent, a team that’s different now from the last time we’ve faced them. I think they play well together as a team,” Wilfork said.

New England defeated Indianapolis, 42-20, in Week 11, behind Jonas Gray’s 201 yards and four rushing touchdowns.

“[They have a] great offense. I mean, Luck is probably one of the best quarterbacks in the game. He is a young stud,” Wilfork said.

Wilfork had high praises for the quarterback who has had little-to-no success against a New England defense that has forced Luck to throw eight interceptions to his only six touchdown passes.

“Everything we have to do, leading up to this game, we have to do it at the highest level,” Wilfork said.

Sunday’s game is the Patriots their fourth consecutive conference title game appearance.

“To be playing in this game is always a great feeling,” Wilfork said. “As far as having experience in this game, one thing I always try to do is try to treat it like a regular game.”


(bostonglobe.com)

FOXBORO — Rewind the clock to last January. Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, shelved for the season by a torn Achilles tendon, was watching from the sidelines in Denver as his team fell to the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.

The Patriots season wasn’t the only thing expiring with that loss. So, too, it seemed was the 6-foot-2, 325-pound defensive captain’s Patriots future.

With the final year of Wilfork’s contract calling for a $7.5 million base salary and $11.6 salary cap hit for 2014, and concerns about an Achilles recovery for a 32-year-old man of his size, his career with the Pats seemed to be in jeopardy.

A contentious negotiation ensued. In March, Wilfork reportedly cleaned out his locker and asked for his release rather than taking the substantial pay cut the front office requested. However, by month’s end the two sides agreed on the parameters of a three-year extension.

It turns out to have been a beneficial agreement for both sides. Wilfork is playing some of the best football of his career. He started all 16 regular-season games, anchoring a defensive line that emerged as one of the league’s top 10 against the run. Asked yesterday about his return to form, Wilfork’s tone reflected that expected of a Patriots captain.

“My goal was just getting back on this team and helping my teammates win, and we’ve done a lot of that around here,” he said. “I’m just fortunate and grateful to be playing another postseason game this week coming up. That’s always been my goal to get back and help my teammates win. That’s how I approach the season.”
As for the doubters, Wilfork never paid them much mind because he never doubted himself.

“I wasn’t surprised that I can play and be effective at this level,” Wilfork said. “Health was never an issue with me this year, thinking about it.”

Nobody is happier about Wilfork’s return to form than the Patriots young linebackers. After losing former All-Pro Jerod Mayo for the season to a torn patellar tendon, Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins were asked to pick up the slack. They have done so with great success, and Hightower believes that is thanks in large part to having Wilfork lining up in front of them.

“Vince helps a lot, especially having an older guy, a veteran guy who knows the game as well as he does,” Hightower said. “It slows everything down. It slows the offensive line from getting on top of us. Nobody is just going to leave Vince Wilfork single blocked at all.”

As for the task at hand on Saturday afternoon, a postseason showdown with the Ravens is nothing new to Wilfork.

“It seems like the Baltimore Ravens are a division opponent, we play them so much,” he said. “So they know us, we know them. It’s going to be one of those tough, old-school football games, I feel, a game that’s going to have to be played in the trenches up front.”

When the two teams met in the 2011 AFC Championship Game, Wilfork was a disruptive nightmare for the Ravens, finishing with six tackles, three for losses, including a sack, as the defense held Ray Rice, the NFL’s second-leading rusher that season, to 67 yards on the ground.

While you might doubt the Patriots’ defensive line’s ability to replicate a performance that dominant, proving doubters wrong would be just another day at the office for Wilfork this season.


(bostonherald.com)

Ravens center Jeremy Zuttah offered a succinct response when he was asked what makes New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork so difficult to block.
"He's huge," Zuttah said with a laugh.

For all the talk about quarterback Joe Flacco's recent postseason play, the Ravens know they are going to need to run the ball in Saturday's AFC divisional playoff game against the Patriots, and doing so successfully starts with containing Wilfork, a five-time Pro Bowl selection.

That task could fall on a couple of the Ravens' offensive linemen, but Zuttah knows there will be times Saturday, when he'll be matched up one-on-one against Wilfork.

"I haven't really ever seen him get moved off the ball too much," Zuttah said. "You just kind of have to trust your technique, stay low and try to keep fighting. He has what, 11, 12 years in the league? He's one of the best who has done it."

At 6 feet 4 and 300 pounds, Zuttah is considered undersized for a center and he's struggled this season against really big nose tackles, which is why Saturday's matchup could be problematic for the Ravens. Zuttah will be giving up 25 pounds to Wilfork, the anchor of the Patriots' ninth-ranked rushing defense.

Zuttah, who allowed a team-leading 23 quarterback hurries according to Pro Football Focus, is coming off one of his most difficult games of the season. In last week's victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round, Zuttah had major issues with nose tackle Steve McLendon (6 feet 4, 320 pounds) for the second time this season.

McLendon was credited with only one tackle, but he pushed Zuttah back into Flacco on two different occasions, knocking the quarterback to the ground. But the Ravens center did get some retribution, making one of the key blocks in Bernard Pierce's 5-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter.

"He's a big boy, too," Zuttah said of McLendon. "I don't think he gets as much credit as he deserves. He's probably, so far, the best nose that I've played. To have that matchup going into playing Vince, it is kind of good [preparation].

"This is playoff football. There's going to be good players from here on out — every team, every matchup. You're not going to win all of them, but you can't get away from your fundamentals and your technique. You just got to keep playing."

Taking advantage of Wilfork's athleticism and size and needing to plug holes because of injuries, the Patriots have moved the 33-year-old Wilfork around the defensive line this season. Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak acknowledged that there's some ambiguity about where Wilfork will consistently line up.

"Are they going to play an odd front, are they going to play an even front? I don't know. If you know, let me know," Kubiak joked. "It's our job, scheme wise, to try and help everybody with what we do, but ultimately, you've got to be better than the guy across from you that day. It's a big challenge for all of us, not just Jeremy."

Wilfork was limited to just four games last season after he suffered a season-ending knee injury, but he's made a successful return and has looked more and more like his disruptive self. He's been credited with 47 tackles, one quarterback hit and one interception, and he even blocked a long field goal in the Patriots' victory over the New York Jets on Dec. 21.

"I'm a football player and I always say that. I wasn't surprised that I can play and be effective at this level," Wilfork said Wednesday. "Health was never an issue with me this year, thinking about it. My goal was just getting back on this team and helping my teammates win, and we've done a lot of that around here. I'm just fortunate and grateful to be playing another postseason game this week coming up. That's always been my goal to get back and help my teammates win. That's how I approach the season."

Wilfork has had some memorable battles over the years with the Ravens, and has definitely earned their respect. Offensive lineman Marshal Yanda and head coach John Harbaugh praised Wilfork this week and acknowledged it's going to be a team effort to deal with him.

"You can't move the guy," Harbaugh said. "He plays really hard. I see his big, strong body out there, and I'm thinking he's not going to move the way he does, and he's chasing plays down and playing hard. And obviously, he has a love for the game. The whole front plays really well. It's probably the best defense they've had in a few years. They're playing at a really high level all the way across the board."


(carrollcountytimes.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Reading a column on New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork by Chad Finn of Boston.com sparked a thought that seemed worthy of passing along.

At Saturday's "Playoff Huddle" with Scott Zolak and former longtime Patriots assistant coach Dante Scarnecchia, a question was asked from the audience about the most indispensable Patriots players. It was agreed upon that quarterback Tom Brady, tight end Rob Gronkowski and cornerback Darrelle Revis were tops on the list. Then Scarnecchia requested a fourth name be added: Wilfork's.

Scarnecchia marveled at Wilfork's contributions this season and how he's played such a high percentage of snaps -- and played them well -- coming off a ruptured Achilles (73.9) that limited him to four games last season. He then explained Wilfork's value as an interior rock in the middle of the defense, speaking from the perspective of a coach who knows how challenging it can be to block a player like that.

It was behind-the-scenes insight and especially timely, because the 6-foot-2, 325-pound Wilfork figures to be a central part of what the Patriots' plan on Saturday against the Ravens.

During his weekly interview on sports radio WEEI on Monday, Wilfork said, "One thing that always stands out with Baltimore is how physical they play. We understand this game is going to be a lot about up front ... To play a team like [the Ravens], you have to be able to play physical at the line of scrimmage. The more you do against a team like this, the more success you have -- we can't play lateral, we have to be vertical, press blockers, get off blocks and gang tackle and rally to the ball.

"One of the things they pride themselves on is being able to run the ball and controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides. With that being said, we know what we have to do. We have to try to win that battle at the line of scrimmage. It's going to be an old-school football game, a physical ballgame."


(espn.com)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Nothing like a 6-foot-2, 325-pound nose tackle making like Michael Jordan to save a game with a blocked field goal.

Vince Wilfork became the fourth Patriots player this year to block a field goal, and the second one to save a potential game-winning kick by the Jets’ Nick Folk.
“Blocking a field goal by Air Vince, we’ve got to do those things,” Devin McCourty said.

On Sept. 14, Chandler Jones got the block party going with a block of Vikings kick toward the end of the first half. He returned it for a touchdown. On Oct. 16 at Gillette Stadium, Chris Jones preserved a 27-25 win with a last-second bat down. Against the Dolphins, it was Jamie Collins doing the honors on the game’s first drive, leading to a Kyle Arrington scoop and score.

Sunday, it was Wilfork’s turn. With 5:21 left, Wilfork moved over to his right, jumped up and got his right hand up high enough to block Folk’s 52-yard attempt.

“I just filled a soft A-gap, making sure that I was legal, not covering up the center and at the same time, being able to get vertical in that lane,” Wilfork said. “I felt that I had a good shot of getting some penetration, so it worked out well. That is just one of the plays that (we had) opportunities on. I had a good opportunity to make a play and I did for the team. It was nothing special that I did. I just penetrated a little bit and got my hands up and got a piece of it. I’€™m glad it helped my team win a ball game. That is what it is all about, the wins, and we walk away with another one.”


(weei.com)

Over his career, Vince Wilfork has remained among the elite group among his peers in terms of interior defensive linemen. The same can be said for New York Jets center Nick Mangold, who entered the league with the Jets in 2006.

With the two banging heads frequently over the years, it has become one of the top on-the-field matchups when these rivals meet every season.

"Yeah, we've been around for a while," Wilfork said. "He's one of the tougher guys in this league. Their offensive line as a whole, the way they play up front is the way the game needs to be played: physical, tough, smart. They don't budge. We try not to budge. It's like an old-fashioned football game when these two teams play. I'm pretty sure it's going to be the same way this week. Hopefully we're ready for them this time around and do a better job in the run game, because that's where it all starts."

Wilfork and Co. hope they do a better job against the run this time around, because even though the Patriots won the first meeting, their performance against the Jets' ground assault left a lot to be desired. New York put up 218 rushing yards and dominated time of possession, 40:54-19:06. Although the Patriots prevailed that Thursday night, 27-25, they can't allow the Jets a similar advantage if they want to avoid the upset.

"We have to do a good job of going in and out of there," Wilfork said. "If we don't, we'll be in trouble. We have our work cut out for us, but at the same time, we always look forward to a challenge, especially up front."


(bostonherald.com)

FOXBORO, Mass. — Vince Wilfork and Reggie Wayne are among the last of a dying breed: Reminders of the Miami Hurricanes’ glory days.

The two University of Miami products will be enemies Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, but the New England Patriots defensive tackle and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver hold a close bond off the field.

“That’s family,” Wilfork said. “No matter what anybody says — I don’t care what anybody says: coaches, media, whatever it may be, we’re family, and that’s Miami Hurricanes, we always carry a chip on our shoulder no matter what.” Without that chip on both players’ shoulders, it’s possible that this matchup of former Hurricanes wouldn’t have taken place this season.

Both Wilfork and Wayne suffered career-threatening injuries in their 10th and 13th seasons, respectively, in 2013. Wilfork tore his Achilles while Wayne suffered a torn ACL. Both are back, playing at a high level despite their age and recovery.

“It’s good to see him still playing at the rate that he’s playing at,” Wilfork said. “It shows you a lot about what it means — what football means to him. He’s very competitive, I know him personally, so I know we’re gonna get his best. I know he’s gonna be ready to play. It’s always a good feeling, not only just because of the personal relationship that I have with him, but anybody coming off injury that’s coming back, and the guy can play the game still, show that they can play the game. It’s always awesome to see.”

Wilfork and Wayne were never teammates in Miami, but with former Hurricanes from the school’s last Big East dynasty, like Ed Reed, Willis McGahee, Ray Lewis, Kellen Winslow and Jonathan Vilma either retired or still trying to hang on as free agents, it becomes obvious that the days are numbered for Wilfork, Wayne and other active teammates from the school’s last championship run, like Frank Gore, Andre Johnson and Santana Moss.

The list of Miami Hurricanes in the Pro Bowl has dwindled every year since 2009, when they had 11 representatives, to 2013 with just four.

Wilfork and Wayne briefly must forget their bond on Sunday night, however. “He knows between the lines, it’s time, we both have the same mindset,” Wilfork said. “We both want to win, so I’m gonna do everything I can to help my team win, and I’m pretty sure he’s gonna do the same thing. So, between the lines, we’re enemies, but off the field, it’s family. All love.”


(nesn.com)

Vince Wilfork, as noted by Tedy Bruschi, was a wrecking ball inside against the run. On the Broncos’ second play of the game, a 3-yard run by Ronnie Hillman, he plowed left guard Orlando Franklin into the backfield and flat onto his backside. That was what the Patriots missed in last season’s AFC championship game. Wilfork, again plowing into the line, knocked center Manny Ramirez back and disrupted Hillman on his 2-yard run to open the Broncos’ second drive (10:19). With the Patriots only having six in the box for all but two snaps in the game, it required defensive linemen like Wilfork to do a bit more against the run. Wilfork essentially was like having two players in one on the Broncos’ two initial drives.


(espn.com)

When the Patriots restructured the contract of Vince Wilfork in March, they secured him for this season with an option for two more seasons. The 32-year-old Wilfork has been a mainstay of the New England defense for 11 seasons and figures to be for the foreseeable future as well. That he missed all but four games with a torn Achilles’ tendon last season suggested that they might ease his workload this season.

But that doesn’t mean the Patriots are easing off on their use of their 325-pound nose tackle.

Wilfork has played 78 percent of snaps this season, sixth-most on the New England defensive line. Darrelle Revis (92.2 percent), Rob Ninkovich (89.1 percent), Devin McCourty (88.1 percent), Jerod Mayo (86 percent) and Chandler Jones (84.2 percent) are the only defenders who have seen more time on the field than Wilfork — and Mayo is out for the season with a knee injury.

Last Thursday against the New York Jets, Wilfork was on the field for 64 of 69 defensive snaps — and eight more special-teams snaps. He saw more total snaps than any other New England defensive lineman or linebacker.

“Vince is a tremendous leader for us,” Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia said in a conference call on Monday. “He does a great job every day with his approach to the game both through practice, through meetings and then obviously on game day. He’s a tremendous leader that our players can look up to, just really a hard-working individual that brings his lunch pail to work every day as far as getting in there and grinding it out and really trying to understand what our opponents are doing.

“Obviously, we look to him in that capacity from a very strong leadership aspect. For anything that we do on defense here as a team, we’re just trying to put the best players out there in the best position possible to win the game.”


(providencejournal.com)

FOXBORO -- Inside the Patriots locker room, Vince Wilfork is surrounded by youth. The stalls close by are inhabited by players who are eight-to-10 years younger than the 32-year-old in his 11th pro season. In the down moments when he holds court, guys like Chris Jones (24 years old), Zach Moore (24) and Dominique Easley (22) hang on every word.

It's easy to see why. Not only does Wilfork's resume speak volumes, but the work he's put in this year -- about a year removed from a season-ending Achilles tear -- has been impressive.

After playing in 50 of 55 snaps in Sunday night's win over the Bengals, he's played 246 plays this season, about 75 percent of the team's overall defensive snaps. He has 16 tackles, four quarterback hurries, and he made a game-sealing pick in Week 3 against the Raiders. 

Patriots coach Bill Belichick recognized Wilfork on Wednesday morning, not only for the work he's done on the field coming off of an injury, but also for the time he's put in with his young teammates off of it.

"Vince is always good with that," Belichick said. "I think all the guys are: Chandler [Jones, Jerod [Mayo], [Dont'a Hightower], Rob [Ninkovich]. I think they work well together as a front seven because it's all tied together.

"And the defensive linemen, they support each other, they try to help each other. The guys that have more experience, working with some of the other guys. In the end, everybody's gotta do their job. Obviously Vince has had a big challenge this year himself personally, forget about anybody else. That's the most important thing is for him to handle that. But at the same time, he always gives us great leadership."

With Sealver Siliga on short-term injured reserve, Wilfork will continue to attract attention as the team's space-eater in the middle of the field. But Wilfork is helping break in another young defensive tackle who could provide him some help on the interior. 

The Patriots signed Casey Walker off of the Panthers practice squad when Siliga was placed on IR, and almost immediately Walker found Wilfork to be a willing mentor. As Walker was still feeling his way around his new environment, it was Wilfork who took him aside to go over plays in the Patriots playbook.
The 24-year-old, 6-foot-1, 325-pounder made his presence felt for the first time on Sunday night as he made a tackle for a loss and got one pressure on Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton.

"Casey's worked hard," Belichick said. "He's been here and tried to learn what to do. Spends a lot of time with [defensive line coach] Brendan [Daly] and some of our veteran players. Vince has spent a lot of time with him as well. He's working at it. We'll just hopefully build on last week."

With Wilfork showing him the way, Walker's guaranteed to be getting the right advice.


(csnne.com)

I know it's not tbt or whatever it's called but I just wanted 2 show you guys at one point I had hair @McCourtyTwins pic.twitter.com/FIGajzgqIB

— Vince Wilfork (@wilfork75) October 7, 2014

The effort to rebuild the shattered confidence of the Patriots players began immediately after Monday night’s 41-14 loss to the Chiefs.

Per a league source, veteran defensive tackle Vince Wilfork addressed the players in the locker room after the game, urging them to remember that the season is still young and to set aside any individual concerns or issues.  Wilfork, who rarely speaks to the team as a group, told the players that the team has plenty of talent, and that very good things could still happen.

Wilfork expressed “full confidence” in the team on Thursday, via the Boston Globe.  Quarterback Tom Brady also echoed that sentiment to Albert Breer of NFL Media on Friday.

“It’s a competitive group,” Brady told Breer.  “We’re not gonna back down to anybody or anything.  We’ve all been challenged in our life at different times.  And I think this is gonna show, over the next few months, what we’re made of.”


(profootballtalk.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Given his standing as the New England Patriots' second-longest tenured player, defensive tackle Vince Wilfork's influence in the locker room looms large. He guaranteed that in the wake of an embarrassing 41-14 loss Monday to the Kansas City Chiefs that the team will get better.

"I have full confidence in this team," Wilfork said Thursday after a full-pads practice. "We have a lot of great guys around this locker room that played a lot of football games and know what it takes to win. So I don't think we lack of any type of guys that don't know how to play football. I think it's just making sure we execute at the highest level and hopefully we can get back on track this week."

Wilfork was one of several players who reported that Thursday's practice was viewed as a good one -- physical and spirited.

"A step in the right direction," he said, before repeating the word "execute" and explaining that's what it ultimately comes down to for defenders. "Right now, it's time for us to start playing the way we know how to play as Patriots. We need to step our game up -- all of us.

"There are tons of things that we have no business doing and we should be doing better ... Little things that we've been doing that haven't been right, if we just correct those things, this team will be looking totally different ... It's fixable. We need to fix it and get better, and that's what good football teams do -- fix things and move forward."

Wilfork has seen good things in past weeks as well, but it's not transferring to games.

"The most frustrating thing is that you go out and have good practices and you can't get it together [when it counts]," he said. "We have to continue to believe in what we do, and just do it a little bit better."

Asked about the defense playing more aggressive, Wilfork explained that the team will mix up its game plan weekly.

"Sometimes we do it, sometimes we don't, but that's not saying it's wrong or right," he said. "You have to buy into it. We've won a lot of ballgames around here playing a certain way. That's not going to change, trust me on that. So I'm all for what we do around here. We just have to do it better, plain and simple."


(espn.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles is dealing with a high ankle sprain that caused him to miss last week's game against the Miami Dolphins. His status for Monday night's game against the New England Patriots is still up in the air.

But Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that Charles would practice Thursday.

"Yeah, I think so. He's going to practice today. We'll see how it goes," Reid said.

Whether or not Charles plays, the Patriots are preparing to face off against one of the NFL's elite running backs.

"We are preparing like [Charles] is going to play," defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said. "If he doesn't play, he doesn't play. They didn't miss a beat last week without him, so this is a team that wants to run the football and that's what they do. They are built to run the ball. They have explosive guys at the skill positions. We have to be able to stop all of them."

If Charles doesn't play, the Patriots will have their hands full with another tough running back, Knile Davis. At 5-foot-10 and 227 pounds, Davis packs a big punch to his game while also possessing explosive speed.

"A big, strong, powerful running back that can hit you anywhere on the field. He's a bigger guy but he is fast," Wilfork said about Davis.

And if Charles plays, the Patriots have to deal with the combination of Charles and Davis, who Wilfork says are used in similar ways because both backs can do it all.

"They both run downhill. They both test the edges. They both catch the ball out of the backfield. They both block," Wilfork said. "So they are built differently but at the same time they run hard like a big back. The big guy has speed and the small guy has toughness.

"They are kind of similar when you look at them like that, but Charles, there are not too many guys faster than him. We have to do a real good job up front of playing well in the run game and pass game because they use him so much everywhere on the field."

The goal for Monday night is for Wilfork and the Patriots to contain Charles and Davis and hope that leads to a win.

