Belichick has high praise for Wilfork

By Chad Finn

January 30, 2012

2 minutes to read

By Chad Finn, Globe Staff

INDIANAPOLIS — Patriots coach Bill Belichick, engaging and informative again in his press conference this afternoon, was elaborating on the many football attributes of defensive lineman Vince Wilfork when he recalled one of the first moments he recognized that there was a great athlete inside that enormous body.

“I made a big mistake his rookie year, giving the team a night off or not a night off, putting Vince back there to catch a punt,” said Belichick, recalling Wilfork’s clean catch that got the team out of a practice. “He has soft hands, you should hear the ball when it hits his hands. He’s a really good athlete.”

That was evident, in a somewhat amusing way, when Wilfork, listed at 325 pounds, lumbered into the open field twice this season after intercepting a pass. (“Vince is a really good athlete, as we can see from all his interception returns and open-field running,” Belichick joked.) But he is faster than a defensive lineman of his size has a right to be, and he showed off those ol’ punt-fielding hands on the interceptions — in Week 2 against the Chargers and Week 4 versus Oakland.

Belichick was quick to note that Wilfork’s success not only comes from talent, but dedication.

“Out there in practice today, during an offensive period, he’s out there running sprints back and forth across the field working on his conditioning,” Belichick said. “A week to go in the season, that’s indicative of his competitiveness, his desire to be good, and to consistently be good week after week for the entire season.

“You can talk about his appearance, he doesn’t have the classic appearance, but he’s in good shape and he works really hard.”

Wilfork of course will be essential Sunday not only in stopping the Giants’ two-headed running attack of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs, but also pressuring Eli Manning like he did the Ravens’ Joe Flacco in the AFC Championship game. The Patriots can ill afford to have him leave the field. Good thing he rarely wants to.

“He takes a lot of pride in not coming off the field,” said Belichick. “I love that in a defensive lineman. I love that they don’t want to come off. Shaun Ellis is like that. All those years with the Jets. And the years going back to the Giants. Jim Burt and George [Martin] and Leonard [Marshall]. Those guys didn’t want to come off the field. And that’s what Vince’s attitude is.”