Branch goes beyond limits
DT exceeds career goal
‘To have the satisfaction and the feeling of knowing you defeated double teams against two players trying to stop you from getting to a place or getting back to the quarterback and causing havoc (is satisfying).’
— ALAN BRANCH
FOXBORO — Alan Branch began the bonus phase of his NFL career with an abbreviated workout on the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots defensive tackle was removed from the physically unable to perform list yesterday morning after missing three weeks of training camp with an undisclosed condition.
Entering his 11th NFL season — his fourth with the Pats and one year beyond his self-imposed limit of pain and punishment — the 6-foot-6, 350-pounder figured he was good for a decade in the league after being selected by Arizona in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2007 NFL draft.
“Actually my plan coming out of college (Michigan) was to play 10 and be done so I’m blessed that I’m still physically able to play,” said Branch. “It’s the guys and the camaraderie and the competition level especially.”
Branch has a litany of reasons for extending his playing career beyond financial incentives. He is coming off his second Super Bowl victory and the prospects appear good for a return engagement.
He enjoyed the best statistical season of his career in 2016 when he started all 16 regular-season games and registered a careerhigh 49 tackles with 1.5 sacks and three passes defended.
In the postseason, Branch recorded a personal-best seven tackles in the AFC playoff win over the Houston Texans and recovered a Matt Ryan fumble in the Patriots’ win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Branch just couldn’t walk away from the excitement and selfsatisfaction of trench warfare in the NFL.
“I don’t think there are too many jobs out there where you can go against another person and just enforce your dominance on them,” he said. “To have the satisfaction and the feeling of knowing you defeated double teams against two players trying to stop you from getting to a place or getting back to the quarterback and causing havoc.”
Branch lost significant time and reps while on PUP. He plans to atone when the Patriots hold joint practices with the Texans this week in West Virginia.
“I missed being with the guys and everything but I’m right along with them when it comes to film watching and what I’m supposed to do,” said Branch. “Hopefully I’m not too far behind physically as we go to practice against Houston, but right now I feel great. This is my 11th year and the one thing I know in this life is football and I trust in myself.”
He doesn’t expect the Patriots will go beyond the basics in their collaboration with the Texans.
“Camp is all about fundamentals anyway and preseason isn’t really going to show much,” said Branch. “Both teams are not going to show too much, they are just going to go out there and see who belongs on the field with the other 52 guys.”