"[Charles] is a hell of a back, so it's going to be another challenge for us once again this week to be able to go into somebody else's turf and try to slow that running game down, and I hope we will walk away with a W," Wilfork said.


(espn.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- One of our favorite weekly segments is when New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick breaks down plays after a victory, as it sheds light on things that he deemed critical to a favorable result.

His first breakdown of the 2014 season is posted on Patriots.com, and the play that stands out is Chandler Jones' fourth-quarter sack in which defensive tackle Vince Wilfork drops off the line.

"We actually go to a three-man rush here, where Vince pulls out into coverage," Belichick explained. "They are trying to run a clear-out route with the crosser underneath. We have good coverage from [Darrelle] Revis, ready to pick up [Kyle] Rudolph on the crosser. Vince drops out here and you see [Matt] Cassel come off the crosser and come back to the check-down, and probably didn't expect to see Vince to be standing there in front of the check-down. ... Can't find that receiver."


(espn.com)

The Patriots secondary made a big impact on Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings as they forced four interceptions against Matt Cassel.

One of those interceptions was made by Devin McCourty, who nearly returned it for a touchdown. 

On Quick Slants, the Patriots safety walked Tom E. Curran through his attempt to find the end zone.

"If you get an interception, you look for one person. You find 75," said McCourty. "He's the lead blocker. You find Vince [Wilfork], you find him right away and run to him. That's your best chance of getting into the end zone."


(csnne.com)

Vince Wilfork has been around a long time but it doesn’t take 11 years of experience to understand how opponents will react to what they saw out of the Patriots defense in the opener. Wilfork knows the Vikings are aware of how Miami carved up the New England front to the tune of 191 rushing yards, and he knows what to expect in Minnesota come Sunday.

“This is a team that’s going to stick with their running game,” Wilfork said of the Vikings. “After last week why wouldn’t you? It’s a good, good challenge for us. I’m happy we’re getting this challenge again. Going from the first week and having people moving the ball on us successfully and coming back with one of the best backs in the game gives us a chance to step our game up and show that we can be a pretty good defense. We welcome the challenge and I’m very excited about it and I have all the confidence in the world we can get things fixed and hopefully it will show on Sunday.”

Of course that task will be made more difficult due to the presence of one of the game’s best backs in Adrian Peterson. Few ball carriers combine the physical nature and ability to hit the long ball like Peterson, who is just a year removed from a 2,000-yard season.

“[I remember] how hard he ran the ball,” Wilfork said when asked about the team’s last meeting, which came on Halloween 2010 in Foxborough. That game marked the return of Randy Moss, who was dealt to the Vikings just weeks earlier, but it also featured some stout play by the Patriots defense. Peterson picked up 92 yards on 25 punishing carries and was held to 3.7 yards per rush with a long of 9.

Wilfork understands that things will need to improve if the Patriots are going to keep Peterson similarly in check, and it all starts up front.

“The hardest thing is everybody being on the same page,” he began. “You might get one guy or two guys that might overplay a gap and that can cost you. A good back will find that and Peterson will find that. He’s one of the best backs in the game. I’m pretty sure we’ll have some type of zone runs that we’ll have to be ready for.

“We understand the mistakes we’ve made and getting off to a good start in practice this week, we’ve made some adjustments and hopefully it’ll work for us. We came to work two days now on the Vikings and it’s starting to come together. We have one more day to get everything nailed down to make sure we have everything to feel good going into the game. If it’s anything like the last couple of days we’ll be in good shape.”


(patriots.com)

Every Tuesday we will wrap up the all the action from the previous week’s NFL action.

The Streak: Four proCanes scored (Allen Hurns (2 TDs), Greg Olsen (1 TD), Travis Benjamin (1 TD), Lamar Miller (1 TD)) to extend the TD Streak to 7 straight weeks a proCane has scored an NFL touchdown. As reminder the record is 149 straight weeks.

Allen Hurns, Jaguars: Hurns caught four passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. He became the first undrafted rookie to catch two touchdowns in his first game since the New York Giants’ Bobby Johnson in 1984. Two catches, two touchdowns, Hurns became the second NFL rookie to ever do that, joining Detroit’s Charles Rogers. Hurns also ended up playing the 2nd most amount of snaps among WRs behind Antonio Brown. Hurns has out-produced both receivers the Jaguars selected in the second round of the NFL draft in May. Not bad for an undrafted rookie

Andre Johnson, Texans: Johnson moved past Redskins legend Art Monk into 16th place in NFL history in receiving yards. Johnson, who hauled in six passes for 93 yards, has 12,754 yards in his 12 professional seasons.

Frank Gore, 49ers : Gore just the 29th running back in NFL history to reach the 10,000-yard mark, and just the 10th to eclipse the milestone with one franchise. With a four-yard run in the third quarter, Gore became one of just three active running backs in the 10,000-yard club. He is also just the second #proCane to do it; Edgerrin James ranks 10th all-time with 12,279 yards.

Devin Hester, Falcons: The Falcons promised to use Hester also as a WR this season, and so far they have fulfilled that promise. Hester caught 5-of-6 targets for 99 yards in the Falcons' Week 1 win over the Saints.

Seantrel Henderson, Bills: Henderson, who was drafted in seventh round of the year’s NFL Draft started his first NFL game in week 1 beating out 2nd round Bills draft pick Cyrus Kouandjo.

Greg Olsen: 8 catches, 83 yards, 1 TD
Allen Bailey: 2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL
Reggie Wayne: Back from injury: 9 catches, 98 yards
Vince Wilfork: Back from injury: 2 tackles

The Patriots had every reason in the football world to believe they'd start the regular season with a victory against the Dolphins today, so now they've got even more reasons to be ticked off that they were handled in a resounding fashion.

They were ticked, for sure, but there was also a theme in the locker room, especially among the veterans. They'll be better, and it's only one loss with 15 to go.

"It’s not how you start (the season)," Vince Wilfork said. "It’s how you finish. We started (crappy). I’ll tell you that, but we’ll get it together."

The 33-20 loss exposed issues on the offensive line and with their run defense, and they made plenty of other mistakes, too -- a blocked punt, nine penalties for 100 yards, missed tackles, a muffed punt, etc.

"We can’t hold our heads down," Wilfork said. "It’s a long season. We definitely have to get better. We will get better."

The Patriots locker room typically resembles a morgue after a loss, but they preached a forward-thinking philosophy while already looking ahead to the Vikings.

"Very confident, we’ve got to put this in the past and move on," Darrelle Revis said. "That’s how you’ve got to look at it. We’ve got 16 of these games. It’s a very long season. The only thing we can do is make the corrections and get better as a team, as a whole. The next time we see them, hopefully we have the answers to execute better when we play."


(bostonherald.com)

FOXBOROUGH — Vince Wilfork was not a very good patient.

Within one week of his surgery Oct. 1 to repair a torn Achilles’ tendon, his wife/nurse, Bianca, already was laying into him, after she caught him trying to walk up the stairs in their home.

Eleven months later, he chuckles at the memory. She lets out a sigh.

“With this injury they were saying, ‘You can’t be walking, you can’t be up,’ and I was like, ‘Man, I need to go do this,’ ” Wilfork said at his locker last week. “I was never in that predicament where I had to sit down all day. She told me I couldn’t walk up the stairs by myself and she caught me one day and she chewed me out from left and right, so I said, you know, that’s the last time I’m going to do that because if I fell there was nobody there and I might have messed up the surgery, so she was right.

“I kind of took a step back and started listening a little bit. So she had four kids she had to deal with, including me, around that time. It was different for all of us.”
“I gave him the business. I cussed him out,” Bianca said. “I know how frustrating it is because I’m not the best patient, but fortunately for me I don’t have anybody else to tell me, ‘Oh, no, you’re not supposed to do this,’ because he doesn’t know what I’m supposed to do and not supposed to do, but I know, so that gave me the upper hand.

“But he got it together, and that was a trying time for all of us. And all things considered, a couple of bumps along the way, but he managed it fine.”

The Patriots drafted Wilfork out of the University of Miami in 2004, and when he took the field for a Sunday night game against the Falcons last season, it was the 142d regular-season game of his career. He had missed just six over his first nine-plus seasons, three each in 2006 and 2009.

But on the first defensive series for the Patriots, Wilfork felt something pop. He believed he’d been kicked or maybe rolled his ankle.

Bianca, sitting behind the New England bench like she does for every road game, knew it was far worse.

“I knew from the way he stepped that it was bad,” she said. “When the play takes off, all I do is watch him until the play gets past him, so I saw everything.”

Bianca cried as a team official led her back to her husband, but just before she went into the room to see Vince, she stopped.

Plans had to be made. They would need help with their three children, getting them to and from school and their various activities. Vince would be undergoing surgery shortly after they returned home.

This was no time to bury her head in her hands. So Bianca went into “take care of everything mode.”

After Wilfork came out of surgery, the couple tweeted a photo, his lower right leg bandaged, giving a thumbs-up and thanking fans for their support. Amazingly for someone who has played football for more than two decades, it was his first surgery.

Then, Wilfork hunkered down at home.

“People have different ways to deal with things, and my way was, you know what, let me stay as far away as possible, let me get healthy, let me do what I need to do to get back,” Wilfork said. “It came to a point where, all right, I’m moving around now, now I’m starting to miss my guys, then I had to talk to Bill [Belichick], can I come here, can I do the meetings, can I do this, and he was like, ‘Yeah, sure,’ and that meant a lot to me.”

“I think one of the biggest areas he had to overcome when he got hurt was the feeling of letting the team down,” Bianca said. “I think that he came to a realization that you can still be a part of it. You can still put forth what you can, and he did that, and it filled that void as much as it could.”

Wilfork became a mentor to young defensive tackles Joe Vellano, Chris Jones, and Sealver Siliga, who were thrust into major roles after Wilfork’s injury, and a week later, a season-ending injury to Tommy Kelly.

“Anything I could do to help my teammates, I wanted to do it. I told Bill that, I told the coaches that, and they would pick my brain and I was like, ‘Hey, I’m here. I don’t have nothing to do but sit around and watch film all day and watch you meatheads,’ ” Wilfork said, smiling. “But they took it in stride. They learned so much last year; I was so proud of them. And even now, from where they were last year until now, it’s amazing the jump they’ve made, and I’m so excited for those guys and I’m excited to be playing with them. They grew up a lot, and it was good to see that.”

Belichick even allowed Wilfork to travel with the team, once he was able to be on the sideline. It is not a privilege the coach proffers often — over the last seven or eight years, only Wilfork, Matthew Slater, and Kevin Faulk have been allowed to do so.

“Some people might not understand what that meant for me to be with my guys at games and on the sideline and being able to travel with them, that meant the world to me,” Wilfork said. “That showed a lot of respect that he has for me and I really appreciated him doing that, and I told him that.”

When he wasn’t teaching, Wilfork was rehabbing. His goal was to be on the field on Day 1 of training camp. And on July 24, he was. No setbacks, no delay, no physically unable to perform list. As the Patriots opened camp, No. 75 strode onto the field, helmet in hand, ready to get back to what he loves.

It was easy to wonder how Wilfork’s body would respond. He was 31 at the time of his injury and weighs more than 300 pounds, necessary for a player in his position. And an Achilles’ can affect a player’s power, which is paramount when playing on the line. But he feels he’s not only back to being the player he was, he’s even better.

Through watching film, there were things he picked up that he wants to do a little bit differently, and as he rehabbed, he concentrated on his footwork, hands, leverage.

“I think I’m as strong as I’ve ever been in my career, I know it’s as strong as I’ve ever been in my career,” Wilfork said. “That was one of the main things I wanted to make sure of, too. I wanted to make sure I was at the top of my level strength-wise, that way I wouldn’t have no issues whatsoever with the Achilles’, and I don’t.

“I pushed myself as if I was back in college. Some days were tougher than others, but now I’m happy I did it because I can feel the difference in moving around and just playing in general. I’m looking at film and seeing things I can do a little bit better, but I’m pretty happy with the foundation I’ve laid, especially strength-wise.”

“He also looks quicker than he has been,” Bianca said. “I just watch him, so I notice things, and I don’t know if he sees the quickness that I see or not, but he’s coming off [the ball] fast and he’s looking good. He’s right there on every play.

“But I do agree with him, he worked really, really hard. Not that he doesn’t usually work hard, but he knew that if it was going to be successful, it had to be based off 100 percent effort. Anything and everything we can do, we’ve done. And everything else has to play itself out. But as long as we know that we did as much as we could on our end, there’s not much else for us to do.”

While the Wilforks both say they had no doubt he would be able to come back, there was no way to know how he would respond.

A contract negotiation with the Patriots got contentious, and Wilfork reportedly asked to be traded. Maybe time has healed things a bit.

“At the end of the day, I feel it was fair,” Wilfork said. “I had to deal with reality. The reality is, I didn’t know how I was going to come back from the injury because I’ve never been injured. Both sides felt that way, I felt that way.

“I think we came to an agreement where, if I can play, I’ll play. And everything worked itself out. I have nothing but total confidence, that’s an afterthought. If I can play football, I can play football. So that’s what it was all about. I think both sides came to a solution that we both can deal with. That’s why I’m here.”

On Sunday, when the Patriots open the season in Miami, Bianca will be in her customary spot, behind the team’s bench. As she prepared for the trip, she was anxious and excited to see her husband back on the field in a regular-season game.

Her husband feels the same.

“At first it was excitement because I was back playing,” Wilfork said. “And then after the first [exhibition] game down in Washington it was like, ‘OK, it’s over. I’m back to myself.’

“It’s nothing I think about. I’m back in the groove of things, I’m playing, and hopefully I have a good season, but I don’t think about it now.”


(bostonglobe.com)

The Patriots have selected their captains for the 2014. The group is essentially the same as the 2013 version with one exception.

Offensive lineman Dan Connolly joins quarterback Tom Brady, linebacker Jerod Mayo, defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, safety Devin McCourty and special teamer Matthew Slater as a member of the leadership group.

Connolly, who was given one of the coveted parking spaces up front as a reward for his offseason work, essentially takes over the spot held by his former teammate and offensive lineman Logan Mankins, the three-time captain who was traded to Tampa Bay last week.

During his press conference this morning, Patriots coach Bill Belichick made note of Connolly's efforts.

"Dan's had a really good year," Belichick said. "He's had a really good spring. Good training camp. Been out there every day. He's been a versatile guy for us, as he always has. He's always been ready to play all three spots plus contribute in the kicking game. He's a sharp guy that works hard. He had a good offseason. He was able to train throughout the bulk of the offseason. He's done a solid job for us really at a number of positions."

As for Brady, who has been a captain in each of the last 13 seasons, he talked about the role and what it still means to be selected for the job during his press briefing.

"It's very flattering from my teammates, and I try to represent them the best that I can in whatever fashion the team asks me to do things and wants me to convey messages to the coach," Brady said. "We've got a great group of young men who've really committed themselves to really being the best teammates they can be. I hope I do a great job. I'll work hard at it. We've got a lot of other great captains - guys that I've always been able to rely on and depend on. It's a big responsibility and I accept it."

This is Wilfork's seventh season and Mayo's sixth as captains. It is year No. 4 for both McCourty and Slater.


(bostonherald.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – When it comes to the pulse of the New England Patriots' locker room, and how players have responded following last week’s surprising trade of Logan Mankins, veteran defensive lineman Vince Wilfork likes what he’s seen so far.

The re-elected captain for a seventh straight season spoke to reporters for an extended stretch during Wednesday’s media-access period.

“I think the team responded well,” Wilfork said in his first locker-room remarks since Mankins was traded (Wilfork was a guest on sports radio WEEI Tuesday).

Wilfork echoed what coach Bill Belichick often says -- the importance of moving forward.

“Our focus is strictly toward Miami right now,” he said. “Anything we have personal or we feel leaning towards anything that is going on, if it’s not Miami, your mindset is in the wrong spot. So I think everybody is focused and ready to go play football. Our hands are full. We can’t be focused on anything that happened in the past right now. If we let that take us off track, we’ll be in big trouble.”

When asked if it was a challenging process to get to that point, given Mankins’ standing with the team, Wilfork didn’t want to go there.

“That’s the past,” he responded. “We all understand, the most important thing for this football team is Miami this week. Everything we have, we have to put in that bucket and deal with Miami. That’s where we’re at.”


(espn.com)

DAVIE, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins starting center Samson Satele has been through plenty of battles with New England Patriots defensive tackle and five-time Pro Bowler Vince Wilfork. Satele has played against Wilfork in the regular season and postseason as a member of the Indianapolis Colts and Dolphins.

Therefore, Satele knows exactly what he's up against Sunday when Wilfork and the Patriots visit Sun Life Stadium.

"He's smart. He's going to pick up the offense, I think, within two series," Satele said. “He's going to know what's going on. He's just smart and he knows how to play that nose position.”

The Dolphins know their battle in the trenches between their offensive line and New England's defensive line will be key in Sunday's Week 1 matchup. Miami's new offense under Bill Lazor is making its regular-season debut, and a balanced running game is the goal. Wilfork will be waiting in the middle to try to make the Dolphins one dimensional.

Wilfork recently uped the ante in this game with a recent tweet saying how important this game was for him.

Counting the days 4miami game this has been 1of the hardest years 4me but it has made the 1st game of this season the most important 1for me

— Vince Wilfork (@wilfork75) August 27, 2014

Wilfork is returning from an Achilles injury and an offseason contract dispute with New England. He is also a South Florida native (Boynton Beach) and former star at the University of Miami. So there are plenty of reasons for Wilfork to be motivated for Sunday's game.

The Dolphins will be starting five new offensive linemen against the Patriots, who boast a veteran group of defensive linemen led by Wilfork in the middle.

“He's a very gifted athlete,” said Dolphins guard Shelley Smith, who played against Wilfork in 2012. “He's very strong, he's very stout and it's hard to move him. He plays with great leverage and he's a smart player. He can read things and see things coming before they happen.”

Miami knows if Wilfork has a big game that could mean big trouble for the Dolphins on offense. Satele, who signed a month ago, said he's now comfortable with the offense. But Satele did not draw an easy assignment to kick off the regular season.

“I know he's coming off an injury, so I know he's going to be motivated to be back on the field plus he's back in Miami, because he's from here,” Satele said of Wilfork. “It's going to be his first game back, but I will be ready. I'm going to do what I know from this offense and work on my technique.”


(espn.com)

FOXBORO — Vince Wilfork needn't look at the calendar on the wall to know what time of year it is.

"I've been doing it for a while so I know when it's time to go and it's not time to go," the Patriots' veteran defensive lineman said Wednesday. "And it's time to go."

Yes, the time to go to Miami for the start of another NFL regular season nears.

At 32 — he'll turn 33 in November — Wilfork may be aging, but he insists "it never gets old."

"I'm always excited about defense so it's no different," he said. "I'm excited about the start of the season. The start is always the beginning of everything and that's where we're at right now.

"(There's) a bunch of new guys, but the one thing that stayed the same is we have a bunch of guys that love the game. They always have a chip on their shoulder. They want to get better. And that's the one thing that's stayed the same around here, so hopefully that can put us where we need to be."

Limited to four games last season by a torn Achilles' tendon suffered on the opening series of the Patriots' 30-23 win at Atlanta and on the heels of an offseason in which his contract situation also threatened his future with the team, Wilfork is right back where one of his fellow captains says he needs to be.

"You can't really say enough about Vince and his leadership, not only on the football field but in the locker room," special teamer Matthew Slater said. "The type of man that he is off the field, his presence is so strong in this locker room. He's part of the heartbeat here, so (I'm) just excited that he's back and he's healthy and he's going to do whatever it takes to help this football team win."

The Patriots' top pick (21st overall) in the 2004 draft, Wilfork's past performances were enough to earn him five Pro Bowl berths, including four in a row from 2009-2012.

Over the course of his 10 seasons in New England, the 6-foot-2, 325-pounder has amassed 679 tackles in 142 games (132 starts).

"Vince is such a huge part of who we are," said Slater. "He's part of our personality, our character on that football field and in the locker room.

"He's a pillar for us on the field, but in the community as well. You see the community work he does. (He's) a man of character. You can't say enough good things about Vince."

The drudgery of organized team activities, offseason mini-camps and training camp is behind him now, but, given what he went through to get here, Wilfork says even that time passed quickly for him.

"Time flew," he said Wednesday. "I know we were sitting there in OTAs and mini-camp and training camp and all of a sudden we're sitting here preparing for the first game of the season. That's an exciting time for everyone, not just myself, but everyone. Being able to start on the road, it's going to be tough. Starting in the division on the road is always tough."

Season openers have treated Wilfork well over the years.

Amazingly, he's never suffered a season-opening loss, the Patriots' run of 10 straight season-opening wins dating back to Sept. 9, 2004, his NFL debut, when he registered seven stops at nose tackle and recovered a fumble forced by defensive back Eugene Wilson in the fourth quarter of a 27-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium.

Now, the start of his 11th regular season nears.

"The good lord willing," said Slater, "he'll still be the same, old Vince."


(southcoasttoday.com)

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has revealed that he is pleased with the recovery of defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.

The 32-year-old sustained an Achilles injury last season which ruled him out for the majority of the 2013 campaign.

Wilfork has looked sharp on his return to the Patriots in their pre-season matches as he looks to find the form that saw him named as an All-Pro in the 2012 season.

Belichick told reporters: "Vince has done everything pretty much since the last week or so of OTAs. He's done everything with the team, no real restrictions. He hasn't really missed any time or anything.

"He's been out there and worked hard. He's getting himself ready for the season as he should be. He's done a solid job of getting himself back and getting ready to play football this year.

"We'll see how it goes going forward. I have no issues with him, I think he's worked very hard coming back from the injury he had last year and be ready to go this season."

The Patriots reportedly cut three defensive players as part of their roster cutdown on Sunday.


