Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi to retire Monday

by Brad Wells on Aug 31, 2009 12:06 AM EDT in NFL General

Reports out of New England are that longtime Colts rival Tedy Bruschi is retiring after 13 years with the Patriots. Bruschi was in danger of being cut from the Patriots on Monday. But, rather than cut Bruschi, the Patriots and Bill Belichick seemed to have convinced him that retirement is best.

With Bruschi's departure, the once great Patriots defense of the early 2000s is all but gone. With the retirement of Rodney Harrison and Mike Vrabel traded to the Chiefs as part of the Matt Cassel deal, the Patriots of 2009 will look dramatically different on defense than they have looked in the past.

Other news out of Pats Land is that they have released second year QB Kevin O'Connell. You might remember O'Connell from last year's draft, where we thought the Colts might take a shot at drafting him. O'Connell was a third round pick of the Patriots in 2008.

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there goes

One of the few guys from the Pats that I liked and respected. I’ll always remember how he was one of the first people to walk over and congratulate Manning after the 06 AFC championship.

by Rocky Top Manning on Aug 31, 2009 1:00 AM EDT reply actions

Thanks for posting this, BBS

Even though it was inevitable, us Pats fans are pretty sad to see Tedy go.

Blogger at SBNation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit

by MaPatsFan on Aug 31, 2009 8:08 AM EDT reply actions

I agree, thanks for posting

some players just transcend the team their playing for and just stand out in the NFL as passionate football players who give everything they’ve got and play every snap all-out, heart and soul.

Keep the faith!

by Marima on Aug 31, 2009 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Bruschi

I respected him too. He is the prototype of a smart veteran football player that really understands how to succeed on the field.

That said, I won’t be missing him at all though.

"I'm looking for Ray Finkle....and a clean pair of shorts."

by AceOfSpades on Aug 31, 2009 2:08 PM EDT reply actions

Good riddance

Bruschi had everybody fooled. The guy was a grade A asshole but cultivated this heroic good guy image. I’m as impressed as anyone else that he came back to play after a stroke (even though he wasn’t any good, and his tackle numbers were only what they were because everyone just started running right at him), and I appreciate some things about how he played the game, but the guy was a piece of shit. He just hid it really well. That Make a Wish segment he did with ESPN two seasons ago made me laugh out loud. It was as propaganda-y as something you’d see from a politician.

by willyduer on Aug 31, 2009 3:20 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I didn’t want to be the first to say it because of the inevitable shitstorm that would follow, but I completely and utterly agree. Good riddance.

rec’d btw

by KingRichard on Aug 31, 2009 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Honestly, some of the stuff I know about him can be chalked up to simple on-field intensity. I’ve done and said some things in the heat of an intense hockey game that are out of character and embarrassing too. But the guy really crossed the line on multiple occasions. I guess I still wouldn’t care except that he has always pretended to be this heroic wonderful guy, and the media eats it up. I’m an asshole too, but at least I don’t try to pretend that I’m not.

by willyduer on Aug 31, 2009 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions

yep i was never a fan of his either.

Maybe I’m still bitter about that FF he had on Rhodes (or Edge?) in the 2004 divisional game, but I never thought he was that great a LB, and I especially didn’t buy his “heroic” image.

by torontocoltsfan on Aug 31, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Curious

As much as I hate the Pats (which you all know is a WHOLE WHOLE lot!), I always had a favorable impression of Bruschi. What did he do that made him such a grade A asshole?

How can you not love a team that does this?

by LovinBlue on Aug 31, 2009 9:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Without getting into detail, he behaved inappropriately around women and children on several occasions. The low numbered rows behind the visitors bench in the RCA dome got to witness a few really classy acts from him a few years back and he showed his true colors once during a pregame coin toss. I’ve heard other things too that I can’t personally verify.

by willyduer on Aug 31, 2009 10:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought it was pretty classless

how he acted on camera after one of their posteason victories against the Colts. Can’’t remember which, but it was personal. Instead of shaking hands, he ran over and started gloating and insulting the overhyped Colts team in front of the camera. I have disliked him ever since.

by coltsfanawalt on Aug 31, 2009 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions

oh yeah, that too

by willyduer on Sep 1, 2009 12:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeap.

by KingRichard on Sep 1, 2009 8:08 AM EDT up reply actions

well it's a good thing the NFL fandom has you as its watchdog

Bruschi must have hid it really, really well to have fooled so many people not only in New England, but across the country (except you of course.) He went to great lengths to fool them too, first with the amount of personal time he has given to benefit charity events – both national, NFL related and locally – and then with the money and other items he has donated – just to give the illusion he was a good guy.

He even faked mentoring the younger guys in the locker room. Sneaky bastard. That, coupled with the idiocy of the rest of the NFL’s offensive players who for some inexplicable reason just “started running right at him” making it look like the guy could tackle. What meatheads. But you know how sentimental and soft-hearted Belichick is, always keeping those old players around just for kicks and giggles even when they’re as untalented as Bruschi was and older than dirt.

Keep the faith!

by Marima on Sep 1, 2009 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions