Three vie for Hall of Fame nod
Offensive tackle Matt Light, defensive lineman Richard Seymour and linebacker Mike Vrabel have been selected as finalists for induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame, the team announced yesterday.
All three players were part of the Patriots first three Super Bowl championships.
Light, who protected Tom Brady’s blind side for 11 seasons, is a first-time finalist. Seymour, a seven-time Pro Bowler, is a finalist for the second time. Vrabel, who played a number of roles on defense, special teams and as an automatic touchdown maker lining up with the offense in the red zone, is a thirdtime finalist.
Fans can go to patriots.com to vote through May 14.
The Patriots will announce the 2018 Hall of Fame selection that week.
Gronk invests in Gronk
He’s not just horsing around. Rob Gronkowski bought a minority stake in a racehorse that is named after him and will race in the Kentucky Derby.
The 3-year-old colt named Gronk will run at Churchill Downs on May 5. Phoenix Thoroughbreds, a global horse racing investment fund, purchased the horse for over $400,000 in England last year. Trainer Jeremy Noseda’s family are big Patriots fans, so the horse was named after the All-Pro tight end.
Terms of the deal with Gronkowski were not announced. Reached by the Wall Street Journal, Gronkowski said he hopes to meet the horse a few days before the Derby.
“I’ve never dealt with horses,” he said. “Hopefully I can get a ride on the horse.”
Gronkowski admitted he has a lot to learn about the sport. He’s treating the horse as an investment but also a source of fun.
“It will be a new experience. Hopefully it will be something I like. I like new hobbies,” he said.
Schedule unveiled tonight
The 2018 NFL regular season schedule will be announced tonight on NFL Network at 8 p.m. The two-hour special will break down the entire schedule, division by division, analyzing the top matchups and prime-time games, including the 18-game “Thursday Night Football” schedule on Fox and NFL Network.
The Patriots host AFC East rivals Miami, Buffalo and the Jets as well as the Colts, Texans, Chiefs, Vikings and Packers.