(sportsmole.co.uk)

RICHMOND, Va. — Nose tackle Vince Wilfork was an impressive force on the New England Patroits defensive line in joint practices with the Washington Redskins. The Patriots captain missed all but four games last season with a torn Achilles tendon, but has been at full health throughout training camp and seems to have no limitations coming back from the injury.

“I feel fine. To me, that’s in the past. I don’t even think about it,” Wilfork said.

“From the first day, I stepped on the field with full pads back at Gillette, I knew I could move around and play on it. I really didn’t think much of it after that. It’s an afterthought to me right now.”

Wilfork also added an interesting nugget, saying that he shed some pounds off his massive 325-pound frame with the idea of helping his rehab.
So far, so good.

“My training camp began a long time ago — in March,” Wilfork said. “I’ve been working for a long, long time and there’s a reason I feel good and a reason I have the confidence to play. It won’t stop. Every year I always try to work on something and one of the things (this year) was, with an Achilles the more weight you can try to take off the better your body feels. I tried that and it went well. That might be something in the long run where if I feel that helped me, it might be something I have to stick with.

“For the most part, everything is good right now. It’s just maintaining. That’s the main goal, to be able to continue to work at things, where I know I can get better, whether it’s on the field or off the field with my body. I think that’s what is going to keep me around as long as I want to be around and not getting pushed out the door. As long as I want to be around, I’ll be around.”

Patriots coach Bill Belichick learned much from joint practices in recent years. The Redskins became the fifth team to hold the combined summer workouts with the Patriots since 2010. While many previous workouts came against teams and coaches that had longstanding ties or relationships with Belichick, that’s not quite the situation with Washington and first-year head coach Jay Gruden.

“Once the preseason schedule came out and we saw that we opened in Washington, Jay — well (Redskins President/General Manager) Bruce (Allen) and then Jay and I all made contact,” Belichick said. “We talked about the opportunity of working against each other. We talked about it. We felt like we could make it work based on what our goals were and talking about our philosophy and how we work and so forth. As we got into more specifics, the actual drills and how they would be done and who would work against whom it seemed very workable.

“I know the members of our coaching staff have also worked closely with their guys. (Patriots defensive coordinator) Matt (Patricia) on our end and (Redskins offensive coordinator) Sean (McVay) or (Patriots offensive coordinator) Josh (McDaniels) and (Redskins defensive coordinator) Jim Haslett and so forth, just coordinate some things there. I feel like things are in place from the logistical standpoint. We just need to go out there and have a good practice.”


(lindysports.com)

It was on Sunday Night football last season when the New England Patriots improved to 4-0 with a huge win over the defending NFC South Champions, the Atlanta Falcons. The only problem was that their guy in the middle of the defensive line and defensive captain, Vince Wilfork, tore his Achilles. Wilfork missed the rest of the 2013 NFL Season with one of the worst possible injuries that a 6-foot-2, 325-pounder could have. That weight is what he is listed as; his real weight, to our dismay, is unknown.

Outside the Pats signal caller Jerod Mayo, Wilfork was the best player on the Patriots below-average defense in 2013. Though Vince didn’t record a sack in the games that he played last season, he still anchored the defense and plugged up the middle of the field. In the first four games of 2013, the Patriots allowed an average of 105 rushing yards per game, good for 12th in the NFL. On the contrary, when Wilfork was not in the lineup, they allowed over 154 rushing yards per game, the most in the NFL.

Wilfork’s absence was felt by Patriot fans toward the end of 2013, but with Wilfork entering the final year of his current contract, there was an amount of uncertainty surrounding his future with the team. The Patriots have always been cautious about giving players big contracts towards the end of their careers (see guys like Randy Moss and Wes Welker).

After speaking with his agent and Patriot representatives in the offseason, Wilfork seemed to think that the new contract he wanted was not going to happen. Subsequently, he demanded to be traded or released by the team he had spent the previous 10 seasons with. At that point, it seemed that the two sides were extremely far apart and no new contract was imminent.

Wilfork probably felt like he had a considerable amount of leverage considering how the entire defense performed without him. Having said that, New England still made it to the AFC Championship game and are notorious for not paying older guys on their roster. It seemed like a deal was not going to get done and Wilfork even went as far as completely clean out his locker at Gillette Stadium.

Eventually, owner Robert Kraft spoke out in Wilfork’s defense and the two sides agreed on a restructured deal. The contract is a three-year deal worth $22.5 million with an option after the first year.

Reporters talked to Wilfork for the first time during offseason minicamps about his contract issue on whether he actually entertained playing for another team in 2014:

"That's a dead issue. I'm here for a reason. If I didn't believe the things that were brought to me, I wouldn't have signed it. I'm not upset. I'm not holding any type of grudge. Business is business and everybody handles business in different types of ways.

Does he sound a little bitter? Maybe the five-time Pro Bowler still has some hard feelings about why it took so long to get paid. Regardless, the contract distraction is over now, so the only thing Wilfork needs to worry about is getting his Achilles and the rest of his 300-plus pound body ready for the season opener against the Miami Dolphins.


(football.com)

FOXBORO — The Patriots started last season in great shape at defensive tackle with the immensely hefty and talented tandem of Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly.

But Wilfork tore his right Achilles tendon in a win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4, and Kelly blew out his right knee a week later in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Both players would ultimately land on season-ending injured reserve, leaving the Patriots to patch a gaping hole in the middle of the line.

While the likes of rookies Chris Jones and Joe Vellano and waiver-wire pickup Sealver Siliga — all of whom entered the NFL undrafted — did a commendable job clogging the middle and creating an interior pass rush, Wilfork and Kelly are projected to resume their stout standing this season.

However, it's evident after five practices at training camp that it's going to be a slow and sometimes testing return to full health for both big bodies.

Unfortunately for Kelly, he knows the routine. He suffered a torn ACL while playing for the Oakland Raiders in 2007 that caused him to sit out the final nine games of the season.

As for Wilfork, he's listed at 325 pounds but probably plays closer to 350 and currently appears to weigh about 375. He started camp on time, but is clearly quite a ways off from regaining his quickness and conditioning.

That's to be expected considering the combination of his bulk and the severity of the injury.

"Obviously, it's good to have Vince out there," Belichick said. "But he, like everybody else, has a long way to go; a lot of things to work on.

"He missed most of the season last year. He's working his way back in. I think there are a lot of positive signs. I don't think he or anybody else is where they need to be, coaches included."


(telegram.com)

FOXBORO, Mass. — There were concerns that at 32 years old and 325 pounds, Vince Wilfork might never be the same player after tearing his Achilles, but it’s been smooth sailing for the big man so far this offseason.

Wilfork said he has no limitations as the New England Patriots began training camp Thursday. Wilfork tore his right Achilles tendon in Week 4 of the 2013 season.

“If I had limitations, I wouldn’t be practicing,” Wilfork said Thursday at Gillette Stadium after a full training camp session. “My job is to help my teammates the best way I can, whatever that may be. The only way for me to help my teammates is to be on the field and be healthy. Right now, I’m on the field and I’m healthy. If anything happens in the future, I can’t predict that. But right now my job is to help this team the best way I can and get better each day, and that’s what I’m going to do.” Wilfork said his Achilles feels “fine” right now, but he acknowledged “I’m pretty sure there’s going to still be some stuff that I may need to do.” “Right now, I just feel good,” Wilfork said.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen further down the road, but right now I feel good. I’m happy to be out here with my teammates.” Wilfork is entering his 11th season with the Patriots. He appears to be moving well so far and looks to be on track to start the season despite what could have been a catastrophic injury last year.


(nesn.com)

FOXBOROUGH — It seemed only fitting that the two longest-tenured Patriots walked up the stairs to the team’s perfectly lined practice fields for the first training camp practice together, Tom Brady and Vince Wilfork all smiles as they took those steps side by side.

They are the faces of their respective units, Brady the unquestioned leader of the offense, and Wilfork for the defense.

Even last season, as Wilfork missed the final 12 games after tearing his Achilles’ tendon against Atlanta, the five-time Pro Bowl selection was as involved as he could be, helping youngsters Joe Vellano, Chris Jones, and Sealver Siliga get ready to play, offering advice wherever he could.

It was a sign of the respect Wilfork has with coaches and teammates alike that he was allowed to travel with the Patriots despite his injury, a privilege Bill Belichick has afforded to very few players.

It remains to be seen if Wilfork will be restricted once the Patriots are in full pads on Saturday, but he has answered the first big question of his recovery just by being on the field Thursday. No setbacks, no physically unable to perform list, his age (32) and size seemingly nonfactors in his rehabilitation.

“I feel fine,” Wilfork said Thursday after the two-hour practice. “Throughout all season and just working hard, I’m pretty sure there’s going to still be some stuff that I may need to do so, so far so good. I’m not looking back. I’m looking forward. I’m just excited to be here.”

The 11-year veteran bristled at the idea that he would face any restrictions on the field.

“If I had limitations, I wouldn’t be practicing. My job is to help my teammates the best way I can, whatever that may be,” Wilfork said. “The only way for me to help my teammates is to be on the field and be healthy. Right now, I’m on the field and I’m healthy. If anything happens in the future, I can’t predict that.

“But right now my job is to help this team the best way I can and get better each day and that’s what I’m going to do.”

New England began last season with Wilfork and Tommy Kelly at defensive tackle, but Kelly was lost to injury in Week 5, leaving the Patriots highly inexperienced at the position. Without Wilfork and Kelly anchoring the middle, the defense gave up 134.1 rushing yards per game, the most for New England since 2002.

Wilfork helped where he could, though assistant coach Patrick Graham, who spent the last two seasons coaching the defensive line (he’s now in charge of the linebackers), said Wilfork’s biggest contribution may have come in the film room.

“I know for me, personally, as the D-line coach, ‘V’ was invaluable in terms of the input that he was able to give and to be around for those [younger] guys and just do a good job with them,” Graham said. “Vince has always been a guy that you can put on the tape and Vince’s presence is there, as far as the example.
“He’s always done a good job and I’ve always been appreciative of his help that he’s given me as a coach and how the players are able to go to him for advice as well.”

Vellano shined early, then ceded playing time to Siliga, who was signed to the practice squad in October and promoted to the 53-man roster before the 12th game, against Houston. Jones became a starter after Kelly’s injury, and his six sacks were second most among NFL rookies last season.

If there is a silver lining to be found in the injuries to Wilfork and Kelly, perhaps it was the experience the young players gained. Now New England has added first-round pick Dominique Easley and sixth-round pick Zach Moore to the defensive tackle group as well.

“Those guys grew a lot,” Wilfork said of last year’s newbies. “Every year we try to make a smooth transition and be able to do a really good job of teaching guys how we play, how we do things around here.

“It won’t be hard for [Easley and Moore] to catch on. They’ve been doing a really good job; haven’t had any problems out of anybody. Everybody is excited. If you stay excited, good things will happen.”

Expectations for the Patriots’ defense are high this year.

Wilfork gave a very simple answer for how to manage those expectations.

“Do your job each day. Do your job; you come to work every day to prepare, to get better each day, you’ll be fine,” he said. “Never get too high, never get too low, just manage expectations and put one foot in front of the other each day.

“Your goal is to get better. Help the team, help one another get better. That’s what we’ve been doing and we’re going to continue to do that. As long as we do that, we’ll be OK.”


(bostonglobe.com)

Vince Wilfork checks in at No. 8.

Analysis: It’s tough to know what to expect from Vince Wilfork in 2014.

Though it is likely he was nursing some type of ailment early on last season, it’s impossible to ignore that the 32-year-old defensive tackle wasn’t playing at his typical level before going down with an Achilles injury in late September.

Now, moving forward, it is impossible to ignore Wilfork’s age and injury. Will he return to being one of the league’s most imposing defensive tackles now that he’s all patched up? Or will he be slow to return to form? Those are questions that cannot yet be answered.

For his part, Wilfork looked good during spring practices and was further along than expected. But, to be fair, it’s one thing to look good when contact is limited. It’s something completely different when someone like Logan Mankins is pushing back with full force.

Still, even with those questions, Wilfork remains one of the most important players on the roster moving forward. There is some depth at defensive tackle, with Tommy Kelly, Dominique Easley, Sealver Siliga and Chris Jones filling out the depth chart. But both Kelly and Easley are coming back from ACL injuries, and Siliga and Jones are better served as rotation players.

For the New England defense to perform as hoped, it will need Wilfork manning the middle of the defensive line.


(masslive.com)

The Patriots defense went through a big overhaul during the offseason, but a big story for the team is the return of lineman Vince Wilfork.

Albert Breer joined Sports Tonight to discuss the difference Wilfork will make on the Patriots' run defense.   

"I'd argue that outside of the quarterback, he might be as pivotal as they have," said Breer. "Because of the lack of depth they have at that position for the first time in a long time."

Does Breer believe Wilfork will return to form in the upcoming season?

"That injury, plus his size, how big he is, you have to think it's not going to be the Vince Wilfork of 2009, 2010 and 2011. But remember, he has those incentives in his contract. He's playing for money."


(csne.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Vince Wilfork tore his Achilles tendon. Then he clashed with the New England Patriots about his contract.

His future with the team — and in football — was uncertain.

But there he was on a sunny field Thursday, smiling, joking and excited about the upcoming season.

"I think this year is going to be one of the most exciting times of my career," the defensive tackle said. "This year is going to be a little special just because of what I've been through and how far I came along."

And that contract dispute?

He has put that in the past, too, after restructuring his deal into a three-year, $22.5 million agreement in March, allowing the Patriots to lower his salary cap hit.

"That's a dead issue," Wilfork said Thursday after the final practice of a three-day minicamp. "I'm not upset. I'm not holding (any) type of grudge. Business is business."

In his first nine seasons after the Patriots drafted him in the first round out of Miami, Wilfork missed only six games. He became a team leader and a defensive mainstay who earned five Pro Bowl selections.

Then he ruptured his right Achilles tendon on the first defensive series of the fourth game, a 30-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons last year. It's a difficult injury to recover from, particularly for a player like Wilfork who plays at about 330 pounds.

"Everything you do in life, there's always something that says you can't do it or you shouldn't be able to do it," Wilfork said. "So, for me, I know my body. I know what it takes to be at the top of my level, top of my game. I know how hard it's going to be, but I've never shied away from competition or a challenge and this is a big challenge for me."

After all, he'll be two months shy of his 33rd birthday when the season starts.

"It's going to take time, but I'm very positive with where I'm at," Wilfork said. "Everything went well and healed up fine, so it's just knocking the rust off."

He said he has no physical limitations and never felt he couldn't get back to where he needed to be.

"That was never in my mind," Wilfork said. "From the time they told me I (tore the tendon), from the time that I had the surgery, I knew that I was going to be back, ready to rock and roll.

"I know how tough the injury is, but I tell myself over and over again, I'm not the average person. I just do things a little differently than most people that have this injury, and I'm going to stick with my guns until I prove myself wrong."

One week after Wilfork was hurt, Tommy Kelly, the other starting defensive tackle, suffered a season-ending knee injury. He thought he could make it back but went on injured reserve about a month after being hurt.

"When you both go down in back-to-back weeks, it was a blow," said Kelly, who spent his previous nine seasons with the Oakland Raiders. Wilfork "was a really good person to lean on, coming into a new scheme and system. When I got confused about stuff, I would just ask him. He just made it really easy for me."

Kelly also has been practicing but won't say whether he's fully recovered.

"All I know is I feel good," he said. "I have no problems."

Wilfork has yet to be tested in pads. That will come when training camp starts in late July.

"Before I get to training camp," he said. "I should be at the point where I'm very, very happy."

Wilfork has been a key member of the defense, making tackles or occupying several offensive linemen and allowing unblocked teammates to stop ball carriers. He doesn't plan to play any differently than he did before he was hurt.

"For what? If I approach it differently, I may as well walk away from it. I only know how to play this game one way, that's hard and fast and tough," he said. "That's it. That's how I expect to play. If I can't do that, it's time for me to retire. And I don't think it's time for me to retire right now.

"If I work hard," he said, "if that's not good enough, it's time for me to call it quits. Until that day happens, you're going to keep seeing my pretty face."


(fosters.com)

FOXBORO — All is forgiven, if not forgotten, when it comes to Vince Wilfork and the Patriots.

The perennial Pro Bowl nose tackle spoke Thursday after the conclusion of minicamp for the first time since re-working his contract to return to New England.
Wilfork tore his right Achilles last September in Atlanta and was lost for the rest of the season.

Wilfork returned to Gillette Stadium to be around the team during his rehab but that loyalty didn’t immediately earn him the benefit of the doubt with the organization.

According to multiple reports, he felt slighted by the team and asked to be traded, going as far as removing his nameplate from his locker inside the Patriots locker room.

But after agreeing to a complicated, incentive-laden $23 million, three-year extension ($4 million signing bonus) in late March, Wilfork began the process of moving on. A big step in that process came this week when he stepped on the field for minicamp practices on Tuesday. On Thursday, he spoke for the first time about his return, making it clear that business is business and he’s all about football going forward.

“I’€™m here. That’€™s a dead issue,” Wilfork said. “I’€™m here for a reason. If I didn’€™t believe in the things that were brought to me, I wouldn’€™t have signed it. I’€™m here. There’€™s a reason that I’€™m here. I’€™m not upset. I’€™m not holding no type of grudge. Business is business. Everybody handles business different ways.

“But in my career, I think the right thing was for me to be up here with my family and my teammates and a staff that I’€™ve been around for so long, the organization that I know. It was just a smart decision for me and my family to be here. But if we think that it wouldn’€™t work, I wouldn’€™t be here. It’€™s a positive thing that I’€™m here. There’€™s no grudges. That’€™s something that happened a while ago. It’€™s the first time I’€™ve actually talked about it, but it’€™s a non-issue.”
As for his rehabbed right Achilles, Wilfork believes the mental hurdle will be much more of an issue than the physical one.

“At this level, everything I do is going be [about] with confidence,” Wilfork said. “I don’t think there’s anything that limits me, physically. A lot has to do with mentally go out and do it. The more I do it, the more confident I gain. With OTAs and the minicamps, the time that I spent with the guys, the time in drills, the time I spent with training staff, everything we do is for a reason. I can’t be any happier with where I’m at right now. For me, it’s continuing to build and knowing I’ll be ready to rock and roll hopefully come training camp. That’s my goal. My goal has always been there. Where I’m at now, I’m at a good spot.”

Wilfork did not test the Achilles in a soccer celebration at the end of the final minicamp practice Thursday. Bill Belichick brought the team together for a different kind of futbal, presumably in honor of the ongoing World Cup in Brazil.

“Bill always has a fun side to him,” Wilfork said. “Today was one of those days. Once we finished practicing and everything, he brought out soccer balls. I didn’t get in there. I don’t know how to kick a soccer ball. There are so many things you can do to bring a team together and I think Bill does a great job of that, finding whatever it may be he can do to bring a team together. Today was one of those things, the last day of minicamp, finished practice and he kind of surprised us with it so everybody was pretty pumped up and happy about it. It was fun. This game is meant to be fun and we definitely had fun today.”

Wilfork reiterated that he wanted no part of participating.

“No, heck no,” he said. “That ball moves way too fast for me. I’ll stick to football, the real football, American football. I’ll stick to that.”


(weei.com)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. >> Vince Wilfork tore his Achilles tendon. Then he clashed with the New England Patriots about his contract.

His future with the team — and in football — was uncertain.

But there he was on a sunny field Thursday, smiling, joking and excited about the upcoming season.

“I think this year is going to be one of the most exciting times of my career,” the defensive tackle said. “This year is going to be a little special just because of what I’ve been through and how far I came along.”

And that contract dispute?

He has put that in the past, too, after restructuring his deal into a three-year, $22.5 million agreement in March, allowing the Patriots to lower his salary cap hit.

“That’s a dead issue,” Wilfork said Thursday after the final practice of a three-day minicamp. “I’m not upset. I’m not holding (any) type of grudge. Business is business.”

In his first nine seasons after the Patriots drafted him in the first round out of Miami, Wilfork missed only six games. He became a team leader and a defensive mainstay who earned five Pro Bowl selections.

Then he ruptured his right Achilles tendon on the first defensive series of the fourth game, a 30-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons last year. It’s a difficult injury to recover from, particularly for a player like Wilfork who plays at about 330 pounds.

“Everything you do in life, there’s always something that says you can’t do it or you shouldn’t be able to do it,” Wilfork said. “So, for me, I know my body. I know what it takes to be at the top of my level, top of my game. I know how hard it’s going to be, but I’ve never shied away from competition or a challenge and this is a big challenge for me.”

After all, he’ll be two months shy of his 33rd birthday when the season starts.

“It’s going to take time, but I’m very positive with where I’m at,” Wilfork said. “Everything went well and healed up fine, so it’s just knocking the rust off.”

He said he has no physical limitations and never felt he couldn’t get back to where he needed to be.

“That was never in my mind,” Wilfork said. “From the time they told me I (tore the tendon), from the time that I had the surgery, I knew that I was going to be back, ready to rock and roll.

“I know how tough the injury is, but I tell myself over and over again, I’m not the average person. I just do things a little differently than most people that have this injury, and I’m going to stick with my guns until I prove myself wrong.”

One week after Wilfork was hurt, Tommy Kelly, the other starting defensive tackle, suffered a season-ending knee injury. He thought he could make it back but went on injured reserve about a month after being hurt.

“When you both go down in back-to-back weeks, it was a blow,” said Kelly, who spent his previous nine seasons with the Oakland Raiders. Wilfork “was a really good person to lean on, coming into a new scheme and system. When I got confused about stuff, I would just ask him. He just made it really easy for me.”

Kelly also has been practicing but won’t say whether he’s fully recovered.

“All I know is I feel good,” he said. “I have no problems.”

Wilfork has yet to be tested in pads. That will come when training camp starts in late July.

“Before I get to training camp,” he said. “I should be at the point where I’m very, very happy.”

Wilfork has been a key member of the defense, making tackles or occupying several offensive linemen and allowing unblocked teammates to stop ball carriers. He doesn’t plan to play any differently than he did before he was hurt.

