Patriots Offensive Line Loves Crosswords

Move over Green Bay Packers, with Settlers of Catan. The New England Patriots have a hobby that is sure to thrill.

ESPN's Mike Reiss caught rookie tackle Cameron Fleming working on a crossword puzzle during media day. That said, Fleming is quite literally a rocket scientist, so this hobby wouldn't be too far off the mark.

As it turns out, crossword puzzles are kind of a thing for the offensive line. TheFootballGirl.com notes a really interesting backstory to the Patriots downtime:

The crossword camaraderie came to be about two years ago when former Patriots guard Logan Mankins showed up at training camp with one of those thick crossword puzzle books, an attempt to combat the inherent boredom of camp. Mankins passed it around and the unit realized they each had something to contribute. Together they made completed crosswords.

"It’s always a collective effort," says guard Dan Connolly, "I don’t think anyone has done one all by themselves."

The unit takes pride in the oneness, though most of the linemen consider Connolly their crossword MVP."

It's clear to see, now, why Connolly was elected as team captain. Go read the article. It's great.