A few minutes with ...

FOXBOROUGH – Offensive tackle Mark LeVoir was claimed off waivers by the Patriots last Monday. Earlier this week, he took a few minutes to answer some questions about his background in the game.

How did you enjoy your experience at Notre Dame?
“It was a great experience. Obviously I was there was some tough times. I was a [Bob] Davie recruit. I played for him for a year, then [Ty] Willingham for three. And obviously, as you guys as aware, with Coach [Charlie] Weis for one year. But it was definitely an honor to play there. I wouldn’t go back and change a thing.”

Where are you from?
“Eden Prairie, Minnesota, which is a suburb just west of Minneapolis.”

Your NFL career, you started with Chicago as a rookie free agent …
“I was with them for a year and a half, on the practice squad, and then got picked up on the active roster with St. Louis last year. This year, I was claimed off waivers here by New England.”

What was it like spending a year and a half in Chicago and then picking up and starting anew in St. Louis?
“You’re going midseason and transitioning from a familiar situation to a different one. But there were a lot of guys in St. Louis who made the transition easy. So it wasn’t that big of a deal.”

How about this transition, to New England? Did it surprise you?
“It did. I wasn’t expecting to be claimed off waivers. I was kind of prepared for what it would be like from the last time, you come in and have to learn the playbook. A lot of the nucleus of the offense is similar to what we did at Notre Dame my last year there under Coach Weis. That’s made the transition a lot smoother.”

Why were you not expecting to get claimed by another team?
“Usually as an offensive lineman, with me not having much video other than preseason games, the chances of that aren’t as great if you have a little bit more of a resume. But I'm really excited about it.”

How does it affect you to just pick up and relocate, without it being your choice?
“It’s just kind of one of those understood things of the business. You just kind of live in a suitcase and you go wherever you need to go.”