“For what? If I approach it differently, I may as well walk away from it. I only know how to play this game one way, that’s hard and fast and tough,” he said. “That’s it. That’s how I expect to play. If I can’t do that, it’s time for me to retire. And I don’t think it’s time for me to retire right now.

“If I work hard,” he said, “if that’s not good enough, it’s time for me to call it quits. Until that day happens, you’re going to keep seeing my pretty face.”


(middletownpress.com)

BOSTON (CBS) — Vince Wilfork was back on the practice field for the Patriots last week, and on Tuesday, another one of their big bodies on the defensive line returned.

Both veteran defensive tackle Tommy Kelly and Wilfork participated in 11-on-11 drills Tuesday at Gillette, as the Patriots kicked off their mandatory three-day mini-camp. While there were no pads or contact Kelly said just lining up to his teammates was a big step forward in his return from a torn ACL, and he’s confident he’ll be healthy for the upcoming season.

“I’m very happy, but you can’t get too high about it or can’t get too low about it,” Kelly told reporters. “Just keep working and whatever happens, happens. But I’m going to be OK.”

Kelly joked that he’s been at Gillette Stadium since he underwent surgery in December, and he could probably be considered a resident of Foxborough.

Kelly was signed last off-season to bring more depth, and size, to the New England defensive line. The 6-6, 330-pounder recorded 22 tackles and 2.5 sacks in the five games he played in before tearing his ACL in Week 5.

Now, Kelly says he has some unfinished business to tend to this season. But he knows he’ll also have to prove himself on the field to earn his spot.
“You have to go through the process of proving to Bill [Belichick] that your knee is healthy enough, prove to your coaches that your knee is strong enough and getting your teammates to trust you,” he said.

While Kelly and Wilfork were on the field, receiver Aaron Dobson, corner Alfonzo Dennard, first-round draft pick Dominique Easley and offensive lineman Jesse Armstead were all absent for the Patriots. Tight end Rob Gronkowski, receiver/special teamer Matthew Slater and receiver Jimmy Gallon were all limited with injury on Tuesday, along with quarterback Ryan Mallett. With Mallett out, rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was able to take the majority of the snaps at QB.


(boston.cbslocal.com)

It’s difficult to take much away from organized team activities, especially when trying to evaluate the play in the trenches, since it is a glorified passing camp. But the fact that Wilfork, who is working his way back from an Achilles injury, is this far along should be taken as a positive sign.

We saw the defensive tackle increasingly take on a bigger role in each of the three OTAs that were open to the media, and by the end he was taking part in 11-on-11 drills and was able to plant his leg and take on would-be blockers. It’s too soon to tell if he will be fully healthy in time for training camp, but things appear to be headed in the right direction.


(masslive.com)

DT Vince Wilfork and DE Will Smith went into the practice bubble about an hour into practice. Prior to that, Wilfork appeared to be moving well and took part in a blocking drill. All good signs for the health of his Achilles.




(boston.com)

Vince Wilfork participated in about half the practice before departing to rehab in the bubble. Kelly and Smith practiced for about one or two drills less than Wilfork. It marks progress for all, as they were limited to stretching and jogging last Friday. Bolden departed around the same time, and the remainder of the limited participants left practice after stretching and jogging.


(boston.com)

Vince Wilfork's recovery. A ruptured Achilles is a tough injury to come back from, which is why Wilfork's presence on the practice field stood out in a video posted by the Patriots' official website on Thursday. Watching Wilfork run indicates that he continues to make solid progress from the serious injury sustained Sept. 29. In addition to Wilfork, Friday is also a chance to check on the progress of some other injured Patriots players, such as linebacker Jerod Mayo (torn pectoral muscle, Oct. 13) and starting right tackle Sebastian Vollmer (broken ankle, Oct. 27).


(espn.com)

Eight months after tearing his Achilles tendon on that fateful Sunday night in Atlanta, New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork laced up his cleats and returned for organized team activities (OTA's).

The 32-year-old, 325-pounder was a limited participant during practice, which may mean doing as little as stretching and walking through drills. However, given the questions surrounding the big fella's ability to recover from such a devastating injury, at his age and weight, having him out on the field is a positive sign.

Around the same time that New England signed cornerback Darrelle Revis, Wilfork's return to Foxborough was in serious doubt and it looked as if that week four win in Atlanta, where he was carted off the field in the first half, may have been his last game as a Patriot.

Fortunately, the two sides came to an agreement on a $23 million extension that has the potential to keep Wilfork in New England for three more seasons. The extension is heavily based on per-game bonuses and how many snaps he plays but that won't keep big Vince from celebrating.


(clsnradio.com)

Vince Wilfork held his 11th annual draft night fundraiser last night at Pinz Entertainment in Milford. As always, the event was well attended, and the Patriots defensive lineman raised a ton of money for the Vince Wilfork Foundation, the Joclin Diabetes Center and the Diabetes Research Institute.
Here are a few leftover odds & ends from the event:

*** While Wilfork and wife Bianca addressed the crowd, thanking everyone for their continued support, Big Vince declined all media requests. So we can't tell you how he's progressing from his Achilles surgery, or if he'll be participating in any of the upcoming organized team activities or mini-camp. We also can't convey his thoughts since signing an extension with the Pats, and what went down leading up to that extension.

*** Aaron Dobson, who had surgery on his left foot two months ago (March 10) to repair a stress fracture, is still in a walking boot. At least, he had one on at the Wilfork's draft night event. He also opted not to speak with the media when asked. It's hard imagining him taking part in the organized team activities if he's still in a boot.

*** Wilfork always draws a crowd. By my count - and there might have been more - there were 21 current Patriot players in attendance counting Vince, a list that included Tom Brady, Darrelle Revis, Jerod Mayo, Chandler Jones, Julian Edelman, Rob Ninkovich and Dont'a Hightower. Wilfork even drew an outsider, as Bears receiver Brandon Marshall also attended, hanging out with the Patriots. Marshall is in town taking a class at Harvard.


(bostonherald.com)

When considering the possibilities for the Patriots in the upcoming draft, the topic of Vince Wilfork's health came up with the panel at ESPNBoston.com's recent draft event.

The main question was whether or not Wilfork, who is coming off a torn Achilles, will be able to be an every-down player. Tedy Bruschi said that given the current Patriots roster, Wilfork will be needed to play every down, but that may not be a problem.

Bruschi said the offseason is hugely important for Wilfork. "He's so much of an athlete that he can come back in the best shape of his life and almost resurrect his career so he has another mini-career with the Patriots."

Mike Reiss brought up the notion held by some that a big nose tackle is less important these days with teams playing so much in sub packages, but disputed that idea, citing the Patriots' loss to the Broncos this season when Denver running backs gashed the New England line.


(espn.com)

Vince Wilfork is not leaving the Patriots after all.

That's a good thing - but just how good is it? Is Wilfork's value still as high in a league that has turned to the pass much more than the rush?

Tom E. Curran, Mike Giardi, and Phil Perry discuss what Wilfork means to the Patriots this season and going forward.

"I say it still has a lot of value," Giardi said. "All these people that talk about, 'Well the Patriots got to the AFC Championship game with Chris Jones and the hodgepodge [offensive line].' Look, bottom line is you need talent and Vince Wilfork is a talented football player. How much does he have left? We're going to find out. But if the Vince Wilfork before the injury comes back and plays at the level you're accustomed to playing, that's a guy that can be a difference-maker for you. I don't care how fat he is. If he's 350 [pounds], if he can penetrate, if he can take up two blockers, that's what you need in this league."

Curran agrees that Wilfork still has value to the Patriots, and all you have to do is see how some teams still managed to run all over the Patriots even if in general the pass is now a favorite across the league.

"I think if you look at Vince and that position in the NFL," Curran said, "it's critical and we saw it last year because when Tommy Kelly and Vince weren't in there the Denver Broncos came in and ran for 280 or whatever it was Knowshon Moreno had 229 on the ground. The Patriots needed an overtime mistake by Wes Welker to win that game . . . so it's critical, you need it, you can't stop-gap it with hardworker, try-hard guys, you have to get the 'planet people' that Bill Parcells talked about."


(csnne.com)

This year's prolonged stretch between the end of the 2013 season and the 2014 NFL Draft has left media outlets with a little more room to get creative with ideas in trying to fill the time until actual football happens again.

One of the main strategies in this endeavor is to put out a series of NFL All-Something teams. In an original wrinkle, CBS Sports took this a step further by having two of their football writers come up with an All-Under-25 team and an All-Over-30 team and then comparing them side-by-side with the goal of seeing who could come up with the better roster.

For the matchup, CBS Sports enlisted columnist Pete Prisco to come up with an Under-25 team to go up against columnist Pat Kirwan's Over-30 team.
As expected, both writers think their team is superior. Regardless, proCanes were represented on the Over-30 team with six. Zero proCanes made the under-25 team which speaks to the State of The Hurricanes teams the last few years.

Here's where they landed:
Over-30 Team, Pat Kirwan

Running back: The claim is never let a 30 year old in your backfield. Well, think again. My top choices are Frank Gore, DeAngelo Williams, Fred Jackson and Darren Sproles. I'll start Frank Gore but have Sproles ready for third down.

Wide receiver: I found 10 receivers I would like on the ol' boys team; Larry Fitzgerald, Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Vincent Jackson, Anquan Boldin, Roddy White, Wes Welker and Steve Smith. I can't have them all but I'll take Larry Fitzgerald and Brandon Marshall with Welker in the slot.
Starters: Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (30) and Brandon Marshall, Bears (30)
Reserves: Wes Welker (32), Andre Johnson (32), Vincent Jackson (31)

Defensive tackles: Good luck running the ball against Haloti Ngata and Vince Wilfork with 700 lbs. of beef inside. When they need a rest or its time to rush the passer I have to decide between Kyle Williams, Justin Tuck and Darnell Dockett. Those three had 26 sacks between them last year.
Starters: Haloti Ngata, Ravens (30) and Vince Wilfork, Patriots (32)

Safeties: Guys who play safety for 10 years may lose a step but they can read a quarterbackand get him to do things a young safety hasn't even though of yet. My starters for the clash of the young and old will be Troy Polamalu and Antrel Rolle. If I want to go "big nickel" and bring an extra safety, Dashon Goldson and LaRon Landry are available.
Starters: Antrel Rolle, Giants (31) and Troy Polamalu, Steelers (32)

Special teams: Stephen Gostkowski just turned 30 and he was five for six on 50+ attempts but I could always call up Vinateri or any number of the kickers. Jon Ryan, punter for the Seahawks, only allowed 21 returns for a total of 82 yards the whole season and 28 punts inside the 20. Devin Hester can handle the returns with his 13 for touchdowns over his career.
Starters: Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots (30), Jon Ryan, Seahawks (32), Devin Hester, Falcons (31)

FOXBORO — Rob Ninkovich talked about the additions of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner on Tuesday morning, but also addressed a handful of other topics, including the return of Vince Wilfork, the loss of coach Pepper Johnson and some of the other offseason moves made to this point by the Patriots:

On the return of Vince Wilfork: I’€™m happy I’€™ll be able to look inside and see him next to me. I’€™m happy that he’€™s still my teammate, and we’€™ll be able to go out there and win some football games.


(weei.com)

FOXBORO — Devin McCourty earned his captaincy last week, as he could be credited with an assist in keeping stalwart Vince Wilfork in a Patriots uniform.

The safety was in Florida with Wilfork when the nose tackle signed a new contract that could keep him with the Pats for three more seasons, a deal that served as a peaceful resolution to a contentious round of negotiations. The pact kept the face of the defense in town during a monumental offseason.

“I can’t tell the details of my negotiating skills,” McCourty said yesterday of his closing ability. “I’m the guy that brings in the Rutgers guys and keeps the vets.”

McCourty, a three-time captain, made sure to drive home the point that keeping Wilfork was every bit as important as any other move the Patriots have made in the last month.

“It was key,” McCourty, who assisted at “The Great American Milk Drive” at The Greater Boston Food Bank, said. “I joked with (Wilfork). I told him I went down to Florida to make sure he came back, so he kind of owes me a little percent of his contract. He’s the heart and soul of not just the defense but the team. Everyone in that locker room listens to Vince when he speaks. He’s not a guy that is just talking all the time or talking to talk. When he speaks, everyone listens.

“With him and (quarterback) Tom (Brady) in there, I think our leadership is in great hands. Keeping him and not letting him leave just goes to show the organization did a tremendous job of working it out and bringing him back. I think everyone else kind of jumped to conclusions and just said he was gone or would leave, but he was still under contract and it was great to see that both sides will be happy going forward.”

There’s an obvious level of excitement as everyone at Gillette Stadium focuses on the 2014 season, and a healthy Wilfork, fellow defensive tackle Tommy Kelly and linebacker Jerod Mayo add to the cause.

But the real hype has stemmed from the free agent acquisitions of cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.

McCourty knows it’s all part of the formula.

“It will be good to get back and get to work,” McCourty said. “I think everyone is excited. You see all of these names on paper, and it looks like it could be a great year. I think the key for us will be just coming in and putting in work. We’ll have a lot of guys here who will be focused on winning as many games as possible. I can’t wait for that. You’ve got all these competitive guys that have had great careers so far, and you put them together, I think we’ll have a good mix.

“I think it was key we were able to keep some good veteran players that have been here since I’ve been here that have shown me the way. With Tom, Vince, Mayo, (left guard) Logan (Mankins) and (special teams captain Matthew) Slater, guys like that, they’re the cornerstones of this team and will get guys going and showing them the way. It should be an exciting year.”


(bostonherald.com)

One of the initial questions that was asked when details of Vince Wilfork's renegotiated contract surfaced was, "What are the salary-cap charges?"

Here is the breakdown:

2014: $6.8 million (if Wilfork maxes out incentives, can rise to $10.7 million)
2015: $8.4 million (can rise to $8.9 million with incentives)
2016: $6.4 million (can rise to $6.9 million with incentives)

Wilfork was scheduled to count $11.6 million against the 2014 salary cap, so the renegotiation saved the team $4.8 million at the present moment. The $6.8 million cap charge for 2014 accounts for previous accelerations of bonuses.

Of course, that leads to the next question: How much salary-cap space do the Patriots currently have?

Salary-cap space is fluid, so we'll stick with a general range of $6-9 million at this time, which gives the team some moderate breathing room when considering some future cap charges (e.g. draft picks etc.).


(espn.com)

Below is a breakdown of the contract Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork agreed to on Thursday with the team:

2014
Signing bonus: $1.3 million
Base salary: $1.3 million (guaranteed)
Weight clause incentive: $300,000
Offseason workout bonus: $200,000
Per-game roster bonus 1: $500,000 for the first game on the 53-man roster
Per-game roster bonus 2: $87,500 for each game on the 46-man game day roster (up to $1.4 million)
Playing-time incentives:
If he plays 50 percent of the defensive snaps: $500,000
If he plays 60 percent of the defensive snaps: $1.25 million
If he plays 70 percent of the defensive snaps: $2 million
If he plays 70 percent of the defensive snaps and the team makes the divisional round of the playoffs, he makes $2.5 million
Defensive incentive: If Wilfork plays 70 percent of the defensive snaps and the team is top 10 in points allowed, he earns $500,000
Base total: $5 million
Incentives total: $3 million
Maximum value: $8 million ($2.6 guaranteed)

In restructuring Wilfork's deal, the Patriots earned an estimated immediate cap savings of $4.9 million. However, if Wilfork reaches all of his incentives for the 2014 season, their overall cap savings from the previous contract structure would be $900,000.

The contract includes an option for the final two years, which the Patriots must exercise or decline by the end of the 2014 league year.

2015
Roster bonus: $4 million (due on the first day of the league year)
Base salary: $3 million
Weight clause incentive: $300,000
Offseason workout bonus: $200,000
Per-game roster bonus: $31,250 for each game on the 46-man roster (up to $500,000)
Playtime/defensive incentive: If Wilfork plays 70 percent of the defensive snaps and the team makes the divisional round of the playoffs, he earns $500,000
Maximum value: $8.5 million

2016
Base salary: $5 million
Weight clause incentive: $300,000
Offseason workout bonus: $200,000
Per-game roster bonus: $31,250 for each game on the 46-man roster (up to $500,000)
Playtime/defensive incentive: If Wilfork plays 70 percent of the defensive snaps and the team makes the divisional round of the playoffs, he earns $500,000
Maximum value: $6.5 million

Overall value: 3 years, $23 million ($2.6 million of which is guaranteed)

Quick-hit: As expected, this deal provides incentive for both sides. Wilfork has a higher ceiling than his previous deal, which had just one more year remaining. The team has the opportunity to decline the option and has created short-term salary-cap relief and less guaranteed money for 2014. If Wilfork plays at a high level, the team would likely exercise the option. If he returns to form coming off of an Achilles tear, $23 million over three years is a worthwhile investment for a player of his caliber at that position.


(espn.com)

Vince Wilfork and the Patriots seemingly have patched up any festering issues between them. Wilfork, who reportedly requested his release earlier this month when New England approached him about restructuring his contract, has now done just that. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Wilfork, who had one year and $7.5 million left on his existing deal, has agreed to a three-year, $22.5 million extension.

The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted on March 13 that Wilfork had requested his release. Less than two weeks later, the Boston Herald reported that an angry Wilfork had cleaned out his locker at Gillette Stadium as the standoff between he and the Patriots continued.

“I very much hope we get it done, and I believe he very much would like to do it as well,” team owner Robert Kraft told the Herald’s Jeff Howe. “We’ve been so lucky to have him. So we’ll see what happens.”

FARRAR: Bill Belichick asks a legitimate question: Why can’t we challenge everything?

Wilfork has been a mainstay on the Patriots’ defensive line since the team drafted him in 2004. However, the 32-year-old, 325-pound Wilfork missed all but four games last season after tearing his Achilles. He shot down the possibility that the injury would end his career, but the inability to reach an agreement with the Patriots left his NFL future very much up in the air.

At least for the near future, he’s not going anywhere.

“It’s been hard to remain quiet and let things take its course but it has been the best thing to do,” Wilfork tweeted Thursday. “Negotiations are never easy especially when you have a 10 year history with the team and more importantly relationships. For those who have supported me I thank you; for those who have called me every name in the book I thank you too. My intentions have never changed. [Ten] years ago my goal was to retire a Patriot and as I sit here typing this I am closer to achieving my goal. I look forward to getting back to football and helping my team compete and have a chance at winning a Super Bowl.”

Without Wilfork in the lineup last season, the Patriots were forced to mix and match up front using fill-in options like Chris Jones and undrafted free agent Joe Vellano. Returning Wilfork to his spot at nose tackle will free up the Patriots to address their other issues in the draft, including possibly finding a new starter to plant next to Wilfork at DT.


(cnnsi.com)

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A lot can change in a span of two weeks, and that is the big takeaway when it comes to the Patriots and defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.

It doesn't mean they'll ultimately strike a contract agreement that works for both sides, but it does clear up some confusion over the last two days at the NFL's annual meeting at the Ritz-Carlton.

First, owner Robert Kraft shared his thoughts Monday that he hopes Wilfork remains a Patriot and that he believes Wilfork feels the same way. That cautious optimism indicated that perhaps there was forward momentum between the sides.

But almost immediately after Kraft said those words, a report surfaced that Wilfork was so angry, he had "ripped" his nameplate off and cleaned out his locker. In some media circles, that blunted what Kraft said and created a picture of acrimony between the sides.

Except ...

"That happened a long time ago," a source said.

That timing is key when it comes to Wilfork and the context surrounding his present situation.

Surely, he was angry two weeks ago when he requested his release and did indeed clean out his locker, as first reported by the Boston Herald. Doing so represented a symbolic showing of his discontent.

But that doesn't account for what could have happened over the last two weeks or so. Things have changed, the sides are talking.

That probably explains why Bill Belichick seemed to go out of his way Tuesday morning to dismiss the idea of a contentious situation with Wilfork. It might have been at one point, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's that way now.

There have been some steps forward, but more are needed to push it over the goal-line. As we learned last year with Wes Welker, just because things might be looking up doesn't mean an agreement is forthcoming. It can fizzle out quickly.

But one thing is clear: The Patriots and Wilfork are in a better place than they were two weeks ago.


(espn.com)

ORLANDO — Following the initial discussion between the Patriots and Vince Wilfork over altering his contract, the nose tackle not only asked for his release, but also made a stop in the locker room to grab his belongings before walking out of Gillette Stadium.

According to two sources, an angry Wilfork ripped his name plate off his locker stall, and cleaned out his locker. That's how Big Vince felt about the proceedings. Naturally, time and distance can change perspective, but Wilfork seemed convinced he was done in New England.

Asked today about Wilfork's desire to be set loose, Patriots owner Robert Kraft struck a measured tone, hoping that things might eventually work out with the five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman.

"Going back over the last 20 years, if I was to think, we've had some pretty special people come through. And he's one of my personal favorites. I'm thinking of Tedy Bruschi, and Matt Light, and Kevin Faulk and Troy Brown. They made their careers with us, and I sure hope Vince will be with us next year," Kraft told reporters. "In modern day athletes, in pro sports, it's a business as well as commitment to one another. We have to work through it. I'm still not giving up hope that he'll be a part of our team next year."

Kraft didn't go into any details about any personal discussions he might have had with Wilfork.

“We’ve been very close and I’ll let Vince speak to whatever he feels is appropriate. We’re probably results-oriented and life is about execution so either we get it done or we don’t,'' Kraft said. "I very much hope we get it done, and I believe he very much would like to do it as well. We’ve been so lucky to have him. So we’ll see what happens.”

Kraft and Wilfork have a tight bond, but in negotiations, the Patriots boss said you have to separate personal feelings from business.

