Now, he's a multimillion-dollar NFL cornerback, and his every move will be meticulously tracked by Uncle Sam. The humble Patriots veteran isn't exactly complaining about his new bankroll, but it's not going to change him as a person.
"I've always been like that, [even] back in the day when I had a paper route," said Bodden, who recently signed a new five-year contract with the Pats reportedly worth $28 million. "I definitely save my money and just try to look forward to the future. I don't really live in the now. I kind of think ahead of time. I've always been like that. … Maybe later on down the road, I'll get something for myself, but this is really for my family and me last."
Bodden signed with the Patriots in 2009 for the veteran minimum, hoping he could prove himself by excelling for a winner. The undrafted free agent out of Duquesne spent his first five seasons with the Browns before getting traded to the Lions in 2008. Teams across the league knew he could play, but there wasn't much of a market for Bodden after he endured a winless season in Detroit — although, it was rumored he turned down better offers to play in New England.
Obviously, Bodden's strategy worked. He already had a working knowledge of Bill Belichick's system from playing under Romeo Crennel in Cleveland, and Bodden had five interceptions and 17 pass defenses in 2009. He was easily the Patriots' most consistent cornerback, and he made himself an attractive commodity on the 2010 free-agent market. Bodden was heavily courted by the Texans — "It makes you feel good as a player to know that other teams do want you," he said — but he couldn't see himself leaving New England.
"I definitely wanted to be back here, but free agency is about seeing what else is out there," Bodden said. "I saw what else is out there, and I decided that this is the place where I wanted to be."
Bodden cited a gaggle of reasons for re-upping with the Pats, including the organization's winning tradition, his comfort with the coaching staff and defensive system, and his desire to remain with the young and talented secondary. Plus, Bodden knew if he signed elsewhere — like Houston, for example — he'd be playing for a fourth team in four years.
Most importantly, though, the 28-year-old just wants to win. After all, a year in Detroit will have that effect on a guy.
"That's always any player's goal: to be in the Super Bowl, to be able to compete for a championship," Bodden said. "When you're on losing teams, it's tough. There are guys out there who are on losing teams and making a lot of money, and they're not really happy because they want to win. That's something I want to do, and that's something that motivates me."
Bodden signed a four-year, $27 million extension with the Browns after the 2005 season, but he insisted his fire for the game remained the same. To him, he's always going to be that kid from Duquesne who went undrafted, and his will to continue proving people wrong is as strong as ever.
With the latest contract, Bodden said he'll take on an added responsibility as a leader. That wasn't to say he didn't do that last season, but he wants to increase that role in the locker room, particularly with the younger players.
But chances are, Bodden won't roll into work in a suped-up Bugatti on 70-inch diamond rims. He won't wear golden cleats on the field or change his name to Leigh Dos Tres. And Steamin' Willie Beamen won't have a duet partner any time soon. Bodden is just the same old guy, and he was no different during a 10-minute media session Wednesday morning at Gillette Stadium.
"To be honest, it's just numbers," Bodden said of the contract. "It doesn't really blow me away. I'm just a simple guy, a humble guy. I was definitely excited. All I did was think about that I'm going to be here for some years, and happy that these guys wanted me back, and Mr. [Robert] Kraft and Bill Belichick showed me that they wanted me back. It was great. That was really all I thought about — just coming back next season and trying to be better than I was last year."
