Kight receiving his chance

FOXBOROUGH -- Kelvin Kight has never lacked faith, both in his ability to play in the NFL and in the more pious sense.

Both were tested when the Patriots wide receiver spent the 2005 season at home in Lithonia, Ga., working out and praying for another chance after the Jacksonville Jaguars released him in the final preseason cutdown. The Jaguars were the third team -- but not the last -- to let Kight go after he entered the league in 2004 as an undrafted free agent, signing with the St. Louis Rams.

"When I was in Jacksonville I was practicing hard, working hard, and come the game I just didn't know what was going on," said Kight. "But when you look back on it, God always has a time set for you. When something is supposed to happen for you it's going to happen when it's his time.

"That's why I started to go to church more. He kind of broke me down real good, so I didn't have no choice but to go to him. Once I started doing that, I just started realizing that my time was going to come and I just had to keep working."

Kight's time has finally come with the Patriots this season. New England picked up the 6-foot, 213-pounder July 31 after the Minnesota Vikings, who ended Kight's NFL exile by signing him last January, released him. Kight, who appeared in one game for the Green Bay Packers in 2004, spent the first 13 weeks of the season on the Patriots' practice squad, before earning his way onto the active roster prior to the team's trip to Miami to play the Dolphins. He has been active ever since.

Kight came full circle last week, when against Jacksonville he made his first career start, as the Patriots opened in a four-wide-receiver set, and hauled in the first reception of his career, a 9-yard pass from Tom Brady on New England's first offensive play.

"He was on the scout team out there making plays and you just stick out making plays," said Patriots wide receiver Reche Caldwell, who played with Kight at the University of Florida. "There is going to come a time when you have to give that guy a chance, and he got his opportunity and he's making the most of it."

A chance is all Kight, 24, wanted, and it's something he felt he didn't get in Minnesota. Kight didn't feel he was getting a fair shake because of his status as an undrafted player. But Kight quickly learned that Patriots coach Bill Belichick judges players by performance, not reputation. That's why Kight is playing just as much, if not more than second-round pick Chad Jackson.

"He doesn't care if you're a first-rounder, a seventh-rounder, a free agent, if you work hard and you produce then you'll get an opportunity," said Kight. "That was one thing, just knowing you'll have a fair shot."

Another comfort for Kight has been the fraternity of former Florida receivers the Patriots have with Caldwell, Jackson, and Jabar Gaffney. Kight played with all three in Gainesville.

"Just having that camaraderie with guys you know, that you've been around before, that helps you out a lot," said Kight. "It can help you relax some and just go out and play and have fun. You're out there working out scout team and they're yelling your name out, 'Get 'em Kight, get 'em.' It motivates you even more."

Belichick didn't add Kight to the active roster to appease the Gator Brigade. He did it based on Kight's willingness to embrace a role on special teams and the scout team.

"He showed up in the kicking game. He made some plays in coverage, in practice, and in the games," said Belichick. "He worked hard on the practice squad. He's been one of our better practice players in terms of giving us a look on other receivers that we play against. He got an opportunity to play here a few weeks ago and has done some positive things for us. I think it's a real credit to his work ethic, his diligence, and versatility."

Although Brady mentioned Kight earlier this week when talking about playmakers on offense, it's performances like the one he had against Houston, when he notched two special teams tackles, that keep him on the roster.

"With a lot of players, it takes them a while to understand, but the quicker they figure it out, the better off they are; the better they are on special teams, the more opportunities they get on offense and defense," said Belichick.

Kight has caught on quickly to the Patriots' way of doing business, so he knows one catch does not a career make. He didn't even bother to save the ball.

"In this job you can be here one day and gone the next," said Kight. "You never know what anybody is thinking, so you have to try to put your best foot forward every time you step on the field."

Christopher L. Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com.