“Unfortunately you do. You know, for him, he’s making some individual decisions. For us, we have to put a team together of over 50 people," Kraft said. "We have a salary cap. In the end, it’s about both parties feeling it’s a good transaction and it’s a win-win. I think that’s what we’re both shooting for.”


(bostonherald.com)

BOSTON (CBS) – When nose tackle Vince Wilfork asked for his release late last week it signaled an unfortunate end to what’s been a legendary Patriots career.

But now that several days have gone by and he’s still a member of the team it’s clear what’s going on here: negotiating.

Ben Volin of the Boston Globe came on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich show Tuesday morning to discuss the latest in the Patriots-Wilfork staring match.

“At first it was pretty jarring to see and everybody came to the foregone conclusion that he played his last game as a New England Patriot, but I just think [asking to be released] is a negotiating tactic on his side. I think the Patriots would still rather have Vince on the team than cut him, they just can’t have him on the team at an $11.6 million cap number.

“This is Wilfork trying to play his hand a little bit, force the issue and maybe make the Patriots increase their offer. I ultimately think that the two sides are gonna come to an agreement. Cooler heads will prevail and they’ll find a way to bring Vince back even though he asked for a release. I still think he wants to come back, but this is just part of negotiating.”

The discussion then shifted to the free agents the Patriots have signed and brought in for visits. Among the visitors is the troubled, but very talented, receiver in Kenny Britt. Britt has had nine run-ins with law enforcement since being drafted in 2009 and comes with a great deal of red flags.

Volin says he was “surprised” to hear Britt was coming in for a visit, but added, “It’s the NFL and it’s all about winning and winning now. If he can sign a favorable contract and help you win a Super Bowl then it’s worth it. He could be a good low cost option, plus he’s a Rutgers guy.”

With Julian Edelman back and the signing of Brandon LaFell, if the Patriots were to sign Britt there would be a big logjam at the receiver position. If that’s the case, Volin predicts Kenbrell Thompkins and Josh Boyce will be sent packing.

“Tom Brady is 36-years-old and his window is closing so you have to get after it. Thompkins and Boyce might be nice prospects but there’s no time to wait around. They need finished products. There’s no time to wait on the kids anymore.”

Colts owner Jim Irsay was arrested for four felonies this week including driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance. Volin called on commissioner Roger Goodell to make an example out of Irsay for his actions under the league’s personal conduct policy.

“Goodell has to come down on Irsay pretty hard because Roger Goodell has established his reputation as the crime-and-punishment commissioner, so he’s got to suspend Jim Irsay indefinitely and keep him away for awhile. You feel bad for the guy because he needs help, but he has to stay away from the facility. You have to fine him and the team a significant amount – at least six figures. Then the question is do you hurt the team too and dock them a draft pick?

Multiple draft picks? I think they probably should, maybe a third round pick and a big fine for the organization as well. If Roger Goodell doesn’t come down big on Jim Irsay there’s going to be hell to pay from the players, media and public perception.”


(cbslocal.com)

New England Patriots star Vince Wilfork has asked for a release from the team after they asked him to re-do his contract and if he gets released, the Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys all could be options for him, while BJ Raji is on the market and he could be in the mix with Jared Allen to the Houston Texans or NY Giants.

ESPN.com reported the news about Wilfork and this comes after 10 years with the team and multiple Pro Bowls and stems from them asking him to take a pay cut and to re-work his contract. The Patriots just signed Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner and now Wilfork could be on his way out after he was injured last season and played in four games while making nine tackles and now he could be moving on after being a first round pick a decade ago and he is now 32 years old and one of the best defensive tackles in the game.

Wilfork has championship experience and is one of the top players at his position and teams in need of someone up front who can stop the run will be the main targets for the star. The Washington Redskins had trouble last season topping the run and they could be in the mix, while ESPN.com identified the Texans as a possible option as well. Wilfork costs $7.5 million on his salary and $11.6 million against the cap next season and that is the main issue and he could feel a bit offended after the Pats paid $12 million for Revis next season.

Wilfork has been healthy his entire career apart from the injury last season and that would make him a prime option on the market if he is eventually released. ESPN.com writes that the Texans could be a fit after Wilfork had his Achilles injury last season, as Romeo Crennel is now running the defense and he used to be with the Pats when Wilfork was there. Raji and Wilfork could be targets for the Texans defense, which took a step back last season as the team went 2-14 and now they have the number one pick.

The Redskins have made a number of moves this offseason and they already signed Jason Hatcher as well as Tracy Porter and now they could go after Wilfork if he is released, along with Raji and Jared Allen as well. The team is keeping linebacker Brian Orakpo and now they have the chance to shore up their defense up front. The Redskins signed Hatcher to a four-year, $27.5 million contract and while his age and cap hit could be an issue going forward, the team was impressed by his season last year when he had 11 sacks and now he could add to the pass rush for the Skins.

The Redskins allowed over 110 yards per game on the ground last season and adding either Wilfork or Raji would upgrade the front line of the defense right away. Wilfork may not cost as much as he normally would since he is coming off of an injury and that could be a big boost for Washington ort another team that signed him. 


(sportsworldreport.com)

The New England Patriots still could keep All-Pro nose tackle Vince Wilfork on a discounted rate.

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that Wilfork has asked the Patriots to be released after rejecting a restructured contract. Wilfork’s agent’s next step is to find out Wilfork’s value on the open market, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Friday.

Wilfork’s camp would then weigh Wilfork’s value in free agency against the Patriots’ restructured contract offer and make a decision on the 10-year veteran’s future. The Patriots would save $8 million in salary-cap space by releasing Wilfork.

They likely could save slightly less than $8 million by restructuring or extending Wilfork’s contract. Wilfork was drafted by the Patriots with the No. 21 overall pick in 2004. The 32-year-old has been named to five Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams.


(nesn.com)

The New England Patriots likely are set to release a team icon. All-Pro defensive tackle Vince Wilfork has asked the Patriots to release him, sources told NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

Wilfork spent 10 seasons with the team. Releasing Wilfork would save the Patriots $8 million in salary cap space. Wilfork was set to count $11.6 million against the cap in 2014. The Patriots approached Wilfork about a restructured contract once, Rapoport reports.

Wilfork and the Patriots have not been in contact recently. Wilfork was drafted No. 21 overall in 2004. He was named to five Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams as a Patriot. Wilfork spent the last 13 weeks of the 2013 NFL season on injured reserve after tearing his Achilles in Week 4 against the Atlanta Falcons. Wilfork, 32, was entering the last season of the five-year, $40 million contract he signed in 2010. He will become a free agent if officially released.


(nesn.com)

All’s quiet on the Vince Wilfork front, as well. While there have been reports about the defensive tackle being approached by the team about his $11.6 million cap hit, and about doing something with the final year of his deal, everything, at least for the moment, remains status quo.

Should the need arise, the Patriots still have other avenues to pursue to shave off cap money if they begin signing players to lucrative deals. The Pats just have to keep the top 51 contracts beneath the $133 million salary cap threshold when rosters are set before Week 1 of the 2014 season.


(boston.com)

One of the biggest priorities this offseason for the Patriots is how to handle Vince Wilfork.

The Patriots star nose tackle missed most of last season with a torn achilles, a worrisome injury for someone who is ~325 lbs.

He is also set to have the second highest salary on the team next season, behind only Tom Brady. Wilfork will count against the cap for $11,600,000. With the Patriots having so many of their own free agents to sign other improvements that need to be made on the roster, getting that number down is a priority.

Of course, we all knew this a long time ago, but it seems the two sides are finally talking about ways to help fix this contract.

ProFootballTalk:
Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com reports that the Patriots have had recent discussions with representatives for Wilfork about altering his contract. Presumably, the Patriots would like to reduce Wilfork’s number this year, either by getting him to accept a pay cut or getting him to take an extension that spreads some of this year’s $11.6 million cap hit into future years.

Wilfork is getting up there in age (he's 33) and the Pats really hold all the leverage here. If Wilfork doesn't agree to an extension or restructure, they could easily just release him and only take a $3,600,000 hit against the cap. Back in March of 2010, Wilfork signed a five year, $40 million contract with $25 million guaranteed.

The Pats currently have $12,199,254 in cap space. Getting Wilfork's massive number down would allow them to get that number down without releasing players they may want to keep around (Tommy Kelly, Adrian Wilson). They can save even more money by extending Devin McCourty and Stephen Gostowski.


(nepatriotslife.com)

There has been a lot of speculation in recent weeks that Vince Wilfork's inflated salary could lead to his release.

Set to count $11.6 million against the salary cap in 2014, Wilfork, 32, is fighting his way back from a torn Achilles. With his age, injury, and size all working against him, some have speculated that Wilfork could be released if he refuses to accept a new deal.

At least one person who has played with Wilfork can’t fathom this possibility.

“If he hits the free agency, I would be shocked,” linebacker Brandon Spikes said during an appearance on NFL Network. “I think the Patriots love him, the organization up there, Boston loves him. He’s been there for a while. I just honestly can’t see him leaving.”

Wilfork, who is entering the final year of his contract, suffered the injury in Week 4 and missed the rest of the season. In 2012, he earned All-Pro honors after collecting 48 tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles.


(maslive.com)

Vince Wilfork was first-team All Pro in 2012.

That wasn’t one of those reputation-based honors, either. He was – along with Geno Atkins – one of the very best defensive tackles in football.

Since 2007, Wilfork was either first or second-team All Pro in every season except 2008 and last season, when he blew out his Achilles against the Falcons.

Prior to the injury, Wilfork’s work in the Patriots first three games was modest. Far short of the destructive force he’d been in 2012.

That fact, Wilfork’s age (he’ll be 33 in November) and his financial heft (he’s due a $7.5M salary and will carry an $11.6M cap hit this year) have his immediate future in some question.

Over the next four days, the Patriots will be trying to convince Vince to trim that cap hit down by taking a restructured deal.

And – given his age and recent injury history – they may be asking him to take a pay cut as well (I don’t know that to be the case, by the way, it is a presumption).

This is where it might get sticky. Wilfork – aside from a three-game span in 2013 – has been one of the NFL’s best defensive linemen over the past seven years.

He’s not going to think he’s anything less than that now.

The contract Wilfork signed in March of 2010 was for five years and $40 million. It included an $18M signing bonus and $24M guaranteed. He’s realized $31,954,860.00 of that deal.

Given the prolonged battle he went through to get the deal he got, I will bet Wilfork and his wife/business partner Bianca are going to want every cent the Patriots agreed to give them.

Having been with the team since 2004, Wilfork is well-acquainted with the Patriots’ relentless pragmatism.

He likely foresaw these March 2014 discussions taking place the day he signed the contract.

The rub to any Patriots appeal for a restructure is this: it’s not that they CAN’T carry Wilfork’s $11.6M cap hit this year. It’s that they will not WANT to.

The cap is at $133M. With cap rollovers, credits, etc., they are about $15M under the cap right now according to Miguel Benzan, a layman cap expert who’s been doing this stuff for more than a decade and is very accurate.

Meanwhile, Isaac Sopoaga and his $3.5M cap hit have already been heaved overboard, we’re just waiting for the splash. They have a crapton of cap space.

The Patriots can handle Wilfork’s $11.6M cap hit. And Logan Mankins’ $10.5M cap hit. Both players have been everything they said they’d be when they signed the deals in 2010. They’ve played at a high level. They’ve played hurt. They’ve been the standard-bearers for leadership on offense and defense and they’ve been the conscience or their groups.

If the Patriots want to shuffle Wilfork’s money just to open 2014 cap space and then contract Wilfork at below-market prices in coming years WITHOUT using the cap space saved on new guys in 2014, then I wouldn’t go along with that if I were Vincent Lamar Wilfork.

The Patriots would be, in essence, pocketing the savings and penalizing Wilfork in 2014 for being hurt in 2013.

However, if the Patriots intend to use that money a Wilfork restructure will save them THIS YEAR, that’s a different story. In that case, they are giving Wilfork all of his five-year, $40M contract but contracting him at a below-market deal in coming seasons. The negotiation would then be in good faith.

The Patriots would be signing up for two more seasons at below-market price for a player of Wilfork’s ability. They would be entitled to do that, in my opinion, as he would be a guy coming off an Achilles in his 33rd year on Earth. And what the hell, the Patriots guarantee about 70 percent of it, and that’s a fair move.

I’m sure these are the things being weighed right now in Camp Wilfork.

Both sides are going to be hoping for peaceful resolution. The chance of that happening? 50-50


(csnne.com)

It has become fashionable in recent weeks for the chattering class to loudly advocate for the release of five-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Vince Wilfork, their argument being he costs too much and is coming off a serious injury.

Before we get to the former issue let’s talk about the latter.

Did Wilfork get hurt skateboarding? Did he tear his Achilles tendon breakdancing or playing pickup basketball in a Wednesday night men’s league? Did he get carted off the side of the Alps on a ski trip? Was he on crutches because he leapt into a mosh pit?

No, folks, Wilfork got hurt on the job. Now if you believe that everybody who gets hurt on the job should be fired then do what you will with him, but if you don’t, why talk like he’s a used piece of office furniture in need of replacement?

Vince Wilfork is not only a human being he’s been a hard-working employee for 10 years in Foxboro. He’s been to five Pro Bowls and was a major contributor to a Super Bowl championship and two AFC titles. In short, he earned the contract he was given. It wasn’t handed to him.

That brings us to the numbers, which to some misguided segments of fandom seem to be all that matters.

The 32-year-old Wilfork is a nose tackle entering the final year of a five-year contract he signed in 2010 and the chickens are coming home to roost, his critics say, because along with him comes an $11.6 million cap hit this year.

That number, like Wilfork, is an enormous figure that the chattering class (whose total knowledge seems to be their fantasy football lineup) see as reason enough to release him. Usually, of course, that is said only after some form of “I really love Vince Wilfork but . . .”

If that’s love what do you say if you hate the guy?

Their argument is that the Patriots would gain $7.58 million in cap savings by letting Wilfork go. They often follow this with arguments like “It’s a passing league” or “The Patriots need a shutdown corner” or “Sealver Siliga is much younger and cheaper.”

While those things may be true to some extent they have nothing to do with Wilfork’s value or even the Patriots’ alleged cap woes.

First off, with a cap of $133 million the Patriots don’t have any cap woes that demand Wilfork be released. Second, if you didn’t notice the difference between even a fading form of Wilfork and the guys that replaced him then you know nothing about football in the first place.

No one would deny coming off a torn Achilles at his age and size (325 pounds, guffaw) isn’t a significant issue that bears watching. Then again, Wilfork began running well ahead of schedule because, as with everything he’s done since he came here, he put in the work nobody sees to get himself that far along.

Yet the more important fantasy in all this mindless chatter about releasing Wilfork is that somehow that is the best way to create cap space.

Well how about thinking first? How about releasing two guys who have done little or nothing for the Patriots since the day they got here instead? How about whacking Adrian Wilson and Isaac Sopoaga and retaining Wilfork?

The nattering nabobs calling for Wilfork’s head perhaps don’t realize the soon-to-be 35-year-old Wilson’s cap number this year is $1,833,333 and the 33-year-old benched Sopoaga’s is $3,500,000. That’s a combined cap figure of $5,333,333 for a shot safety and a 33-year-old defensive tackle who made two tackles in six games before losing his job to Siliga.

For the record, that’s seven fewer than Wilfork made in four games before being hurt.

So which is the greater saving?

The other discussion is about re-doing Wilfork’s contract to add phantom years, perhaps by guaranteeing his salary and turning it into a bonus or giving him a few more upfront millions, like Tom Brady took a year ago, in exchange for years on the back end that reduce his present-day cap figure.

That’s all well and good if done correctly, but how about doing something about right guard Dan Connolly’s $4,083,334 cap number first?

No disrespect to Connolly, who is a loyal soldier and hard working guy, but if you want to mess with somebody’s money shouldn’t it be Sopoaga, Wilson and Connolly before you get around to slashing Wilfork, who if even moderately healthy will do more for your defense than the first two combined?

If you release Wilfork, you save $7,580,000 in cap money. If you release Wilson, Sopoaga and Connolly you save $5,250,000, a difference of only $2,333,000 that could easily be made up by restructuring Wilfork’s $7.5 million base salary.

So unless you believe he can’t play at all (like Sopoaga and Wilson, for example), it’s obvious who the chattering class should be chattering about releasing, and it’s not Vince Wilfork.


(bostonherald.com)

The New England Patriots have the difficult task of finding a common ground between analytics and intangibles this offseason when they decide how to handle Vince Wilfork’s massive salary cap hit in 2014. Sports can be a heartless business. Wilfork helped the Patriots win a Super Bowl in 2004 and AFC titles in 2007 and 2011. He’s been the team’s best defender for the last decade.

But if anything was to be gleaned from the 2014 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference on Friday and Saturday, it’s that every player breaks down to a number. Wilfork’s number in 2014 isn’t 75 — it’s his $11.6 million cap hit in the final season of the five-year, $40 million contract he signed in 2010. The Patriots can save $7.58 million by cutting the five-time All-Pro.

NFL teams expect Wilfork to be a cap casualty. But they could be looking at the 10-year pro in a purely analytical sense. Wilfork is 32 years old, he’s the second-highest-paid player on the Patriots, and he’s coming off a torn Achilles at 325 pounds. Wilfork’s eventual replacement in 2013, Sealver Siliga, played extremely well from Week 13 — when he made his Patriots debut — to the AFC Championship Game. He single-handedly helped mend New England’s porous run defense while also providing production rushing the passer.

Siliga will make more than 20 times less than Wilfork in 2013. “Is Player A worth ‘x’ more than Player B?” is the usual approach to contract analytics in the NFL. That “worth” is determined mostly by play on the field but also by leadership, heart, rapport with teammates — or “intangibles,” of which Wilfork has many. Siliga likely wouldn’t have played as well in 2013 if he wasn’t relying on Wilfork’s knowledge on the sideline to correct mistakes the third-year pro was making on the field.

Wilfork served as a highly paid coach in a walking boot last season. In an ideal world, the Patriots would bring back Wilfork on a restructured or extended contract.

His 2014 cap number would be spread over three or four seasons, but that would mean Wilfork accepting a pay cut, which athletes have proven year after year can be a tough pill to swallow. Wilfork was playing some of his best football in the back half of the 2012 season. His terrific play coincided with a move from three-technique defensive tackle (typically a pass-rushing role) back to the one-technique nose. 

He looked like a different player in 2013, however. He was almost certainly playing hurt (he missed two preseason games), and his play suffered. The Wilfork decision is not as cut and dry as the rest of the league seems to think, but only so much can be put on intangibles and the hope that Wilfork can regain his All-Pro form. Wilfork is not 20 times better than Siliga, so the Patriots would have to put a lot of stock in the unquantifiable to keep the big man on board.


(nesn.com)

Big Vince Wilfork is due a big sum of money this season for the Patriots . . .

 . . . that is, if they don't release him first.

Wilfork is owed $11.6 million dollars, the second-highest amount on the team behind Tom Brady.

As the Patriots look to improve their roster by adding more talent, they'll first need to free up some cap space, as they don't have a lot of wiggle room.
Steve Gregory was cut last week, and there should be more in the near future. Could one of those players be Wilfork, a defensive captain and one of the best nose tackles in the NFL?

Marc "Beatle" Bertrand from 98.5 The Sports Hub joined Mike Felger and Lou Merloni on Sports Tonight, and he feels that Wilfork will indeed be cut by the team.

"To me it's an easy decision. You move on," Bertrand said. "You rip off the band-aid. You move on, you cut Vince Wilfork. It's unfortunate because he's meant a lot to this team for a very long time. But in the best interest of having money to spend and having cap space to spend, cutting him makes a lot of sense."

But Wilfork could also stick with the team if he restructures his deal, and there has been no word yet that he would be against doing that.


(csnne.com)

ESPN Boston believes Patriots NT Vince Wilfork could be a candidate for a Terrell Suggs-type extension.

Suggs, 31, signed a five-year, $28.5 million deal on Monday, slashing his 2014 cap number. "Only" $16 million of the deal is guaranteed. Going on 33, Wilfork is coming off major injury and headed into the final year of his contract. He's currently set to count a steep $11.6 million against the cap. An extension would lower that number while likely locking up a Bill Belichick favorite at a team-friendly rate.


(rotoworld.com)

There are several big issues surrounding the future of Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork. At 32 years old, the 6-foot-2, 325-pound monster in the middle will count $11.6 million against the 2014 salary cap, which is $7.85 million more than any other defensive tackle his age or older — and none of them are attempting a comeback from a season-ending Achilles tear in 2013.

The Patriots will be right up against the $126.3 million salary cap next year, so they may need to consider restructuring Wilfork's contract.

Should the Patriots expect Wilfork, at his age, to be back at 100 percent of his old self? Should Wilfork? If anyone can make a full recovery from such a devastating injury, it's him, but is that a risk the Patriots will be willing to take? The answer to all of the above: Probably not.

That doesn't mean Wilfork will be ready and willing to accept a restructured contract, but there's a way to get it done that could work for everyone involved. The Patriots did it with quarterback Tom Brady just last year.

So, I asked Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac.com, a website that tracks the contracts of every athlete in every major sport, for his take on what a restructured contract might look like. He provided me the chart seen here, which he constructed in the image of Brady's contract extension of last season.

The goal, most likely, will be to keep Wilfork's average in the top five defensive tackles in the NFL, and right now, that's at least $8.45 million, so over five years you're looking at $42.25 million. Even though he is 32, extending four additional years would create five years in signing bonus pro-ration (the maximum allowed). The $3.6 million signing bonus from the current contract must stay in 2014. If we use Brady's new base salaries exactly, we can tack on a $10 million signing bonus, and a roster or workout bonus of $1 million each year, with an added $250,000 in the third year (midpoint of the contract escalator), we're right at the $42.25 million.

The $7.6 million cap figure for 2014 clears $4 million, and puts $12 million in cash in Wilfork's hand. The only debatable point from there would be guaranteed years for base salaries. I'd recommend fully guaranteeing 2014-15, and making 2016 for injury only (maybe).

