Drew Bledsoe Returning To AFC Championship As Honorary Patriots Captain
It was just announced that New England Patriots Hall of Famer Drew Bledsoe will serve as the team’s honorary captain for the AFC Championship Game this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
According to the Patriots, Bledsoe will be a part of the pregame festivities and will accompany the team captains to midfield for the coin toss before kickoff.
As some of you might remember, Bledsoe led the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXI in 1996 with a 20-6 victory over the Jaguars on Jan. 12, 1997, the first time the Patriots ever hosted the AFC Championship Game.
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“Drew Bledsoe played such an integral role in our efforts to rebuild the Patriots,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft in an official team statement. “He gave fans hope for the future by providing many memorable moments during his record-breaking career. For a franchise that had only hosted one playoff game in its first 35 years, winning the AFC Championship Game at home in Foxboro and taking the Patriots to the playoffs for three consecutive years were unimaginable goals prior to his arrival.”
Right now the Patriots are rolling with two quarterbacks, so there should be some comfort in having Bledsoe in the house if things head south. So if you’re reading this Drew, remember to bring your gear! Because our own Scott Zolak will be busy up in the booth with the call of the game alongside Bob Socci.
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Everyone in Patriots Nation remembers when the Pats upset the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2002 AFC Championship Game in their own house, thanks in large part to Bledsoe’s remarkable second-half relief effort in place of the injured Tom Brady. And we all remember how this story ended with their first ever Super Bowl victory.
On Sunday afternoon, the Patriots will be hosting their eighth AFC Championship Game in Foxborough and seventh at Gillette Stadium. And it will mark their 14th trip to the AFC Championship and 13th under owner Robert Kraft.
You can hear the local call of the AFC Championship Game right here on 98.5 The Sports Hub.
— By John ‘The Dude’ Hardiman, 985TheSportsHub.com
