I’m continuing my series of the 25 best Patriots players over the past 25 years (in other words, what happened before 2001 doesn’t matter). We're now on the cusp of the top 10, though I must tell you, in many ways, I really enjoyed writing up players 11 through 15.
Again, enjoy, debate and share your recollections in the comments.
15. Wes Welker: I can not properly express how disappointed I am in myself for having Welker this low. His performance in New England was nothing short of sensational, but some of you will forever hold that “drop” in the second Giants Super Bowl against him. Never mind that the throw was poor. Heaven forbid we recall that, thereby questioning Thomas Edward Patrick Brady and the coaching staff that was untouchable, that is, until they weren’t.
"Just funny that we get remembered by the one," Welker said years later. "It's just something that I've gotta move on from." Then, later added, "Finally, we get to the moment that I've been preparing for, where I've made these plays in critical situations over and over and over again. And to not come through? Like ... [shakes head] I was just like, 'Why?' I'd rather not have any of the other [catches] and just have that one."
There has never been a more productive receiver in franchise history. Welker’s half-dozen seasons were an elevation of everything we had ever seen out of the slot, and had franchises chasing the model of that jitterbug and not finding one that compared. Welker’s quick twitch, football intelligence and toughness made him damn near an automatic primary option for Brady, and he thrived in a system that quickly became built around his skillset.
“He had a long journey to being ultimately a revolutionary player who basically created a position,” said his eventual successor at that spot, Julian Edelman.
Welker was a four-time All-Pro, finished 3rd in the OPOY voting in 2007, and somehow finished 4th in Comeback Player of the Year voting in 2010, when he returned from an ACL tear in the season finale in 2009 to play 15 games and catch 86 passes. That was the only time during his tenure in New England where he caught fewer than 100 balls or recorded less than 1,000 yards. Welker was 4th in receiving yards (7,459/11.1 yards per catch) over that stretch, trailing only Calvin Johnson (7,836), Roddy White, and Reggie Wayne.
2007: 112 rec, 1175 yards, 8 TDs (plus 27 for 213 and 2 in the playoffs)
2008: 111 rec, 1165 yards, 3 TDs
2009: 123 rec, 1348 yards, 4 TDs
2010: 86 rec, 848 yards, 7 TDs
2011: 122 rec, 1569 yards, 9 TDs (including a 99-yarder) (also 19-168-1 in playoffs)
2012: 118 rec, 1354 yards, 6 TDs (16-248-1 in playoffs)
The trade for Welker was one of Belichick’s biggest hits, and he became one of Brady’s best friends and, arguably, most trusted targets.
“He had such a level of production,” said Brady. “And I had so much belief in when he could get open. Every important play ended up going in his direction.”
I may have told this story in this space before, but there was one season when I worked at CSNNE (now NBC Sports Boston) where I had to retrieve Welker from the locker room to do his postgame talk-back with Felger and company. It was the ‘You mad, bro’ game in Seattle. During the game, Welker took a hellacious hit, the kind that knocks dudes out. He stayed in the game. As I walked with him back to the field, I asked him how the hell he got up. He said, “Tom needs me.”
14. Julian Edelman: He was drafted in 2009 but didn’t become the kind of player we remember until 2013, the first season post-Welker. What gets lost in translation all these years later is that the Pats didn’t think Edelman was going to be that guy. They went out and signed Danny Amendola to be that cat, but when his body failed, the former Kent State quarterback delivered.
When it was over after 11 seasons, Edelman’s stats still don’t eclipse Welker's (in nearly half the time), but his legacy is carved in stone for what he did in the postseason. He is second all-time in receptions (118), receiving yards and 100-yard games (6), helping the Pats win three Super Bowl titles and was SB MVP in that 13-3 win over the Rams (2019).
"Julian's been one of the players that's probably come further than most every other player that I've coached…" Belichick said at the time of Edelman’s retirement. "His toughness, his competitiveness, his play-making ability certainly is a big, big part of the backbone of our team. I have a ton of respect for Julian and what he accomplished in his career, how hard he worked to accomplish it and a great appreciation for all he's done for me personally and our organization."
Edelman had three 1,000-yard seasons (2013, 2016, 2019) but was never elected to a Pro Bowl or earned All-Pro honors. Still, in big, gotta-have-it moments, Brady knew that if he went to Edelman, something good would happen.
"I don't have a little brother, but he's kind of like a little brother, and he knows how much I love him," Brady said back in 2019. "What he's done with his career has been incredible, and he's so impressive as a player, as a leader - to go from playing quarterback in college to receiver in the pros and then to become really a dominant receiver in the pros, I think that speaks to his work ethic."
Twice, in 2010 and 2012, Edelman averaged over 15 yards per punt return, and we know about his multiple turns at defensive back, including his battle with Anquan Boldin in the 2011 AFC Title game. With a secondary completely shredded because of injuries, Edelman played 27 snaps and forced a critical Boldin fumble in the 4th quarter. That spoke to his willingness to do whatever, whenever.
“He has an attitude going into these games that you try to replicate,” Chris Hogan said later in Edelman’s career. Philip Dorsett added, “He goes in there and does all the dirty work. That's the most underrated part of his game. A lot of people don't really understand how hard that is, the punishment he's taking when he's catching the ball over the middle. A lot of people can't take it. That's what sets him apart from other guys."
After the Pats lost their second straight game in December of 2018, a 17-10 defeat in Pittsburgh, Edelman was super combative with reporters after the game. I was so annoyed by him that I left the scrum. 10 or 15 minutes later, as I left the locker room to make some TV for the NFL Network, I got a tap on the shoulder. It was Edelman. He apologized for being a choice word, then said, “I just hate to lose. It makes me crazy.”