By getting Wilfork his full $12 million in 2014, the Patriots could make the third year of the contract voidable to build in some insurance for themselves. By that point, Wilfork still will have made all the money he would have made on his current contract.

The problem, however, is that in order for these restructures to work, there has to be some good faith. The last time Wilfork's contract ran up (2010 offseason), the team placed the franchise tag on him before giving him a new contract. Wilfork never got to taste free agency, and he made his feelings known to the media about the matter, saying it would be a "slap in the face" and "insulting" to be hit with the franchise tag.

"I want a long-term deal or I want to be free. Point blank. That's how I'm looking at it, that's how my family is looking at it," Wilfork said on WEEI at the time. "There's a short window of opportunity for me to make the kind of money I want to make. I'm not selling my family short and I'm definitely not selling myself short just to stay back and to win and to be part of a great organization."

The Patriots were able to get a deal done with Wilfork, and gave him the richest contract ever for a nose tackle, but the amount of time it took to get there (the Patriots made Wilfork wait through the entirety of his six-year rookie contract before signing him to the big-money contract) may have created some animosity.
If they can't restructure his deal, the Patriots may have no choice but to cut him outright; doing so would provide the Patriots $8 million in cap relief. They could try to just rip up his old deal and sign him to a new one. Either way, restructuring seems like a stretch.

"The Patriots have leverage now, so an ultimatum offer is more likely," Ginnitti said, "probably to the tune of the three-year, $8 million contract Cullen Jenkins recently signed with the Giants — plus the $3.6 million in dead money Wilfork's current contract carries."

However, the parameters are in place for a restructured contract that could work for both sides. Such a move could make sure Wilfork gets what he's owed, while providing the Patriots some much-needed relief in a tight salary cap situation.


(boston.com)

During an interview that aired on Showtime’s “60 Minutes Sports” Wednesday night, New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork discussed the right Achilles injury that landed him on injured reserve and what his future may hold.

Throughout the segment, Kraft spoke highly of Wilfork, at one point calling him the “heart and soul” of the defense and an “inspiration,” though the defensive tackle knows that his relationship with Kraft will do him no good when his contract expires following the 2014 season.

“No,” Wilfork said. “It’s a business.”

At one point Wilfork was presented with a statistic that says nearly 66 percent of players who suffer an Achilles injury do not come back or return at a lesser level. Now 32, Wilfork knows that the odds are against him, and acknowledged that the road back may be difficult, but he remains determined to play again.

“I can’t tell you what the body’s going to tell me when I take the field,” he said. “Maybe the body is going to say, ‘You know what, Vince, it is enough.’ If it do that, I’m going to have to listen to my body. If it’s up to me, I’m playing. I can’t leave the game like this. I can’t.”

At one point, Kraft and Wilfork shared the details of their meeting after the defensive tackle tore his Achilles' tendon. Though he was in pain and upset with his current reality, Wilfork looked up and offered an apology when he first saw Kraft.

“Sorry, boss man,” Wilfork said, according to Kraft. “I’m sorry that I let you down.”


(masslive.com)

With the first round of the NFL playoffs complete, some proCanes were sent home packing while others continue their quest for a Super Bowl ring.

With the New Orleans Saints defeating the Philadelphia Eagles, Jimmy Graham and Jon Vilma (IR) advance to the next round of the playoffs to take on the proCane-less Seattle Seahawks. Go Saints! The Eagles lost because they didn’t have any proCanes.

Two proCanes were sent home with the Kansas City Chiefs losing a thriller to the Indianapolis Colts. DL Allen Bailey and TE Richard Gordon were sent home while Reggie Wayne (IR) will continue to help his team from sidelines in their next game versus the New England Patriots who have proCane DL Vince Wilfork who is also on IR.

The San Francisco 49ers behind the solid running of proCane RB Frank Gore ended up defeating the Green Bay Packers who lost proCane DB Sam Shields in the first quarter of their defeat. The 49ers will face the Carolina Panthers who have proCane TE Greg Olsen on the field and QB Coach Ken Dorsey on the sidelines. The Packers also have scouts Glenn Cook and Alonzo Highsmith on their staff as well as Winston Moss.

The Chargers who don’t have a proCane and defeated the proCane-less Bengals (boooooring), will face the Denver Broncos with their solid proCane offensive lineman Orlando Franklin.

Vince Wilfork is again with the team here on a road trip, and he has shed the walking boot that he's been wearing since Achilles surgery.





(bostonherald.com)

The New England Patriots sit in the driver's seat for the AFC's second seed, but their playoff hopes have dimmed because of a slew of injuries on both sides of the ball.

The loss of tight end Rob Gronkowski is crushing, turning Tom Brady's passing game into a dink-and-dunk operation that struggled to dial up explosive plays in Sunday's loss to the Miami Dolphins. The real concern, however, comes on defense, where the Patriots have allowed an average of 417 yards over their past four games.

The early-season loss of linebacker Jerod Mayo and defensive lineman Vince Wilfork battered this unit. Neither will play again this season, but the 32-year-old Wilfork promised he'd return better than ever from his torn Achilles in 2014.

"I'll be back," Wilfork said Tuesday night, per the Boston Herald. "There's no question in my mind. That's not even a question. People can worry about it. But not me. I'll be back."

Realistic concerns over Wilfork's comeback, if there are any, center around the difficult rehab attached to Achilles injuries, especially for a 30-something behemoth -- albeit a spry behemoth -- weighing in at 325 pounds.

"It's always frustrating," Wilfork said. " ... The only thing I can do is prepare each day and try and get better with the rehab, and that's what I've been doing. Take it day by day and, hopefully, I'll get healthy soon."

Before Wilfork was lost in late September, New England had held opponents to fewer than 100 yards on the ground in two of the first four games. With him out of the lineup, the Patriots have done that just once in 10 outings. Outside of Brady, Wilfork means as much to this team as anyone, and his absence has proven that in 2013.


(nfl.com)

Speaking for the first time since suffering his season-ending torn right Achilles tendon, Patriots defensive captain Vince Wilfork said earlier this evening he was progressing in his recovery and for anyone who doubts he won't make it back given the nature of the injury, not to mention his age, think again.

‘’I’ll be back. There’s no question in my mind. That’s not even a question,’’ said the massive 32-year year old nose tackle, who suffered the season-ending injury Week 4 against the Falcons. ‘’People can worry about it. But not me. I’ll be back.’’

Wilfork, who was at the Bass Pro Shop at Patriot Place earlier tonight as part of a holiday shopping event for children in need that was hosted by his foundation, along with the Patriots Charitable Foundation and Pats Alumni Club, said he was doing fine, making strides day-to-day, and expected to be out of his walking boot in a week. Naturally, he’s not a fan of having to watch the games from the sidelines.

‘’It’s always frustrating. The only thing I do, the only thing I know how to do is play football. And I can’t do it right now,’’ he said. ‘’But things happen for a reason. The only thing I can do is prepare each day and try and get better with the rehab, and that’s what I’ve been doing. Take it day by day and hopefully, I’ll get healthy soon.’’

Wilfork still taking part, watching film and helping whenever he can to help the team.

‘’Whatever they see fit for what I can do, that’s what I try to do to help. If it’s me coming around to see the guys, or having the guys talk with me, or if it’s watching film with the guys, that’s what I’ll do,’’ he said. ‘’I’m still part of (the team). Sometimes I feel like I’m not because I’m not out there with them, but I’ll stay a part of them. I want these guys to feel the same about me.’’

Big Vince and his teammates put smiles on the faces of quite a few kids, taking them shopping.

“Sometimes we lose sight of how blessed we really are. Until you come to an event like this, when you can put a smile on kid’s faces, it’s priceless. Every year I look forward to this time because I know kids look forward to this time. Every time we come here, we have a ball. That’ what it’s all about. Giving back, especially this time of year. We’ve done if for a long time. I thank my teammates and the Kraft foundation and everyone involved. We made a lot of kids happy today.’’


(bostonherald.com)

FOXBOROUGH — Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork stood with a red Santa hat and an ear-to-ear smile while sporting a scraggly, pepper-colored beard Tuesday at Bass Pro Shops. The Saint Nicholas look was coincidental, but it was appropriate enough.

He and nearly 40 teammates and Patriots alumni — including Julian Edelman, Devin McCourty, Chandler Jones, Andre Tippett, and Joe Andruzzi — helped children from Massachusetts and Rhode Island homeless shelters in the third annual “Gifts From the Gridiron.”

Players and children were given a $400 allowance to spend on items in the store. The Patriots Charitable Foundation, the Vince Wilfork Foundation, the New England Patriots Alumni Club, and Bass Pro Shops sponsored the event. Each group donated $5,000.

“They can have me running all up over here, it doesn’t matter to me,” Wilfork said after following Amanda Perez, his 11-year-old shopping partner, across the store. “My main job is to make sure this girlie’s happy. And I think so far, so good.”

Perez’s shopping cart was filled with a hat and gloves, gifts for her father. There were also shoes and boots, but her most anticipated item was still on the shelf: a purse.

Wilfork and former teammate Gerard Warren, both Florida natives, approached Patriots owner Robert Kraft about community outreach three years ago and the event was born. It’s become a staple players anticipate each year.

McCourty joked he now knows what it’s like to have a daughter after spending the evening with 8-year-old partner Jalissa. He added that the 6-foot-2-inch, 325-pound Wilfork is like a “big teddy bear” around the kids.

“Since I’ve been here he’s always been heavy into the community,” McCourty said. “I think it’s good, it gets the guys out, the guys have fun on an off day. It brings a real Christmas spirit.”

Defensive end Andre Carter said he is thankful for the opportunity to give his time and said the event is an example of Wilfork’s leadership off the field.

A torn Achilles’ tendon (suffered against the Falcons Sept. 29) has kept Wilfork from suiting up for the Patriots, but he still patrols the sideline and has been acting like an extra coach.

Carter said Wilfork is able to anticipate opponents’ offensive line and backfield sets. Carter noted that just standing near coach Bill Belichick teaches people a lot about the game of football.

“[Wilfork’s] helped everybody from the front side to the back,” Carter said. “I told him he amazes me. This is my 13th year in the NFL and I still learn a lot from him. Whatever happens, life after football, if he decides to be a coach, he’ll be a great coach.”

Jones, who was draped in a cream-colored scarf while shopping, said Wilfork is also active in the film room.

He said his football knowledge is invaluable, particularly for younger players. And his presence has made him a “role model” for Jones.

Perez, who gave Wilfork a hug while calling him “sweet” and “very kind,” shared the feeling.

“When I first met them, I didn’t know who he was,” she said. “But like, he’s the best. I love the Patriots.”


(bostonglobe.com)

Vince Wilfork might not be stuffing runs, or taking on double teams on Sundays. But that doesn’t mean he’s still not contributing.

The Patriots defensive lineman, who still offers his input during film sessions, also maintains his presence in the community as he rehabilitates from the season-ending torn Achilles tendon he suffered in Week 4 against Atlanta.

To that end, Wilfork is teaming up with Eastern Bank for the second consecutive year to promote a holiday Toys for Tots collection campaign in partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots program.

Last week, Wilfork passed along some of his thoughts on the campaign as well as his legacy.

“Even though I am now not able to make a physical impact on the field doesn’t mean I can’t continue to make an impact in the community,” Wilfork said via email. “The Vince Wilfork Foundation is in its 10th year of service and it will continue long after my career. I think of the foundation as my legacy — football has been the driving force to allow my wife and I to change the lives of those in need.

“I will always stay involved with fans through charity,” he added. “I’ve been lucky to never have a season-ending injury in my professional career and I have just shifted positions to focus on recovery and doing as much as I can as a leader in my community.

“Giving back is so important but there is nothing better than seeing my fans team up with me and help me with a cause. Strength in numbers. I thought of the idea of having fans tweet at me (@wilfork75) when they drop off at a Eastern Bank branch so I can see each and every fan on my team this holiday season. It always makes my day to see people get out in the community and make a difference. I have the best fans in the world. My injury is temporary but giving back is permanent.”

The campaign is already underway, as all 98 Eastern Bank retail offices are serving as official toy drop off locations. The public is encouraged to donate new, unwrapped toys at any Eastern Bank branch through Saturday, Dec. 14, or go to toysfortots.org/easternbank to make a donation online.


(bostonherald.com)

The Patriots knew Vince Wilfork would remain close by, even though he's out for the season.

Wilfork's voice carries as much weight in the Patriots' locker room as any, so his presence in meetings as a pseudo-coach helps everyone do their job better. It's surely been appreciated by defensive line coach Patrick Graham, too.

“Vince is always involved," Graham said. "He’s always involved, whether it’s helping those guys out with the stuff I probably don’t see. Vince is involved in the classroom when I put up the film to say, ‘This is how Vince did it. You all do it like that.' So Vince is always involved no matter how it is. I mean, he’s the guy that everybody in that room, including myself, we learn from. We try to emulate that because he’s the pinnacle of a good defensive lineman, and that’s the man who is our closest example of being a great football player, and that’s what we try to learn from.”


(bostonherald.com)

New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork underwent a successful procedure Tuesday to repair a torn right Achilles' tendon he sustained in the team's most recent game.

Wilfork's wife, Bianca, tweeted the news while displaying a photo of her husband resting comfortably with his right foot in a cast.

The Patriots have yet to publicly disclose the nature of Wilfork's injury, which occurred during the first quarter of New England's 30-23 victory at Atlanta this past Sunday. Head coach Bill Belichick did admit on Monday that the valued veteran would likely be out for an extended period, however.

New England is expected to place Wilfork, a five-time Pro Bowl selection who has missed only three games over the previous six seasons, on injured reserve in the coming days.

Wilfork had totaled nine tackles through the season's first four games.


(wusa9.com)

NEWS UPDATE
The Patriots have placed Wilfork (Achilles') on injured reserve, ESPN.com reports.

ROTOWIRE FANTASY ANALYSIS
Wilfork's big body in the middle of the Pats' front line will be sorely missed by the team, in particular against the run. The Patriots will now count on the likes of Tommy Kelly and rookies Joe Vellano and Chris Jones to help fill the void as best they can.


(rotowire.com)

FOXBOROUGH – With the loss of all-pro defensive tackle Vince Wilfork to an Achilles' tendon tear, the Patriots will have to replace his skill and leadership by committee, coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday.

"I think everybody is going to have to, we're all going to have to pull that rope," Belichick said. "There's no replacing Vince Wilfork. You just don't replace Vince Wilfork. We'll still have his presence around the team and the locker room, and those type of things, which I think he's great at. On the field, we'll miss him. But whoever is out there, those other 11 guys that are out there, they're all gonna have to – we're all going to have to pull a little bit harder, including the coaching staff and all that.

"It's a big loss but we're just going to have to find a way to do it. That means everybody doing their job. Obviously somebody is going to have to replace him. Whoever those people are, they're going to have to answer the bell. But collectively as a team, we're all going to have to pull it together. There is no one person that can replace Vince Wilfork."

Belichick also conceded there is a small possibility the team changes the way its defensive tackles operate. Wilfork often took on multiple blockers to free up defenders, and he was on the field for 81 percent of the team's defensive snaps, through the first 10 snaps of the Atlanta Falcons game before he was injured.

"I mean, look he hasn't played every single play," Belichick said. "There has been times in when he hasn't been on the field, so it isn't like we haven't seen him not on the field. But obviously he's been a key guy for us and he plays a lot. We had to deal without him in Atlanta, we'll have to deal without him going forward. We may do that. Some things I'm sure we'll continue to do but some things we may have to modify. We'll see how that goes."


(boston.com)

Vince Wilfork won’t be suiting up for the Patriots anytime soon, but the big fella sure knows how to make an impact, even while recovering from surgery. Wilfork, who underwent successful surgery earlier in the day, posted a message on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon, thanking fans for their well-wishes and sending encouragement to his teammates.

Check it out below in a message he called “Just trying to get my thoughts out.”

“I just want to thank everyone for your support and encouragement. Bianca is making sure I see all of the comments I wish I could respond to everyone. But please know your words are heard. One thing I know is I signed up to play football I don’t regret anything that has happened and there is no need to feel sorry about it. I’ve been blessed to only have had one surgery prior to today and that was in [high school]… I know what signing up to play football means and I know the rewards and the risks. This is my job and I will switch positions for now and play the role of patient but that is only temporary. I have so much confidence in our team and know that they will do great and I will be right besides them maybe not in uniform but in all other ways… Thanks again.”


(nesn.com)

The New England Patriots' 30-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night appears to have come at a heavy price -- 325 pounds, to be exact.

Nose tackle Vince Wilfork left the game in the first quarter and didn't return. He was carted off the field and later seen with his right foot in awalking boot.

NFL Media's Albert Breer reported Monday that Wilfork tore his Achilles and will miss the remainder of the season, according to a source.
The Boston Globe first reported the injury. 

A first-round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Wilfork has played his entire 10-year career with the Patriots, winning one Super Bowl and playing in two others. He is considered one of the league's premiere run stoppers. If he is done for the season, it would be a serious blow to New England's postseason hopes.

Undrafted rookie Joe Vellano recorded one sack Sunday and played well in Wilfork's place, but the Patriots are dangerously thin at the defensive tackle position. Vellano, waiver pick-up Chris Jones, and 10-year veteran Tommy Kelly (in his first year in New England) are the only tackles currently on the roster.

Aside from Tom Brady, Wilfork has been the Patriots' most valuable player. At times he shut down the opponents' inside run game by himself. The Patriots now need to add depth to the position. We wouldn't be surprised to see Bill Belichick move around pieces, such as Rob Ninkovich, within his front seven to cover the loss of Wilfork, the team's defensive captain.

The Patriots can't seem to shake the injury bug to key players. It hasn't cost them a game thus far, but losing their best defender will test Belichick's genius once again.

UPDATE: During an appearance with WEEI-FM in Boston, Belichick commented on Wilfork's injury, saying, "it's probably unlikely that he'll be able to play again this year."


(nfl.com)

ATLANTA -- It's the obvious question: Who might the Patriots sign to fill the considerable void created with Vince Wilfork reportedly tearing his Achilles?

Most likely option. A practice-squad promotion for first-year player Marcus Forston or rookie A.J. Francis.

Forston is a University of Miami alum who has been mentored by Wilfork, also a Miami alum. The Patriots liked Francis enough to claim him on waivers from the Dolphins at the final roster cutdown. Either player would add depth behind Tommy Kelly, Joe Vellano and Chris Jones, who are already on the roster.

If the Patriots stay in-house, the biggest trickle-down effect is that it will likely mean an increased role for Vellano, who opened the year as the third tackle. The undrafted rookie from Maryland averaged 26 defensive snaps per game through Week 3. His snaps obviously spiked considerably higher than that on Sunday night.

Vellano (6-foot-2, 300 pounds), a hard-working player who might be considered undersized by NFL standards but who wins with technique (e.g. third-quarter sack versus Peter Konz on Sunday), was one of the surprise stories of training camp.

Armstead another in-house option, but status unclear. First-year player Armond Armstead, who isn’t eligible to practice until after the sixth week because he’s on the reserve/non-football illness list, is more of a wild card. It is unclear if the former Canadian Football League player, who the Patriots were initially counting on as a No. 3 option at defensive tackle before he underwent surgery for an infection before training camp, will be ready to help the team this year.

Those with past connections. Kyle Love and Ron Brace remain free agents, and while the Patriots released both players in hopes of moving on, perhaps the team would now view them differently with Wilfork injured. In more of a long-shot scenario, Richard Seymour would also fall into that category.

The pure nose tackle type. Similar to when the Patriots traded for Ted Washington in 2003, and then brought in Keith Traylor in 2004, the Patriots could tap the veteran market for a big-bodied, two-down nose tackle type. Would someone like longtime Pittsburgh anchor Casey Hampton have anything left, assuming he'd even be interested? The concern, in general terms, is that an older, bigger nose tackle who hasn't been in a training camp usually is often viewed as a greater injury risk. That's why this is viewed as a less likely option than an internal promotion.


(espn.com)

It’s hard to single out any defender for the New England Patriots, as the defense is playing at a high level right now. But one defender, who happens to be the second-highest paid defender on the team, is struggling through the first three games. That would be defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.

Now, before all of you Patriots fans get angry, it’s best to consider the level of play that Wilfork has been producing, instead of just his big name. Wilfork has not produced in the box score (nine tackles, zero sacks), and it looks like the big man is being removed on third downs; that’s because he is not a pass rusher. There have been flashes in the past in which Wilfork showed that he could rush the passer, but he has definitely not been consistent in this department.

Let’s move to Wilfork’s bread and butter: run defense. That part of his game has seemed to have fallen off a bit as well. Running backs Fred Jackson, Chris Ivory and Doug Martin all had solid games against the Patriots. It’s definitely not fair to blame all of that on Wilfork, but he has noticeably been pushed around and contained a lot more than usual. So far, Wilfork has failed to live in the opposing backfield, which is his game.

Most people could have seen Wilfork’s struggles coming when head coach Bill Belichick decided to switch to a base 4-3 defense. Wilfork is mostly lost in this defense, especially considering that Belichick likes to rush four in almost every passing situation. That will tire a big man like Wilfork out, which is a detriment to his run defense. That’s not good, considering that Belichick does not have much depth at the defensive tackle position.

If Wilfork’s play continues like this, it will be hard to justify keeping him after this season, considering his $7.5 million salary for 2014.


(rantsports.com)

Ray Lewis on the Ravens Sideline.

Redskins S Brandon Meriweather.

Patriots DL Vince Wilfork.

Saints TE Jimmy Graham enter the Superdome through the smoke.

Panthers TE Greg Olsen runs out of the tunnel before Carolina’s game versus the Giants.

FOXBOROUGH --- Following Bill Belichick’s lead, Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork echoed his head coach’s same sentiments when Wilfork said he is prepared to move forward after the arrest of former teammate Aaron Hernandez on a murder charge.

