Patriots lure Colvin from civilian comfort

FOXBOROUGH - Rosevelt Colvin received the phone call Monday from the Patriots. They offered him a return to the NFL, an opportunity he was not seeking. He waited to give his answer.

Colvin was happy living in Houston. He did his daughter's hair every morning before he took her to school. He tended to his business interests in UPS Stores. He became a more doting husband than he had been during his nine seasons in the NFL.

"Was I retired? No," Colvin said. "But stepping away from the game was something I was open to."

Colvin, 31, contemplated his decision. He talked with his wife and called his parents. Ultimately, the thing that brought Colvin back to the Patriots as a free agent outside linebacker yesterday was, he said, "the love I have for this organization and the guys on the team."

And so the Patriots signed Colvin, a move that brought somewhat less fanfare than the first time they added Colvin, in 2003. Colvin then signed a lucrative contract and was expected to be a destructive defensive force before a devastating hip injury rerouted his career. Now Colvin, whom the Patriots cut after last season, is returning to New England despite finding happiness away from football.

"I've said for a long time that I am content, and I have been content with who I am, who I was, and who I continue to be as a football player," he said. "The luxuries I had being a player here for five years, winning championships, I didn't necessarily have something to prove. So it wasn't like I was scratching walls trying to get back into the game.

"It's what your priorities are. I was at peace. This is not something that I was nervous about, or had anxiety of who is going to call or when they are going to call. I was enjoying myself being a father."

Colvin last played an NFL game Nov. 25, 2007, in a Patriots victory over the Eagles. The Patriots cut him shortly after last season, when he failed a physical. He spent training camp this year with the Texans and lasted only until Aug. 29, the day Houston made its final cut. Colvin has not played since.

The Patriots plucked him off the NFL's scrap heap out of a necessity born from injuries. Starting outside linebacker Adalius Thomas may be out for the season with a forearm injury. (That he is not on season-ending injured reserve leaves open his possible return.)

Thomas's replacement, Pierre Woods, left last Sunday's loss to the Steelers in the third quarter with a jaw injury and did not practice yesterday. Vince Redd, another reserve, was not at practice yesterday, either, because of an ankle injury.

(The Patriots had an open roster spot after placing Jason Webster on injured reserve Tuesday, so they did not need to make a corresponding move to add Colvin.)

Colvin first recognized an opportunity to return to the Patriots when Thomas was injured, but he didn't alter his daily routine. He was asked yesterday if he felt he was in good enough shape to play Sunday against the Seahawks.

"I am in great shape to wake up in the morning, to do my daughter's hair, to run up and down the stairs and get their clothes and prep them for school, take them to school, come back home, enjoy the day with my wife, go to the UPS Store, and come home and eat dinner," Colvin said. "I guess I was in good enough shape that they felt comfortable bringing me on, so we'll see what happens."

The Patriots ran Colvin through a workout Tuesday, and coach Bill Belichick felt satisfied he could contribute, possibly as early as Sunday. What, then, would be a realistic expectation for Colvin? "We'll see," Belichick said.

Colvin walked back into the locker room yesterday and met with old friends. A new jersey greeted him: No. 95, the digits of his familiar 59 - now worn by rookie Gary Guyton - reversed. Colvin's view of his new number reflected his changed, mellowed outlook since he last played.

"I would not challenge [Guyton] as saying I need that to move forward in something I'm trying to do over four or five games," Colvin said. "Once you put the jersey on, you can't see the number. Ninety-five is going to be it - the alter ego."

For the Patriots, Colvin's familiarity outweighed his rust. With outside linebackers succumbing to injuries seemingly each week, they needed a player able to step in immediately.

"Rosie's been here before," Belichick said. "He certainly knows what we're doing, knows the defense. There's a smaller learning curve with him."

"Rosie brings a lot to us," defensive lineman Richard Seymour said. "We're definitely excited to have him back. We need him. He'll have to get into playing shape. But if Ty Law can do it, anybody can."

So Colvin is back in the NFL, months after he left the game, unsure if he would - and if he wanted to - return.

"It's mixed emotions," he said. "It's a good opportunity to come back and see people I have some history with, a good chance to run around, play football for a couple games.

"Like I said, either way I would have been fine, not getting an opportunity or getting an opportunity. I'm thankful for it, so hopefully I can produce and some good things will come out of it."

Adam Kilgore can be reached at akilgore@globe.com