FOXBOROUGH, Mass — Two of the most important moments in David Andrews’ life are commemorated by rings.
And the similarities between the day he first put on his wedding band and won his first Super Bowl ring don’t end there.
“It’s kind of like your wedding day – everyone freaks about all these little details and all this stuff, but no one really remembers all that at the end of the day,” Andrews, the Patriots’ starting center, said Wednesday. “(You) just kinda remember the results of the wedding. So that’s, I guess, that’s kind of like a Super Bowl.
“It’s a huge event, but really all that matters and all you’re really going to remember is you won or lost.”
Andrews started New England’s 34-28 overtime win over the Falcons in Super Bowl LI. He also played in last year’s championship, a 41-33 loss to the Eagles. Heading into Super Bowl LIII next Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, Andrews is maintaining a strict focus on what he can do to generate a positive result.
Because any and all memories of the game, he believes, will be tied directly to whether the Patriots win or lose.
The rest are a fog.
“It’s just such a blur. I’d say it takes a little while for it to sink in, and I’ve been on both sides of it,” he said. “And like I said, nothing compares to the winning versus losing. Whatever happened that week it’s not as memorable, I guess.”
PATRIOTS QB Tom Brady is one of the most important figures in NFL history with more Super Bowl wins than most everyone.
But when it comes to introducing himself to teammates in the locker room, Brady famously makes an effort to stay down-to-Earth, coming up to newcomers in Foxborough and saying “Hi, I’m Tom Brady.”
For players who have been watching him dominate the sport for almost two decades, the experience is unusual to say the least.
“Yeah, he did that to me,” linebacker Kyle Van Noy said. “I was like, ‘You’re an idiot.'”
Van Noy joined the Patriots after being traded from the Detroit Lions after Week 7 of the 2016 season. On his whirlwind first day at Gillette Stadium, he got a chance to meet his new quarterback.
“I was super tired that day because I flew in super late from Detroit coming in, so I think I got in at 1 that night. I got in (to Gillette) about 5:30 in the morning. Time had went on, I’d had some meetings. But then it was right before the team meeting, I had to run to go to the restroom because I was in meetings for so long.
“I’m washing my hands or whatever and I get done and Tom comes up and kind of shakes my hand like ‘Hi, I’m Tom Brady.’ I’m like, ‘You’re an idiot. Of course.’ I kind of told him ‘My name is Kyle Van Noy.’ But those little things is why he is where he’s at.
“Those little things that people don’t pay attention to, those detailed things, that just separates him. He’s really good for what he does. He’s very detailed and that’s what makes him Tom.”
Brady’s habit of humbly introducing himself to teammates seems to help him make a good impression with newcomers to the locker room. It’s worked pretty well for Van Noy, who went from barely playing in Detroit to being one of the cornerstones of the defense in New England.
THEY ARE still expensive, but not as expensive as they were a few days ago.
Tickets for the Patriots-Rams Super Bowl on the secondary market have fallen below $3,000 for the cheapest seats, known as the “get-in” price, according to several resellers.
Ticketmaster said the “get-in” price on its NFL Ticket Exchange was $2,795 as of Wednesday afternoon, almost $1,000 less than its lowest price available as of Monday morning.
The lowest price listed on StubHub was $2,700 on Wednesday afternoon, down about $750 from Monday.
And TicketIQ showed a starting price of $2,562, down about $400 from Monday.
Earlier this week, TicketIQ founder Jesse Lawrence predicted ticket demand would decline because of the Patriots being in their fifth Super Bowl in eight years and the Rams “still developing a fan base willing to pay $10K-$15K for tickets, travel and a hotel.”
RAMS: Kicker Greg Zuerlein appears on the first injury report before the Super Bowl, listed with a foot injury.
The right-footed Zuerlein was spotted with a walking boot on his left foot Monday after the Rams returned from New Orleans, but Coach Sean McVay said the Rams didn’t pick up any serious injuries while winning the NFC championship game.
Zuerlein made a 57-yard field goal in overtime to send the Rams to their first Super Bowl in 17 years. He also made a 48-yarder with 15 seconds left in regulation to force OT.
PATRIOTS OWNER Robert Kraft made his feelings known about a video that emerged, showing a green laser pointer flashing on Tom Brady’s facemask and helmet during several plays of the Patriots-Chiefs game on Sunday.
“It doesn’t happen when you come to Foxborough,” Kraft said. “I just hear the word ‘laser’ and I think of Tommy and his eyes. And that last drive, we had three third-down-and-10s, and he was laser focused. So, whatever it was, I think it was a positive influence.”
NFL security is reportedly investigating the matter.
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