“First and foremost, it’s a sad situation for the victim’s family,’’ Wilfork said before a throng of reporters Thursday at Gillette Stadium as the Patriots reported for conditioning drills in preparation for the start of training camp Friday.

“You’re not dealing with just football right now,’’ Wilfork said. “You’re dealing with human beings, you’re dealing with life. So it’s just sad. You’re disappointed, but at the same time we get a chance to come do something that we love to do and that’s to play football. ‘’

In light of the peripheral distractions Hernandez’s arrest created, Wilfork said training camp would likely provide a sanctuary for the team.

“One thing we’ll try to do is keep everything separate,’’ Wilfork said. “We’ll try to control what we can control and that’s playing football and getting better each day. So that’s my main focus; to try and do that. It’s started and now it’s here.’’

It was difficult, however, to completely process the fact that Hernandez had been charged with the shooting death of a 27-year-old Dorchester man, Odin Lloyd, whose body was discovered in an industrial park about a mile from Hernandez’s North Attleborough home.

”It’s real life,’’ Wilfork said. “I think sometimes we get caught up doing what we do, which is your profession or playing football or whatever it may be. Like I said, this is a real-life situation. You’re dealing with something where someone lost a loved one, someone lost a friend, a son.

“And it’s tough,’’ Wilfork added. “It’s very disappointing and it’s sad to see anyone lose any type of [family] member to a death. It’s just a tough situation.’’

Asked if this situation had a galvanizing effect on the team, Wilfork replied, “You have to put everything in perspective. You have to enjoy every moment that you have in life. Football is an outlet for us. When we come here we expect to play football and get away from everything.

“It’s started, training camp is here,’’ Wilfork added. “But to come to training camp on a note like this, it’s tough. But at the same time we have to continue to do our job. We’re not going to disrespect anything that’s going on with the families, but we do have to play football and our job is to play football and we’ll do that the best way we can and we’ll try to keep the ball rolling.

“We’re going to do everything in our power to ignore the noise and stay focused on the task at hand.’’


(boston.com)

With some assistance from media members around the country, ProFootballTalk.com is unveiling its Top 100 players in the NFL for 2013. The list has been released in 25 player installments, with players 50-26 counted down on Monday.

Two more Patriots appeared on the list, with nose tackle Vince Wilfork checking in at 45 and tight end Rob Gronkowski at 26. These two join linebacker Jerod Mayo (65) and guard Logan Mankins (68) among the Patriots on the list.

Gronkowski, of course, has dealt with forearm and back-related issues this offseason and is currently rehabbing from a June procedure.

Despite playing in just 11 games during the 2012 regular season, he finished with 11 receiving touchdowns, tops among all NFL tight ends.

Wilfork, meanwhile, had perhaps his best season as a pro last year, earning First Team All-Pro honors as a result of it (the first time has done so in his career). The 31-year old anchored the middle of the Patriots defense with 48 tackles and two forced fumbles.

The two also appeared on NFL Network's Top 100 Players for 2013 based on the vote of other players, with Gronkowski landing at 25th and Wilfork at 30th.


(espn.com)

With all the controversy and negativity swirling around the New England Patriots in recent weeks, it's important to keep in mind the positive aspects of the team. In particular, defensive tackle Vince Wilfork has quietly put together a Hall of Fame-caliber career while representing the franchise in an exemplary manner on and off the field.

As strange as it sounds, the 6'2" and 325-pound Wilfork has often flown under the radar during his time with the Patriots. About to enter his 10th season with the team, he is now closer to the end of his career than the beginning. Despite his quiet ways, he has set himself up with a good chance at being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio once his career is over.

Wilfork was a first-round pick in 2004 out of the University of Miami. He started six games as a rookie but has never come off the bench since. He has also been durable; missing just six total regular season games, and none since 2009.

Wilfork's numbers won't blow anyone away. He has totaled 460 tackles, 16 sacks and two interceptions during his nine seasons. He has never had more than 66 tackles or 3.5 sacks in any one season. It must be said that as a defensive lineman a lot of his work won't show up in the stat sheet. He is quite literally at the center of the Patriots' defense; clogging up the middle and typically causing a major disruption to the opposing teams.

The true value of Wilfork is the way the big man draws multiple defenders and opens up his teammates to make plays. NESN.com's Luke Hughes marveled how the 31-year-old "is still one of the most dominant interior linemen in football and he demands multiple blockers on nearly every snap."

The impactful play of Wilfork may sometimes go unnoticed to the casual observer, but he has racked up five Pro-Bowl and five All-Pro selections during his career.

Wilfork is not simply a human mass who takes up space. He has also lined up at end and rushed the passer as needed. His leadership skills, including being co-captain for a number of seasons, have been integral to the team.

Quarterback Tom Brady explained to The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham how Wilfork evolved into a team stalwart. "He's been a great leader for this team since he got here. When he first got here as a young guy, he was surrounded by a lot of veteran players that brought some great leadership qualities to him, and he's really taken that over.''

NFL.com's Adam Schein recently listed Wilfork as one of the 10 most indispensable defensive players in the league. That value is reflected not only in his skill, but also how he has continued to increase his number of snaps played with each passing year.

The stellar play of Wilfork has contributed to consistent team success. The Patriots have averaged over 12 wins per year during his nine seasons. They have also finished first or tied for first every year, while appearing in three Super Bowls, and winning the sport's biggest game in 2004.

Wilfork has made an equally large impact off the field. He is heavily involved in charitable work, including supporting diabetes research. He has used his public status to help raise money and bring awareness to various causes by starting his own eponymous foundation.

Signed through the 2014 season, Wilfork is primed to continue his run of excellence with the Patriots. Given what he has already accomplished, it's becoming increasingly likely a spot will be waiting for him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame once he finishes his career.


(sports.yahoo.com)

As Patriots fans descended on the ProShop adjacent to Gillette Stadium Saturday, their Aaron Hernandez jerseys were folded neatly, crumpled up in a ball, wedged under their arms or stuffed into a bag — and then handed over to be destroyed or recycled.

"I just did not want to be wearing it," said Scott Richman of Sharon, Mass.

"I think it is the right thing to do," said Randy Medeiros of New Bedford.

The Patriots figured that would be the sentiment. The team had disassociated itself from Hernandez by releasing him shortly after he was arrested on murder and gun charges June 26. Next, this weekend's jersey exchange was scheduled, giving fans an opportunity to do the same.

The first fan arrived Saturday at 7:30 a.m., 2 1/2 hours before the exchange was to begin at 10. At 9:30, the Patriots decided to open the ProShop a half-hour early because a long line had formed around a tent set up for jersey collection. By 11, 500 exchanges had taken place, and there was a slow but steady stream of fans throughout the afternoon.

In total, approximately 1,200 jerseys were traded. The exchange continues Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jerseys of the brand and style that were available at the ProShop during Hernandez's three years with the team can be turned in for a voucher that guarantees a jersey of comparable value.

This event further highlighted the fall from grace for Hernandez, the star tight end from Bristol who is charged in the shooting death of Odin Lloyd and is being held in jail without bail. It also elicited conflicting feelings from Patriots fans, who had cheered him just across the Patriot Place complex at the 68,000-seat stadium.

"I feel thankful to the Patriots," said Jake Mozer of Medfield. "It's all really sad. It's really kind of depressing. He was my favorite player. I had no idea what I was going to do with [the jersey]."

Patriots spokesman Stacey James said the Hernandez jerseys that were to be exchanged Saturday and Sunday, as well as the ones the ProShop already had in stock, will be recycled or destroyed. The team has ruled out donating them to a foreign charity and is trying to find a vendor with "a creative way, from recycling purposes, to utilize the materials and fabric," James said.

The Patriots said the most popular requests among those exchanging Hernandez jerseys Saturday were, in order, Vince Wilfork, Tom Brady, Chandler Jones and Stevan Ridley.

"You don't want to be associated anymore with a player of Hernandez's stature," Medeiros said. "It's the right thing to do — exchange the jersey and wear the jersey of a player you can actually admire on and off the field. Fans have a pretty personal attachment to these players."

Medeiros exchanged his girlfriend's Hernandez jersey for a Danny Amendola jersey.

Another fan, Mike McAtamney of Lowell, was out of luck. His Hernandez jersey was not purchased at the ProShop and did not match the style of what was available in 2010-12, so it could not be exchanged.

What now?

"I don't know, maybe cut some patches out of it," he said. "Or, I heard they're selling on eBay, too."

Hernandez jerseys are selling for $400 online and autographed jerseys have been sold for over $1,000. On Saturday, hundreds of them were tossed into a bin, never to be worn again.

The Patriots are likely to release a final estimate on Sunday of the number of jerseys exchanged. Of the first 1,200, about 300 were children's jerseys. The Patriots had young fans in mind when they planned the event.

In the initial press release, James said, "We know that children love wearing their Patriots jerseys, but may not understand why parents don't want them wearing their Hernandez jerseys anymore. We hope this opportunity to exchange those jerseys at the Patriots ProShop for another player's jersey will be well received by parents."

The time to proudly wear a Hernandez jersey "has disappeared," said Matt Singer of Natick, "but this seems like a pretty good deal — especially when you see the little kids."

Candace Boudreau of Cranston, R.I., was with her three children, Mackenzie, 8; Christian, 5; and Trevor, 2.

"I will not wear the jersey of somebody who has been [charged with] a crime," she said. "I just bought it [recently], and it's a shame to waste that money. … I don't want [the children] to know anything about it, so I just wanted to exchange it for somebody who is better."

Exchange choices were limited to what was available in the style the person had the proper voucher for, and size. Mozer selected a Jones jersey.

Why?

"He's good, he's young and I don't think he's committed a crime," Mozer said.


(courant.com)

FOXBORO - It's been a decade now for Vince Wilfork, so it's a fair bet that he's seen just about anything a player can see in the NFL.

That includes a parade of players that have come to his New England Patriots looking to earn a ring. Some have stayed, others have left. They come and go, he said - but there's one thread that has to run through all of them.

"If you're not willing to put the work in to be successful, you're not going to make it here," Wilfork said Wednesday after what turned out to be the last practice of the Patriots' mandatory full-squad minicamp. "The guys that do make it here, they're willing to humble themselves and put the team first, and concentrate on winning. We will always put team first and winning first before anything."

The question was posed to Wilfork under the premise of the arrival of quarterback Tim Tebow at Gillette Stadium. The former Bronco and Jet signed a two-year contract and joined the Patriots on Tuesday.

"Just another teammate to help us win," said the veteran defensive tackle. "I'm glad to have him as a teammate and I'm pretty sure that he'll do some things that will help us win. That's up to the coaches to put him where he needs to be, but any decisions the coaches make to bring guys in or to release guys is for the better of this team."

There has never been any question about Tebow's humility at any of his stops, including the University of Florida. What's been a question throughout his career is whether he can play his position well enough to succeed as a pro - and if not, whether a strapping young lad with Tebow's athletic ability and drive can somehow be adapted to fit other, unique roles.

It didn't work with the Jets, and Wilfork admitted he didn't yet know what Bill Belichick has up his sleeve in his attempt to find value in Tebow.

"They feel he can help us in some kind of way that we don't know," Wilfork said, "but I'm happy to have him as a teammate."

Wilfork said he was happy about one thing - that he would not have to chase the mercurial Tebow around the field as an opponent any more. But in his new identity as a Patriot, Tebow is more than welcome to be on board as long as he knows what he has to do in order to stick.

"We're all about football and winning," Wilfork said. "If you're not about that, then this is not a place for you. We're going to treat him just like we always treat anybody. We always treat everybody fair, no matter who you are."


(thesunchronicle.com)

FOXBORO -- Vince Wilfork approached the Tim Tebow topic with care on Wednesday. The 10-year Patriots veteran is almost always good to give his opinion, which can sometimes hold as much weight as the nose tackle's frame. 

"I'm glad I don't have to chase him around in games," Wilfork smiled. "We're going to treat him just like we treat everybody. We always treat people fair, no matter who you are. Guys come and go from here [and] it's a family here; he's part of our family. I'm happy to have him."

But of course. 

"Just another teammate who can help us win," he said simply. "I'm glad to have him as a teammate and I'm pretty sure he'll do some things that can help us win. It's up to the coaches to put him where he needs to be. Any decision the coaches make to bring guys in or release guys, is for the better for this team."

Every sentence sounded in accordance with the approved script. That is until Wilfork gave, as Tom Curran called an Aaron Hernandez line yesterday, an "accidentally apt" quote.  

"That's exactly what this is all about: They feel he can help us in some kind of way, we don't know, but I'm happy to have him as a teammate."

He seemed more certain of Tebow not being a distraction in Foxboro. Why? That's an easy one. 

"We're all about football. We're all about football and winning. If you're not about that, this is not a place for you. Whoever's been here, that came here and have been successful, and guys that haven't been successful and ended up leaving here -- it is what it is. It's a business. 

"That's one thing I can say about this organization: We do everything we can to win ballgames. How it is, we've got to get it done. Plus, there are 31 other teams out there that are making moves. So we have to make sure that we make the right moves and bring in the right guys with the right character and the right mindset of winning. That's what it's all about." 

New England has brought in its fair share of headline-inspiring personalities, even just recently with Randy Moss, Chad Johnson and Albert Haynesworth. None of those three lasted long with the Patriots. 

At least Tebow is more famous than infamous, unlike the aforementioned troubled trio. And one could argue how much of the feeding he's done, versus the media, to make his celebrity swell. 

Wilfork believes the important distinctions are made organically. All those extra cameras? Not part of the process. 

"Trust me, we don't even pay that no attention around here. If you're not willing to win, not willing to put the work in to be successful around here, you won't make it. The guys who make it around here are willing to humble themselves and come in here, put the team first, and concentrate on winning."

The aspect of talent must have been implied. 


(csnne.com)

In a piece now posted on NFL.com, Adam Schein shares his viewpoint on the 10 most indispensable defensive players in the NFL, and there is one Patriot on the list -- Vince Wilfork.

Entering his 10th NFL season, Wilfork lands at the No. 7 spot.

"At age 31, he's still elite. He got my vote last year for first team All-Pro at defensive tackle [along with Geno Atkins]," Schein writes. "Wilfork is a pro's pro, consistently fulfilling his duty of clogging the middle. Wilfork is a leader, a true Bill Belichick guy. He can play [and dominate] in multiple fronts. The Patriots have many issues/questions on defense, and they would be magnified without Wilfork."

Wilfork's place on the list is well deserved from this perspective, and one aspect of his career that stands out is how he's evolved from more of a two-down player to a three-down option in 2010. In years eight and nine of his career, he has logged more snaps than ever before.

Check out the regular-season snaps played over the last four years for context:

2012: 81.3 percent
2011: 86.8 percent
2010: 69.8 percent
2009: 51.8 percent

One question to consider for 2013 is if keeping Wilfork at such a high snap-count total is a good idea -- both for him and the team. Wilfork has shown no signs of slowing down, but might it preserve another year of his career if the numbers were closer to around 75 percent?

The Patriots trimmed some of their defensive tackle depth by releasing Brandon Deaderick and Kyle Love, so if the club is thinking along those lines, it highlights the importance of players such as Tommy Kelly, Armond Armstead, Marcus Forston and Co. making notable contributions. Outside of Wilfork, the defensive tackle position has almost completely changed in 2013.


(espn.com)

FOXBOROUGH -- Patriots defensive captain Vince Wilfork spoke to the media Tuesday after practice, remarking on the team's second day of organized team activities.

Wilfork noted that this was the time of the year for the Patriots to get to know each other and, more pointedly, to get in shape.

"That's why you have these days," Wilfork said. "Get in, get acquainted with one other. Prepare as a team. I think that's the most important thing, to prepare as a team. And individually, do what you can do to help this team. That's where I'm at.

"Like I said, I'm very excited. Every year it seems like the more and more you play, the more excited you get to come back."

Wilfork was asked about his own condition.

"Hey, I'm in decent shape," Wilfork said, to laughs. "In decent enough shape. But that's why you have these practices, you have OTAs, you have offseason workouts, you have training camps, just to get in shape and get a chance to get acquainted with one another and that's where we at."


(boston.com)

FOXBOROUGH – Vince Wilfork has been at this for a long time. Ten years, to be exact.

For some players, the novelty and excitement of being in the league wears off as years of grueling practices and marathon film sessions and nagging injuries begin to pile up.

But Wilfork isn’t like those players. He’s still invigorated and excited over each day of work. He feeds off the passion of younger players and enjoys working with them and preparing for new a journey and seeing how it all comes together.

These dog days of long practices under the summer sun are his favorite time of year.

“You know when you lose that feeling it’s time to give it up. And you know what, I’ve been having this feeling for 10 years now,” Wilfork said. “It’s an exciting feeling to have, trust me.”

Wilfork said that he likes this year’s group of defensive linemen, which features newcomers Armond Armstead and Tommy Kelly at defensive tackle, but is now sans Brandon Deaderick and Kyle Love, who were recently released.

Losing Love, who started last year and was recently diagnosed with diabetes, upset Wilfork a little bit, but he was not surprised by the move. When you’ve been in the league as long as he has, you learn not to be shocked by anything.

“It’s always tough. I’m dead set and focused on what I can do to get better as a teammates and a person,” Wilfork said. “That’s where I’m at right now. I can’t focus on who has came and who has gone.”

Right now, Wilfork is focused on getting in shape and learning all the names that go with the new faces. He said he’s getting closer, but still hasn’t gotten them all down.

As far as physical health, Wilfork said he is still working to get into playing shape and will next few weeks of organized team activities and June’s minicamp to get where he wants to be.

It will be a grind, but that’s what he loves.

“You have to come to work. And that’s what I do,” Wilfork said. “I come to work every day with my hardhat and work my tail off. I won’t stop doing it. I’m going to continue doing that until I’m finished.”


(masslive.com)

FOXBORO, Mass. — New Patriots wide receiver Donald Jones remembers the shot he took from Vince Wilfork well. And even if he didn’t, his new Patriots teammates and coaches will never let him forget it. As Jones was running a route in the middle of the field during the Bills-Patriots Week 4 matchup, Wilfork caught wind of him, dropped into coverage and collided with the former Bills wide receiver just as he was receiving the ball.

Jones couldn’t make the grab as the 325-pound behemoth caught him in midair. “Yeah, I talked to him about it,” Jones said of Wilfork. “Guys make jokes about it all the time. They bring it up. Matter of fact, when I came on my visit here, that was one of the first things the coaches said.

That’s something that I’ll never forget.” Jones said it wasn’t the hardest hit he’s ever received, despite the size of the man hitting him. If Wilfork landed squarely on the 208-pound wideout, that answer may be a lot different.

“You know, it actually looked a lot worse than it was,” Jones said. “It didn’t hurt. I’m sure if he landed on me, it would have hurt a lot more. He caught me in the air, so the hit didn’t hurt or anything. That was not the hardest hit that I’ve taken.

No.” Jones was impressed at the time that Wilfork had the wherewithal to find him in the middle of the field. That play, more than any other, showed Wilfork’s impressive instincts.



“I don’t even really remember how Vince ended up right there when I caught the ball,” Jones said. “He was right there. So, he read it well, and he just caught me in the air, and I guess that’s something D-linemen always hope for: to catch a wide receiver coming over the middle. So he got his thing that he always hopes for, I guess.”

Jones will have to get used to lining up across from Wilfork at practice and training camp in the next few months. Luckily, Wilfork will mostly be moving forward, attacking offensive linemen, rather than wide receivers. In case you need a refresher on the Wilfork hit, check it out below. It certainly looks painful.


(nesn.com)

Say what you want about the New England Patriots defense, but there’s no denying Vince Wilfork's status as one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL.

That point was recently echoed by CBSSports.com’s Pat Kirwan, who lists Wilfork as the third best defensive lineman in the NFL. Kirwan also believes that Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones could become one of the league’s best defensive ends by midseason.

Houston's J.J. Watt and Baltimore’s Haloti Ngata were listed as the top defensive linemen.

In grading Wilfork, Kirwan notes his improved stamina. In previous years, Wilfork came off the field in passing situations, which limited him to a combined 1,179 snaps during the 2008 and 2009 seasons (30 games). Last season, he played 1,041 snaps, including playoffs.

“Wilfork has outstanding range along the line of scrimmage and that’s the reason New England plays him at DE more often than he lines up in his original nose tackle position,” Kirwan writes.


(masslive.com)

There has been an outcry of support for the city of Boston from athletes around the country over the past 24 hours, and now Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork is doing his part. Wilfork is committed to raising money for the relief efforts and victims of the Marathon Monday bombings.

He has agreed that all donations made to the Vince Wilfork Foundation for the entirety of April will go to benefit Monday’s victims and their families. Text “VINCE” to 50555 to donate $10 to the efforts. If the foundation raises $10,000 in the effort then Wilfork has also agreed to match that donation amount.

Wilfork’s wife Bianca joined in the effort, too, spreading the message on her own Twitter account. Wilfork joins new teammate Danny Amencola in agreeing to raise money for those impacted by the events.

On Monday, Amendola tweeted out that he would donate $100 for every catch he made during the 2013 season and $200 for every dropped pass. Both gestures show just how committed the Patriots, both old and new, are to supporting the city of Boston and the local community.


(nesn.com)

New England Patriots offensive tackle NATE SOLDER and defensive tackle VINCE WILFORK will each donate a $1,500 equipment grant to a high school football program through USA Football, the official youth football development partner of the Patriots and the NFL.

USA Football named Solder and Wilfork to its 2012 All-Fundamentals Team in January, honoring 26 NFL players who employ proper technique, particularly when blocking and tackling, which fosters inherent safety benefits and better on-field performance. As All-Fundamentals Team players, Solder and Wilfork each received an equipment grant valued at $1,500 from USA Football to donate to the youth or high school program of their choice. Soldier will award his grant to Buena Vista (Colo.) High School, his alma mater, and Wilfork will award his grant to Boynton Beach (Fla.) Community High School.

