FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots have picked the perfect time to honor the man coach Bill Belichick called a “perfect player.”
The Patriots will honor former linebacker Tedy Bruschi at halftime of Monday night’s game against the New York Jets. The teams will play for sole possession of first place in the AFC East. With 10 days off since both teams played on Thanksgiving, the game has been hyped like a regular-season Super Bowl, and the winner could be on its way to the real one in February.
Bruschi said he expects both teams to be in contention late into the playoffs.
The 37-year-old Bruschi, who came back after suffering a stroke, helped New England win five conference titles and three Super Bowls.
A halftime ceremony will give him a chance to thank the fans, and vice-versa.
