Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez skips into the end zone as he scores the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Packers. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Jerod Mayo (center) hugged Devin McCourty (left) after McCourty intercepted a pass against the Miami Dolphins in the first quarter of a game on Jan. 2, 2011. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Nose tackle Vince Wilfork flexes after the Patriots made a big defensive stop against the Packers in the second half of a Patriots win. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

(Left to right) Patriots starters Matt Light, Dan Koppen, Tom Brady, and Logan Mankins show off their playoff hair growth as they stand on the sideline in the second half of a season-ending win against Miami. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Wes Welker worked for a little more yardage after the catch against the Buffalo Bills. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Deion Branch (left) and Wes Welker celebrate Branch's touchdown against the Bears. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski celebrates in front of Steelers fans after scoring a touchdown during a Patriots win in Pittsburgh. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Patriots running back Danny Woodhead (bottom) was congratulated by teammate Wes Welker (top) following Woodhead's exciting touchdown run that put New England ahead 28-14 against the Colts. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady howls with delight after the first New England touchdown of the game gave the home team a 10-0 lead and provided all the points they would need during a 45-3 rout of the Jets. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff)

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady calls out signals during a snowy win in Chicago on Dec. 12, 2010. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff)

BenJarvus Green-Ellis breaks free as he heads for the end zone in the fourth quarter of a game against the Vikings on Oct. 31. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

James Sanders (left) and Brandon Meriweather celebrate Meriweather's interception that sealed the game for the Patriots. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (left) celebrated with fellow tight end Alge Crumpler after Gronkowski's first quarter touchdown against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium Oct. 24, 2010. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

The Patriots Mike Wright (99) and Jerod Mayo (51) celebrated after Chargers placekicker Kris Brown (3) missed a game-tying field goal in the last minute of the game, which gave New England a 23-20 victory over San Diego Sunday Oct. 24, 2010. New England's Devin McCourty (32) smiles at Brown. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

New England Patriot Deion Branch celebrated after his 23-yard reception against the Baltimore Ravens during overtime action at Gillette Stadium on Sunday Oct. 17, 2010. (Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff)

New England Patriot Deion Branch celebrated his 5-yard touchdown reception in front of the Baltimore Ravens' Lardarius Webb (21) and Fabian Washington at Gillette Stadium on Sunday October 17, 2010. (Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff)

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady gets off a pass despite pressure from behind by the Dolphins Philip Merling. New England offensive lineman Nick Kaczur is at left. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Patriots wide reciver Randy Moss looks back and stiff arms Dolphins cornerback Vonte Davis (left) as he heads for the end zone on the recieving end of a 71 yard third quarter touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady (not pictured) that put New England ahead 22-17. The ensuing two point conversion made it 24-17, and the home team went on to a 27-17 victory. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

The scoreboard tells the story as the Patriots are defeating the Titans 59-0 at snowy Gillette Stadium. An explosive second quarter established the record-setting performance by the team in a game that was over by halftime. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Patriots' running back Laurence Maroney sails through the snow for some yardage in the Patriots' demolition of the Titans in Foxoborough. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Recently unretired Patriots linebacker Junior Seau acknowledges cheers of the crowd in the snow as he plays in the fourth quarter of the Patriots' 59-0 win over the Titans. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Patriots tight end Chris Baker drags a Falcons defender into the end zone with him as he scores a fourth quarter touchdown on a 36 yard reception from Tom Brady (not pictured) that capped the scoring in New England's 26-10 victory. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Tom Brady, on a fourth and 3 play from the Atlanta 37 yard line in the third quarter has plenty of protection and he hits Randy Moss for 21 yards and a first down at the 16 yard line. The play set up a New England field goal that made it 19-10 Patriots, in a game they would go onto win 26-10. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson celebrates in the end zone with Pat Patriot after the 2nd of his 2 TD receptions in the 4th quarter that proved to be the winning difference in the Patriots season opening 25-24 win over Buffalo. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff Photo)

Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski comes out of the pile with the ball following his fourth quarter fumble recovery that saved the game for the home team. The New England Patriots went on to win their season opener against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff Photo)

Former New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi is greeted in his new job working for ESPN by former teammates Randy Moss, left, and New England Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather, right, as the team came onto the field during pre-game warm ups. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff Photo)

Linebacker Tedy Bruschi celebrates as he shouts encouragement to teammate Je'Rod Cherry after Cherry downed a punt at the Baltimore 3 yard line in the fourth quarter, pinning the Ravens deep in their own territory in a November 28, 2004 regular season game. Bruschi retired before the start of the 2009 season and now works as an ESPN analyst. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff Photo)

Patriots as head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady talked on the bench in the second half of the 2009 opening game against the Bills. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff Photo)

New England Patriots guard Vince Wilfork sits on the bench during the fourth quarter of the first pre-season game of the year against Philadelphia. (John Bohn/Globe Staff Photo)

Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady was back in charge in the huddle in the opening game of the 2009 preseason. The New England Patriots kicked off the year against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff Photo)

Helmets of tackles, linemen, and guards are placed in a row, at the end of a Patriots practice during training camp, in Foxborough, MA on Sunday, August 2, 2009. (Yoon S. Byun/Globe Staff Photo)