JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Troy Brown is a throwback, a relic of
another era.
In other words, Gino Cappelletti's kind of guy.
"That's the way I remember football being for me," said
Cappelletti, who played for the Patriots in the 1960s and is now on
their radio broadcast team. "A lot of what I see in football
today, it's hard to identify because they've changed the way they
do things."
Indeed, Brown seems more suited for the era when players like
Cappelletti and Chuck Bednarik rarely left the field.
Offense? Defense? Special teams?
All of the above.
Brown has been a receiver for most of his 12-year career, but he
willingly stepped across the line to help the Patriots in the
secondary. And when New England meets the Philadelphia Eagles in
Sunday's Super Bowl, Brown's name will be all over the depth chart.
He's a backup at receiver. He's the No. 2 at right cornerback.
He's the top punt returner.
And, oh yes, he's downright weary.
"There's a lot of information going through my head," Brown
said. "For a few weeks there, I thought I was going crazy."
Playing both ways is largely unheard of in this era. A few
players, like Deion Sanders, have had success on both sides of the
line. But in this era of specialization, look for it to remain
mostly a curiosity, a reminder of a bygone era.
"I bring a little old-school flavor to the game," Brown said.
The transition to defense began in training camp, when the
coaches asked Brown to work at defensive back because of his
familiarity with the passing routes.
Even so, he didn't know most of the defensive calls. To cope
with the transition, secondary coach Eric Mangini stood beside him
on the practice field -- a real, live cheat sheet.
"I was like, 'Dude, I don't know what the calls mean," Brown
said. "So he stood beside me the whole time I was covering guys.
It was kind of a disaster."
But the coaches clearly saw something they liked. When the
secondary lost starting cornerbacks Tyrone Poole and Ty Law to
season-ending injuries, Brown had to fill the void.
It was a strange sight -- this receiver-turned-cornerback who
wears No. 80, dropping back into pass coverage. But he was a quick
study, doing far more than just filling a place on the field.
Working mainly as a nickel back in passing situations, Brown had
three interceptions, broke up five passes and made 17 tackles.
He played enough on the offensive side to make 17 catches for
184 yards, including a touchdown. He also returned 12 punts,
averaging a team-high 6.9 yards.
"He's a complete football player," Cappelletti said. "He has
great instincts on the field, the kind that coaches can't really
teach you. Either you have it or you don't."
As the Patriots go for their third Super Bowl title in four
years, plenty of players -- Tom Brady, Corey Dillon, Teddy Bruschi --
have gotten more attention than Brown. But his teammates consider
him one of their most valuable players.
"As a team player, Troy is right at the top of the list,"
Brady said. "There is no other guy who has the respect of his
teammates like Troy."
In Cappelletti's day, it wasn't unusual for a player to fill
many different roles. There were only 30-something players on the
roster, so versatility was a key in picking those who made it.
Cappelletti showed up for his first Patriots camp in 1960
touting himself as a defensive back, running back, quarterback,
kicker and punter. He started out in the secondary, then shifted to
receiver midway through the season. He also handled most of the
kicking duties.
"We couldn't afford specialization like they do today,"
Cappelletti said. "They have a guy just to snap the ball. That was
unheard of when I played."
Unlike most of today's players, Brown is familiar with names
like Bednarik and Cappelletti.
"When I hear those names, it's kind of refreshing," Brown
said. "It reminds some of the younger generation what it used to
be about in this game."
At age 33, he knows his career is winding down. He hasn't
decided whether to return next season, saying he'll take some time
after Sunday to wind down and weigh his options.
If this is Brown's final game, what a way to go out.
"If I had to do it all over again, I would do it," he said.
"Anything to help the team win."