Solder uses proper footwork and balance to correctly and efficiently block in space. With eyes on the target, Solder uses a wide base, a bend in his knees and great body position whether leading on run or screen play or setting up in pass blocking.

"The equipment grant will help us replenish our helmet inventory," Buena Vista High School football coach MATT FLAVIN said. "The new helmet law in Florida requires any helmet over 10 years to not be re-conditioned. Our football program appreciates the support of Nate, USA Football and the Patriots."

Wilfork uses his strength and proper technique to either defeat blocks or hold his ground at the point of attack, depending on what his team’s call is. His balance and proper hand placement create space between himself and the blocker to remain in control while engaged.

"The USA Football equipment grant from Vince Wilfork will greatly benefit our football program," Boynton Beach Community High School football coach RICK SWAIN said. "Vince grew up in Boynton Beach and understands the financial struggles our school, students and community faces.

"This type of donation – a 25-piece blocking equipment set – will directly impact our student-athletes and inspire them to be the best they can be."

Employing core football fundamentals advances a youth player’s performance and safety, particularly in the areas of blocking and tackling. USA Football has educated more than 100,000 youth football coaches in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., through its online courses and single-day coaching clinics. Approximately 3 million American children age 6-14 play organized tackle football, placing it among the country’s most popular youth sports.

The USA Football All-Fundamentals Team was assembled with guidance by a five-person selection committee:
• TOM CARTER, NFLPA player advocate and former NFL defensive back
• CHARLES DAVIS, USA Football spokesperson, football analyst for NFL Network and FOX Sports
• HERM EDWARDS, ESPN NFL analyst and former NFL head coach
• MERRIL HOGE, USA Football board member, ESPN NFL analyst and former NFL running back
• CARL PETERSON, USA Football chairman, former NFL team executive and assistant coach

More on past USA Football All-Fundamentals Team players’ techniques is available at: www.usafootball.com/all-fundamentals-team.

About USA Football: USA Football, the sport’s national governing body in the United States, hosts dozens of football training events annually offering education for coaches, skill development for players and resources for youth football league commissioners. The independent nonprofit is the official youth football development partner of the NFL, its 32 teams and the NFL Players Association. USA Football manages U.S. national teams within the sport for international competitions and provides more than $1 million annually in equipment grants and youth league volunteer background check subsidies. Endowed by the NFL and NFLPA in 2002 through the NFL Youth Football Fund, USA Football (www.usafootball.com) is chaired by former NFL team executive Carl Peterson.


(patriots.com)

DERRY, N.H. — Vince Wilfork’s mission to raise awareness in the fight against diabetes led to a New Hampshire middle school yesterday.

The Patriots defensive tackle teamed up with U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and several medical experts at Hood Middle School, and preached the importance of living healthy, active lives now to lower the chances of developing diabetes later.

A handful of diabetic children in the crowd were there, including twin boys in the eighth grade who were curious about the disease’s effects in adulthood. Wilfork, standing in the middle of a packed gymnasium, told them to appreciate everything in the present and follow proper medical orders to live the fullest lives possible.

“It had nothing to do with football,” Wilfork said. “It was all about being a human being, how we can help our younger generation move forward. I think with today’s message, we did a good job of that. These guys asked us some great questions. We had a good time today. It definitely was a good outing.”

Wilfork saw firsthand how devastating the illness can be. His father suffered from diabetes for years before losing the battle in 2002, and he recalled instances as an adolescent when he had to take care of his father while friends played outside. Wilfork now has made it his lifelong mission to fight the disease.

Shaheen’s granddaughter, who attended yesterday’s event, also has diabetes and recently got a guide dog that can actually help by sensing when her blood sugar levels aren’t right.

“Anything I can do with this whole diabetes thing is something near and dear to my heart, also to the senator’s,” Wilfork said. “Anything I can do to help, I’m always on board for it. Today was one of those days that had nothing to do with nothing but being a human being and helping one another. That’s what we did today. Hopefully these kids listened to what we had to say, take our advice. They have a bunch of support around them, and we just hope that they use it. If they do, we’ll definitely have a better place.

“We’re going to fight like crazy to make sure that we can get something for this disease, because it’s bad. It is a bad disease, but we’re going to continue to work on it. We never know what happens in the future, but the only thing we can do is keep pushing, keep plugging and trying to get a cure.”

Wilfork will host his 10th Draft Night Fundraiser on April 25 at Pinz in Milford, and it will again support the Joslin Diabetes Center and Diabetes Research Institute.


(bostonherald.com)

Oh, boy.

Former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson has a radio show in Houston. Current Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork doesn't live in Houston, which is why Johnson figured it was OK to talk about Wilfork's wife on Friday's show.

Specifically, according to the Boston Globe's David D'Onofrio, a caller asked Johnson, "Of all of the players who he played with, who's got the ugliest spouse?"

Common sense screams "Don't answer that," but after a minute (which, apparently, is more than enough time for common sense to take a smoke break), Johnson uttered the following words: "Gosh," he said. "He won't hear this: Vince Wilfork." (You can listen to the audio here.)

Turns out, the Internet extends beyond city limits. Which means that Wilfork very much heard Johnson's comments and let's just say he wasn't happy.

"@TedJ52 your barking up the wrong tree," Wilfork tweeted. "I hear and see everything mother f---er." (Wilfork then tweeted out a link to a longer note, which you can read to the right. Click on the image to enlarge.)

"@TedJ52" is Ted Johnson, who wasted little time apologizing (via Twitter, naturally).

"I just made a huge error in judgement and want to apologize to Vince and his wife for comments I made earlier today on a Houston radio show," Johnson said. … "Vince and his family are outstanding people who I have admired since they arrived in NE. I learned a big lesson today and feel terrible. … I have personally apologized to the family and feel awful. It was a huge error in judgment and I'm sorry for upsetting Vince's family. … The last thing I will say about this is that I understand the criticism [and] will own my poor decision."

Let this be a lesson for us all: Never, ever publicly make fun of someone's wife, especially when said someone could literally squeeze you like a grape.



(cbssports.com)

Vince Wilfork was in town for the Derby and after meeting up with his good buddy Clint Hurtt (Cardinals defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator, who is a former teammate of Wilfork’s with the University of Miami, FL). Wilfork, a 3-time NFL Pro Bowler and super bowl champion was more than happy to sport the apparel of the next powerhouse in college football, your University of Louisville Cardinals.

Hurtt, who was recognized by ESPN.com as the National Recruiter of the Year in 2010 after contributing to a top 30 recruiting class according to both Scout and Rivals rankings, along with Charlie Strong certainly appear to have the connections and ambition to keep the Cards on the fast track to becoming something truly special for years to come.

After Auburn won the BCS National Championship this past season they lost an assistant coach who joined the Tennessee Titans NFL staff, they were looking to re-energize their recruiting and they interviewed Clint Hurtt for the position of Defensive Line Coach and Recruiting Coordinator (the same position he holds with Louisville). Although the talks were private and we don’t know exactly who turned who down, it appears that Hurtt believes so much in the great brand that is being built here in Louisville that after discussing the situation with his wife and praying he decided to stay with the Cardinals.

In a facebook posting, Hurtt said, “I appreciate everything that Coach Chizik showed my wife and I. I owed it to my family to at least look at the opportunity to coach in the SEC. I believe in Charlie Strong and the University of Louisville, and believe we are on our way to great things. Thank you for all the love from our Cardinal faithful. Go Cards!”

With Wilfork and countless other Miami Hurricanes currently in the NFL, you have to believe that Hurtt has plenty to discuss with any potential recruit he attempts to bring to Louisville.


(kentuckysports.co)

Even powerhouse Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork had to "tackle" some shoveling during the snowstorm over the weekend.

According to his wife Bianca's Twitter page, Wilfork headed out early to shovel their walkway, and she linked to photos on her Instagram, providing a look at how the Wilfork family handled the storm.


(boston.com)

The exodus begins.

The New England Patriots are now down to having two representatives in the Pro Bowl after quarterback Tom Brady, wide receiver Wes Welker, guard Logan Mankins and defensive tackle Vince Wilfork pulled out of the competition due to injury.

Both Welker (knee) and Mankins (calf/hip) had documented injuries this season, but neither was listed on the team's final injury report of the season. The possible reasons behind Wilfork and Brady's absences are not known.

The Patriots medical staff conducted physicals on all players Monday morning.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski was also voted into the game but will also sit out after breaking his forearm in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Special teamer Matthew Slater and linebacker Jerod Mayo are still on track to play in the game. 

(masslive.com)

In all, as many as 212 players will participate in the AFC and NFC championship games on Sunday – four teams, 53 players per team. When including players not on the active rosters of the four teams playing for a shot at the Super Bowl, however, the total jumps to more than 250.

The schools represented on the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens range from college football's elite (Alabama, Ohio State, Texas and Florida) to those situated far outside the national picture (Hillsdale, Bellhaven, Lane and Indiana).

Here are the eight schools most represented by the four teams playing Sunday for a trip to the Super Bowl:

1. Miami (Fla.): 12. P Matt Bosher, OL Harland Gunn, DL Micanor Regis (Atlanta); LB Tavares Gooden, RB Frank Gore (San Francisco); DL Vince Wilfork, DL Marcus Forston (New England); LB Ray Lewis, OL Bryant McKinnie, RB Damien Berry, WR Tommy Streeter, S Ed Reed (Baltimore).

2. (tie) Oregon: 7. WR Drew Davis (Atlanta); RB LaMichael James, FB Will Tukuafu (San Francisco); TE Ed Dickson, DL Haloti Ngata, QB Dennis Dixon (Baltimore).

2. (tie) Florida: 7. LB Mike Peterson (Atlanta); DL Ray McDonald (San Francisco); DL Jermaine Cunningham, RB Jeff Demps, TE Aaron Hernandez, LB Brandon Spikes (New England); WR Deonte Thompson (Baltimore).

4. (tie) Alabama: 6. OL Mike Johnson, WR Julio Jones (Atlanta); DL Brandon Deaderick, LB Dont'a Hightower (New England); DL Terrence Cody, LB Courtney Upshaw (Baltimore).

4. (tie) Iowa: 6. DL Jonathan Babineaux (Atlanta); LB Jeff Tarpinian, TE Brad Herman, OL Markus Zusevics (New England); S Sean Considine, OL Marshal Yanda (Baltimore).

4. (tie) Texas: 6. OL Justin Blalock (Atlanta); CB Tarell Brown, OL Leonard Davis (San Francisco); OL Kyle Hix (New England); CB Chykie Brown, K Justin Tucker (Baltimore).

4. (tie) South Carolina: 6. DL John Abraham, DL Cliff Matthews, DL Travian Robertson, CB Dunta Robinson (Atlanta); S Emanuel Cook, CB Chris Culliver (Baltimore).

4. (tie) Ohio State: 6. OL Alex Boone, WR Ted Ginn Jr., LB Larry Grant, S Donte Whitner (San Francisco); TE Jake Ballard, S Nate Ebner (New England).
Another eight schools have five players on the rosters: Arizona State, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, UCF, Rutgers, Syracuse and Illinois.

Teams with four players: Oklahoma State, Marshall, Michigan, Fresno State, Utah, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Missouri, Louisville, LSU and Georgia Tech.

Three players: Auburn, Wisconsin, Maryland, California, Wake Forest, Florida State, Penn State, Kansas, Purdue, Northwestern, Texas Tech and Arkansas.

Two players: Baylor, Michigan State, Stanford, Boston College, Clemson, Connecticut, ECU, Oregon State, Richmond, San Jose State, Kentucky, Montana, North Carolina, Northern Illinois, TCU, UCLA, Notre Dame, Central Michigan, Delaware, Iowa State, Colorado, Tennessee State, Nebraska, Buffalo, Arizona and Washburn.

Luck of the draw plays a role, of course, but it's a bit surprising to see that schools like Virginia Tech, USC, Oklahoma and Texas A&M only have one player each on the four rosters. Not surprising? That one player represents schools like Prairie View A&M, Lane, Harvard, Weber State, Chadron State (Danny Woodhead), Hillsdale and Hofstra (which no longer has a football program).


(usatoday.com)

FOXBOROUGH --- Vince Wilfork spoke glowingly about his fellow University of Miami alumnus, Ray Lewis, when the veteran Baltimore Ravens linebacker announced before the start of the AFC playoffs that this season would be his last.

Lewis missed 10 games this season but returned from a torn triceps and gave the fourth-seeded Ravens an emotional charge in their victories at Cincinnati in the wild-card round and at top-seeded Denver in the divisional round to earn a rematch against the Patriots in the AFC title game.

"When you talk about football, especially defense, the first person you really think about is that guy,'' Wilfork said of Lewis. "What he brings to the team, what he brings to the game, the love and the passion he has for the game.

"It just goes to show you when he came back,it's a new ballclub in Baltimore,'' Wilfork said. "They feed of him because he's their leader, and that city feeds off of him. We have to do a real good job of making sure they don't feed too much off of him in this game because it'll already be tough, but to come in on the emotional high they're on after winning two big games in the playoffs, it's going to be tough.

"You can never question that man's level of execution,'' Wilfork said. "It's unbelievable.''

Lewis served as a mentor to a generation of Miami Hurricane football players, Wilfork included.

"We bleed Orange and Green,'' Wilfork said. "I love to see my guys around the league. It just shows you that we have something special down there [at the University of Miami]. We have mutual respect but at the end of the day, I want to win and he wants to win. We're always competitive.

"Hurricane or no Hurricane, I'm a New England Patriot and I want to win, plain and simple,'' Wilfork said. "I'm pretty sure being in Baltimore, he wants to win. However long it takes, we're going to battle our tails off and after the game we're going to wish each other luck.''

Win or lose, Wilfork expected to visit with Lewis and give him his proper respect.

"Hopefully, with that guy going out, just want to let him know what he meant to this game, because he meant a lot to this game,'' Wilfork said.


(boston.com)

For a big man, Vince Wilfork moves around a lot. On one snap, he can be at left defensive end or tackle. On another snap, he can be at the same position on the right side.

Sometimes, Wilfork can line up directly over the center.

But he's always in somebody's head — one big, mean, nasty 6-foot-2, 325-pound headache.

"Vince Wilfork is a beast," said Ravens running back Ray Rice about the New England Patriots' top defensive lineman. "He is a flat-out beast. He handles double-teams. [If] you block him single-handedly, he bull rushes. The thing that's great about him is the speed. Some people think that because of his size he isn't going to be able to move as fast. He moves as quickly as any defensive linemen in the league. I've always loved battling, going against a guy like that, because he is going to give it everything he has. He knows what it takes to win. I have tremendous respect for him.

"That's no knock on that whole defense. I think their defense, sometimes because their offense gets so much credit, that their defense gets overlooked. Look at how they were able to neutralize the [Houston] Texans last week. They took the run game away from them. That's something that their defense … they get up for games like this because they know that we run the football. They know that we do different things, but that's a prideful bunch over there. They are no walk-in-the-park defense. You have to go out there and execute at a high level."

But first and foremost, Wilfork has to be contained. He is the mother of all loads. The Patriots were ranked No. 9 in rushing defense during the regular season allowing 101.9 yards per game. A week ago, they held the Texans and Arian Foster to 91 yards.

A lot of teams try to run to the perimeter on New England because there is no room to run inside. Wilfork had 59 tackles during the regular season, seventh-best on the team, and 41 were unassisted.

If you think he is just some blob who clogs up the middle, then you're wrong. He also has three sacks and has knocked down six passes.

He is the complete, big package.

"He is the best guy I will face this year because he is such a complete player," Ravens rookie left guard Kelechi Osemele said. "I only got to face him a couple of plays earlier this season but he is very physical, has a good blast and very good at the point of attack. He is really athletic for his size and what really impresses me is how fast he is."

Fortunately for the Ravens, they are playing Wilfork at a time when the offensive line is peaking. Since shifting Michael Oher to right tackle, Osemele to left guard and inserting veteran Bryant McKinnie at left tackle, the Ravens have been more productiv,e averaging 296.5 yards passing and 162.5 rushing in the past two games.

"Yes, I think so," said Ravens right guard Marshal Yanda, when asked if the offensive line was playing at its highest level. "We had a big test last weekend and we gave up one sack and kept Joe pretty clean. Obviously, that's a huge part of what we try to do every week. If we can get that done, Joe can really throw the ball down the field. I think it's a great job across the board to contain those guys and get one sack."

But the Denver Broncos didn't have any player with the girth, power and quickness of Wilfork. In the past, he has blown up running plays because he simply overpowers at the point of attack one-on-one.

Ravens center Matt Birk has had an outstanding career, but clearly is no match for Wilfork. Osemele and Yanda need to have big games where they work combination blocks with Birk and then scrape off and try to pick off a linebacker in the second level.

"He is just not a guy that we will be able to cover up," Yanda said. "He has a lot of lateral quickness, which makes him good. He disrupts a lot of offensive lines. He's a force in there. We will have to have him blocked and get after him and contain him. It starts with him upfront for us — creating problems."

If they can't, it could be a long game for running backs Rice and Bernard Pierce. If the guards can't scrape off, then New England linebackers Brandon Spikes and Jerod Mayo will be free to make tackles.

"We can't allow him to key on what we're doing," Osemele said. "We're going to have to be unpredictable at times. I think ever since we had to make some changes, we've got the best five guys out there right now and Joe has been playing exceptionally well. It's up to us to keep that going."


(baltimoresun.com)

The honors continue to roll in for the Patriots, as tight end Rob Gronkowski, defensive lineman Vince Wilfork and special teamer Matt Slater were named to the 2012 Pro Football Weekly/Professional Football Writers of America All-NFL team on Thursday.

On Gronkowski, PFW’s Dan Arkush writes, “They don’t make receiving tight ends any better than Gronkowski, whose red-zone chemistry with Patriots QB Tom Brady is a key element  in the league’s most productive offense.” Arkush said Wilfork is “arguably New England’s best defensive player,” and that he “commands the trenches and provides an extra dimension with his ability to play both inside or on the edge.” As for Slater, PFW says he’s “a solid gunner [who] is headed to Honolulu for the second time after leading the Pats in special-teams tackles for the second straight season.”


(weei.com)

One of the Texans’ challenges will be not letting Vince Wilfork wreak the havoc he did last time when he rang up four tackles, a sack, a deflection and a forced fumble. He was dizzyingly active, said rookie center Ben Jones. “I knew he was a really big guy,” Jones said. “But some of the plays he made, I’m like, ‘All right, this guy’s really athletic to be this big.’ ” If there’s a solution, it’s hitting him before he can figure out what’s coming. “You just try to get on him and get on him fast so he can’t read run or pass,” Jones said


(boston.com)

FOXBOROUGH – Vince Wilfork knows what's on the other side of the finish line, but he hasn't even begun to try to locate it.

After nearly a decade in the National Football League, he still loves the game and being a part of a team. The constant pursuit of unattainable perfection and getting ready for another opponent still excites him.

When those things no longer make him jump out of bed in the morning, the New England Patriots defensive tackle says he will walk away and take up a more solitary pursuit, such as throwing the shot put.

"I got one the other day to see if I can still throw it," said Wilfork, who holds the Florida high school record of 68 feet. "I threw it 54 feet, but I felt a lot of bones cracking."

For now, and into the foreseeable future, Wilfork plans to serve as the steel ball causing bones to crunch. He claims his love for the game is still as pure as it was when he was lining up for Santaluces Community High, and listening to his words gush, it seems those feelings come from a genuine place.

It would be a lie if Wilfork said he doesn't enjoy the wealth and spoils that come with being a successful NFL player – he drives an orange Mack truck to Gillette Stadium most days – but that isn't what fuels him. If it were, there likely would have been some type of drop-off after he fought for and signed a five-year, $40 million contract prior to the 2010 season.

That hasn't happened.

Wilfork has earned second-team All-Pro honors the two seasons since his new deal, and should earn a third consecutive nod this year. Wilfork says when his eventual demise does arrive, it will be the result of his body breaking down, not a lack of interest or effort.

"I have a chance to play this game and people pay me for what I love to do. So I never try to let that justify why I should play or why I shouldn't play," Wilfork said. "It's all in the heart. The passion. The love you have for the guys in this locker room, love for the organization.

"Until the day I don't (love the game), that will be my last calling. As long as I enjoy myself, I'll continue to play – no matter the price."

Wilfork's job can be thankless at times. His work isn't often highlighted in network broadcasts as the cameras instead shift to one his teammates dancing in the backfield after taking down the quarterback or stuffing a running back.

But those with a finer appreciation for the game know he is the nucleus of the Patriots defense and the man to fear. The Houston Texans, who visit Sunday for a divisional playoff game, know this as well as anyone.

In their Dec. 10 meeting with the Patriots, Wilfork, seemingly single-handedly, ate up and disrupted the Texans' zone-blocking scheme and helped hold running back Arian Foster to 46 yards, the first step in a 42-14 victory. Asked earlier this week how they planned to neutralize Wilfork, Texans coach Gary Kubiak could only throw up his hands.

"The thing that is so difficult is he plays everywhere," Kubiak said. "So it's not like you go the other way with the ball or try to avoid something. You're going to have to deal with him all day long."

Wilfork is hoping to introduce the Texans to a whole new brand of terror this week.

After winning the Super Bowl as a rookie, it seemed enjoying February glory was stipulated in Wilfork's contract. But it's been more than awhile since he tasted it, and each successive failure in the years since has only made his memories of triumph taste that much sweeter.

Getting another ring is all that matters now, and Wilfork has designs on making this year the one.

He'll go out and work that much harder in practice and hope everyone follows his lead. He has no doubts the guys will. He says they're a good group, but he knows he has to show them how he's approaching it before they can come along.

"I have to show these guys what it's going to take to win," he said.

It beats throwing the shot put.


(blog.masslive.com)