After winning Super Bowl XLIX, the New England Patriots received two television specials from NFL Films: Do Your Job, an inside look at the Patriots coaching staff, and America’s Game, giving a platform for three Patriots- TE Rob Gronkowski, WR Julian Edelman, and FS Devin McCourty- to relive their magical season.
The Patriots will have to select three more to represent the 2016 squad for America’s Game: Super Bowl LI, set to debut in early September. The film will revisit the entire year for the Patriots, from start to finish.
The Patriots selected QB Tom Brady, SS Lawyer Milloy, and K Adam Vinatieri to represent the 2001 team, while OC Charlie Weis, SS Rodney Harrison, and EDGE Willie McGinest received the honors for 2003; HC Bill Belichick, WR Troy Brown, and LB Tedy Bruschi were selected for the 2004 team.
America’s Game tries to avoid duplicates, so while another look at Brady and Belichick would be special, it shouldn’t be expected. NFL Films prefers players that have a presence on screen and are willing and able to articulate their thoughts. While an offensive player, defensive player, and a coach is a pretty normal combination, it’s not necessarily the rule.
Who do you want to represent the 2016 Patriots? Let’s hear it in the comments.
With Brady, Gronkowski, Edelman, McCourty, and Belichick off the theoretical board, I have a few choices:
Offense
1. RB James White: Why not have the Super Bowl hero talk? He was with the team all season, unlike Dion Lewis, and White delivered on the biggest stage. White’s also a fun interview, so he could have some good insight.
2. TE Martellus Bennett: Duh.
3. LT Nate Solder: The Patriots have won the Super Bowl the past two seasons where Solder remaining healthy. He’s also a very sweet person with a great sense of humor.
4. RB LeGarrette Blount: Blount is hilarious and he was the Patriots leader in yards from scrimmage. He carried the team over the first quarter of the season.
Defense
1. CB Logan Ryan: Ryan is one of the best interviews with some comical insight and he played a supremely key role for the Patriots this year.
2. LB Dont’a Hightower: Hightower is a defensive captain and deserves a shot at the microphone. He’s open to new opportunities- if only to do it once in his life- and has a deep appreciation for the game.
Special Teams
1. Matthew Slater: We need Slater to do it. If we could only have one player narrate America’s Game, it would be Slater.
Coaches
1. DC Matthew Patricia: Patricia loves his players and is extremely charismatic. That could come across well on screen.
2. OC Josh McDaniels: If the Patriots need another offensive mind, they could go to McDaniels, but there are no shortage of talkers on offense.
If I could pick, I would go Bennett, Ryan, and Slater. What do you think?