13. Stephon Gilmore: The Pats paid big money for Gilmore, and he was worth every penny. The only player in the Belichick era to win Defensive Player of the Year (2019), he tied for the league lead in interceptions (6) and ranked first in pass breakups (20). Only teammate J.C. Jackson, and Tre’Davious White, had a better passer rating allowed. He also ran two of those INTs back for scores. Yes, it was as good as you remember. Maybe even a little better.
In his four years with New England, Gilmore was a two-time All-Pro (’19 and '20) and a three-time Pro Bowler. He adjusted to a different way of playing - given his choice, it would have all man all the time - but to the Pats’ credit, they also understood their more passive approach (bend but don’t break) was an unwise deployment of someone this highly skilled. When you marry those concessions, you've got a relationship that thrives.
"Steph studies the receivers and the passing game very diligently,” Belichick said. "He's very professional and has a great, I would say, passion for knowing everything about the players that he's matched up against…
“He works hard. He always tries to do what’s best for the team. I think everybody has total respect for his commitment to the football team, his effort and his dependability. Put me at the top of that list.”
Like many, Gilmore’s time in Foxborough came to a close after a disagreement over money. He played on four teams over his next four years, and while he only made one Pro Bowl, he was a net positive in all those spots. Gilmore retired this spring. A case could be made for the Hall of Fame.
12. Dont’a Hightower: Had he been healthier over the course of his career, perhaps he would have been higher on the list. That's how good he was - at times. Hightower was an integral part of the Pats’ defense almost from the moment he was drafted in the 2012 first round (Chandler Jones was also a 1st-rounder in that draft), serving as the connective tissue between the defensive line and the secondary.
That rookie year was a little rocky, as Belichick and the defensive staff tried to figure out how best to utilize this 260-pound force, but once they settled on a hybrid role - part-time edge setter, part-time middle backer - Hightower thrived. His best season was 2016. The former Alabama star earned his only All-Pro nod, but we’ll forever remember him for a pair of Super Bowl moments.
The first came in the best game I’ve ever seen: Patriots vs Seahawks, XLIX. The two heavyweights traded punches, but it looked like Seattle was going to score a dramatic win. But before the play that made Malcolm Butler a household name, it was Hightower who saved the game. Playing with a shoulder that would require off-season surgery, Hightower made a one-armed tackle of Marshawn Lynch, preventing him from hitting paydirt. You know what happened next.
A couple of years later, Hightower played a key role in the Pats erasing a 28-3 deficit to the Falcons in Super Bowl LI. His marquee play, a strip sack, came with the Pats still down 16, 28-12, with just 8:31 remaining in the 4th quarter. He came off the left edge, past weak link Devonta Freeman, and knocked the ball free from Matt Ryan. Big man Alan Branch fell on the ball, and the comeback was now in full swing. In fact, having been there in the open-air press box, I can tell you the usually lukewarmish SB crowd lost its collective minds.
"Earlier Freeman had me in protection, and I was a little bit closer to the line of scrimmage, so he kind of [saw] me," Hightower said. "I guess this time he didn't. I'm not sure. This time, I was able to get by him, and by the time he realized I was there, it was a little too late.
"I took advantage of the opportunity. That was really kind of the thing. We had to make a play, whether it's going out and being overly aggressive or taking advantage of those small opportunity windows and we definitely did that."
Hightower didn’t love doing media. I think he learned that from Jerod Mayo when Mayo was still a player. But he was definitely one of those guys who, when he spoke, we all listened.
11. Willie McGinest: Played a lot of football before 2001 (was drafted 4th overall in 1994), but became the best version of himself in that magical season and in the following few. He was the enforcer on those teams, with his locker positioned right by the exit. If you wanted to leave early, you had to go by McGinest. Good luck with that.
“Nobody would mess with Willie. Nobody,’’ said Belichick. “He was the most, I’d say in the time that I’ve been here, I’d put him up there as the guy you just don’t want to cross him.
“If it got to that point, it’s better to back off than get into it with him. He was very well respected, as he should be.’’
“I know Willie, what kind of demeanor he has and what he demanded,” Hightower told the Globe a couple of years ago. “When you talk about culture, nothing really hits it off like Willie Mac catching a rookie walking out early before him: ‘Get your ass back in here. What are you doing? Where are you going?”
I once saw a poor videographer nail McGinest with his camera. He spun around quickly and caught McGinest, who was sitting, directly in the head. The contact was so hard that pieces of the camera fell off. For a split second, I thought it was over for that poor dude, but after cursing him out, McGinest went back to his business.
At 6’5”, 270, #55 was a terrific edge setter, using those long arms to string plays out and allow the next level to fill gaps and make plays at or behind the line of scrimmage. He was also violent at the point of attack, and kicked many a tackle's ass back into the ball carrier or his lead blocker (Hightower was excellent at that, too).
From his age 30 to 34 seasons, McGinest never had fewer than 5.5 sacks, forced five fumbles, recovered four, and even had three interceptions. Like many of his teammates, he would kick it up in the postseason, with 11.5 sacks over that stretch, including an NFL playoff record 4.5 versus the Jaguars in the Wild Card round.
“He was a great athlete, great player, great teammate, versatile guy (on) championship teams,’’ Belichick said. “He had a great career.
“Really a competitive guy, tough, team-oriented. Winning was really important to him, winning more than personal stats. He took losing hard, which I think that’s a good thing, more than personal accomplishments. Great example for younger players.’’
I later worked with McGinest when we were both at the NFL Network. He would come to Foxborough every once in a while, and he'd be walking down this hallway or that, and I'd tell him peon reporters weren't allowed there. He’d shake his head and say, " Come with me. He was my own, personal backstage pass.