FOXBOROUGH – Vince Wilfork had the honor of being the pre-game bell ringer and ceremonial “Keeper of the Light” prior to the Patriots WildCard round win over the LA Chargers.
Wilfork told MassLive he had a pretty good idea who was next, who was going to have the bell-ringing duties atop the lighthouse before the Patriots Divisional Round matchup against the Houston Texans.
He teased: “Trust me, the fans are going to go crazy. It’s going to get them going who they bring out.”
The Patriots two-time Super Bowl winner, however, wanted to keep it a surprise.
Wilfork was taken aback at how emotional he got, looking down on the field from high above, taking in the electric atmosphere below after he tugged on the rope to ring the bell.
“I don’t miss football. But I miss teammates. I miss that camaraderie. I miss stepping on the field and hearing 60,000 people just screaming,” Wilfork said. “Being back in that atmosphere last week, it brought back memories. I had no idea what ‘Keeper of the Light’ was all about, and how serious and how big it was. But it was like, Wow!.
“When I rung the bell, I’m like: ‘Holy Crap! This is for real. I’m ready to play. Let’s go!’
The Patriots Hall of Famer said it was his first visit to the top of the tower, which rises high above the north end zone. He wasn’t sure what his job entailed, but was glad to get instructions.
“I had no idea how to ring that bell,” Wilfork said with a laugh. “But they told me what to do. It was amazing.”
Wilfork, who won two Super Bowls in New England, had a flood of memories flash through his mind. He played his first game in the NFL at Gillette Stadium, and his last, as a Houston Texan, taking on the Patriots in Foxborough.
“I started and ended my career on that field. It brought back memories of sidelines, Super Bowls, and what it meant to for me,” Wilfork said. “It definitely brought back memories. It was a great feeling. It was like chills going down my spine like I was getting ready to play. It was pretty cool.”
By Wilfork’s estimation, the next bell ringer is going to be pretty cool, too.
Among those ringing the bell ahead of home games this season were Devin and Jason McCourty, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Lawyer Milloy, Lawrence Guy, David Andrews, Willie McGinest, and LeGarrette Blount.
“We didn’t have this when I played,” he said. “But man, it was pretty impressive.”
