New England Patriots
Even professional athletes go through the ups and downs of being a teenager.
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SAN FRANCISCO – Teenage years help set the stage for what’s to come during the early part of adult life.
Chasing dreams, facing setbacks, falling in love, and building the foundation of a career are common themes. Even professional athletes go through the ups and downs of being a teenager.
None of their success, be it making the Super Bowl, or even playing for the Patriots was guaranteed. Hard work, guidance from coaches and mentors, and support from loved ones helped bring these players to football’s biggest stage.
The last time the Patriots faced the Seahawks in the Super Bowl was Feb. 1, 2015. The players on this year’s team were, on average, 15-years-old back then. Some were thrilled that the Patriots won that game, others were heartbroken.
They were scattered across the country, taking early steps on the path that led to this unexpected Super Bowl run.
As they reminisced about where they were 11 years ago, these Patriots players told stories of where they were at the time. Here’s a collection of what they shared.
Life as a four-star prospect
Making a college decision can be tough when you have lots of options.
Defensive back Carlton Davis signed a national letter of intent to play college football at Auburn on Feb. 4, 2015, three days after the Patriots beat the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. He had initially committed to Ohio State, but that changed in the week leading up to signing day.
The recruiting process was some of the most fun he’s ever had, even though he had to make a tough decision at the end of it.
“I was turnt up. I’m from Miami, I had like 30-plus offers. I’m balling out, all-state, All-American,” Davis said. “I’m just going on college visits, trying to see where I’m going to go. Just one of those recruited kids who was having the time of his life. I was a senior, I had already finished school, it was dope. It was a good time.”
Never satisfied
The chip that linebacker Robert Spillane had on his shoulder at Western Michigan University never went away.
He was a freshman at the time going through winter conditioning and trying to carve out a role on the team. He eventually became a second-team all-MAC selection during his senior year.
But he never felt like things truly clicked for him in college. He had to fight to keep his NFL dream alive.
“I didn’t figure it out well enough. I wasn’t drafted,” Spillane said. “I was a tryout player. So, I’m still trying to figure it out. I’m still waiting for that moment when it all clicks, where it all comes together, so we’re still looking for that.”
The Patriots’ leading tackler, now in his seventh NFL season, said his attitude of never being satisfied is one of the main reasons he is still in the league.
“Probably that ability that I never think that it’s good enough,” Spillane said. “I’ve never had a game that I’ve been proud of, so it’s like you’re always just seeking to get better and better each and every week.”
Smart move, coach
Long before he ever snapped the ball to Drake Maye, Garrett Bradbury thought he was coming to N.C. State to catch passes. He began his college career as a tight end, but coach Dave Doeren thought he would fare better as a center.
“If you had told me two years prior that I would be an [offensive] lineman, I probably wouldn’t have signed up to play college football,” Bradbury said. “But here we are now, so it worked out pretty good.”
The move paid off. Bradbury won the Rimington Trophy, which is given to the top center in college football, in 2018. The Vikings picked him in the first round of the 2019 draft.
“If I stayed at tight end, I would not be still playing, so I’m thankful that he made the right decision.”
Summer love at Boston College
Defensive end Harold Landry had just wrapped up his sophomore season at Boston College.
That summer, he decided to stay at B.C. to train instead of returning home to North Carolina. That’s when he met his wife, Danielle.
“She was trying to make extra money and she was working for ResLife,” Landry said. “One of our friends was friends with both of us and we all started just hanging out as a group. Then, it was just me and her hanging out. The rest is history, I guess.”
Landry said going to school out of state helped his development on and off the field. He led the Patriots in sacks this season with 8.5.
“I feel like I grew a lot as a person, not just in my career,” Landry said. “I met my wife, who has played the biggest role in my life out of anyone. Also, coaches at B.C. played a big part in my development as a player. B.C. has meant a lot to me my whole life.”
One distraught Legion of Boom fan
His home state of Alabama doesn’t have an NFL team, so Dell Pettus grew to love the Seahawks that year.
A quiet eighth grader and an aspiring defensive back, Pettus loved watching Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, and Earl Thomas play.
He was watching the game at home with his family when the Patriots broke his heart.
“I’ll never forget that feeling. I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Pettus said. “I was just mad. I didn’t know what was going on. I was just genuinely distraught.”
“I was feeling good. It’s like the Seahawks are going to win. It’s on the one-yard line, Marshawn Lynch was like a guaranteed touchdown. But then, they throw it and it’s an interception. I just couldn’t believe it.”
Watching Malcolm Butler’s triumph in his hometown
Offensive lineman Ben Brown, on the other hand, is from Malcolm Butler’s hometown of Vicksburg, Mississippi. He was thrilled to see Butler make the play that sealed the win for the Patriots.
“It was crazy, seeing a celebrity from Vicksburg, Mississippi make a play on the biggest stage,” Brown said. “It was nuts, it was the headlines of newspapers and everything, we had a parade in town. It was awesome.”
“It’s a quiet town,” he added. “It’s got a lot of unique history to it and it has a lot of people who love and support one another. It may not be the biggest town in Mississippi, but it’s a tight-knit community and it has a lot of people who want to see the best for everyone and for everyone to succeed.”
Leaving college early
Stefon Diggs was a consensus five-star prospect who decided to stay home and play college football at University of Maryland.
He spent three seasons with the Terrapins before declaring for the 2015 draft after his junior season. The Vikings picked him in the fifth round, and he went on to record seven 1,000 yard NFL seasons. He’s the first Patriots receiver with at least 1,000 yards in a season since Julian Edelman in 2019.
“Hopefully I can continue to be a motivation for them, tell them that they can do anything they put their mind to,” Diggs said. “I know it’s cliche, but I worked extremely hard to get to where I’m at. Don’t stop working, don’t get discouraged when things don’t go right. You need a little bit of luck, but hopefully God’s on your side.”
Getting that first big job
Offensive lineman Morgan Moses was rehabbing from a Lisfranc injury that cut his rookie year short.
“There was a lot of uncertainty about what football was going to bring,” Moses said. “But I battled through it. It was the start of my career.”
He won a starting spot at offensive tackle that summer. He started all 16 games for Washington that year. Now in his 12th NFL season, Moses credits his rehab process with sharpening his focus.
“I think it built me up a lot,” Moses said. “That’s not a small injury. It reshaped my vision of becoming a professional athlete. It definitely made a difference.”
Khari A. Thompson
Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.
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