Patriots: 3 most underrated Pats of Tom Brady era

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 24: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots talks with Tom Brady #12 before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Gillette Stadium on November 24, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images) /

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Patriots DT Vince Wilfork (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /

2. Vince Wilfork

We have a question for anybody who thinks that Vince Wilfork shouldn’t be regarded as one of the greatest interior defensive lineman of all time: Did you even watch him play, or did you let his lack of stat-padding sway your opinion?

Perhaps the five-time Pro Bowler doesn’t receive as much recognition or praise as he deserves because the Patriots didn’t win a Super Bowl during his prime years. They won a championship in his rookie campaign in 2004 — during which he started just six games — and didn’t win another until his final year in New England in 2014, two seasons before he retired.

From 2005 to 2013, however, Wilfork was the anchor of the Patriots defense, commanding double teams on seemingly every snap while opening gaping holes for linebackers and pass rushers to get after opposing quarterbacks. That was his role, folks — not filling up the stat sheet. Through no fault of his own, the former first-round pick was easily one of the most overlooked Patriots of the Brady era.

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