Wilfork: Coaches must feel Tebow 'can help us win'

FOXBORO -- Vince Wilfork approached the Tim Tebow topic with care on Wednesday. The 10-year Patriots veteran is almost always good to give his opinion, which can sometimes hold as much weight as the nose tackle's frame. 

"I'm glad I don't have to chase him around in games," Wilfork smiled. "We're going to treat him just like we treat everybody. We always treat people fair, no matter who you are. Guys come and go from here [and] it's a family here; he's part of our family. I'm happy to have him."

But of course. 

"Just another teammate who can help us win," he said simply. "I'm glad to have him as a teammate and I'm pretty sure he'll do some things that can help us win. It's up to the coaches to put him where he needs to be. Any decision the coaches make to bring guys in or release guys, is for the better for this team."

Every sentence sounded in accordance with the approved script. That is until Wilfork gave, as Tom Curran called an Aaron Hernandez line yesterday, an "accidentally apt" quote.  

"That's exactly what this is all about: They feel he can help us in some kind of way, we don't know, but I'm happy to have him as a teammate."

He seemed more certain of Tebow not being a distraction in Foxboro. Why? That's an easy one. 

"We're all about football. We're all about football and winning. If you're not about that, this is not a place for you. Whoever's been here, that came here and have been successful, and guys that haven't been successful and ended up leaving here -- it is what it is. It's a business. 

"That's one thing I can say about this organization: We do everything we can to win ballgames. How it is, we've got to get it done. Plus, there are 31 other teams out there that are making moves. So we have to make sure that we make the right moves and bring in the right guys with the right character and the right mindset of winning. That's what it's all about." 

New England has brought in its fair share of headline-inspiring personalities, even just recently with Randy Moss, Chad Johnson and Albert Haynesworth. None of those three lasted long with the Patriots. 

At least Tebow is more famous than infamous, unlike the aforementioned troubled trio. And one could argue how much of the feeding he's done, versus the media, to make his celebrity swell. 

Wilfork believes the important distinctions are made organically. All those extra cameras? Not part of the process. 

"Trust me, we don't even pay that no attention around here. If you're not willing to win, not willing to put the work in to be successful around here, you won't make it. The guys who make it around here are willing to humble themselves and come in here, put the team first, and concentrate on winning."

The aspect of talent must have been implied. 


(csnne.com)