FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots defensive tackle Markus Kuhn might have to delay one of his biannual trips to Germany in 2017.
The defensive tackle played the first four years of his NFL career with the New York Giants and has yet to reach the postseason. At season’s end he typically heads to Germany while the lucky few are in the playoffs.
Kuhn was in Berlin when fellow German Sebastian Vollmer won Super Bowl XLIX with the Patriots, and he was “hosting and commentating” for a German TV station during Super Bowl 50 in February.
Kuhn met with the New England media for the first time Tuesday, and as he stood with his back to four Super Bowl banners, he revealed the first thing that comes to mind when he thinks about the Patriots.
“Championships,” Kuhn said, smiling. “Yeah. That’s the first thing.”
Kuhn, 30, started nine games for the Giants last season, compiling 20 tackles and a half-sack. He recorded 48 tackles with 1.5 sacks, four passes defended, two fumble recoveries and one touchdown in 39 games with the Giants after being selected in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of North Carolina State.
Though Kuhn met Vollmer after Patriots-Giants preseason games, playing with him didn’t weigh into his decision to sign with New England.
“It was more like, primarily when I came here, he reached out to me right away,” Kuhn said. “We saw each other a few times at preseason games. We talked, just because we’re both German, which is special in this league. But other than that, when I first came here, we went to dinner, hung out, talked, he told me a little bit about this place here and I love it so far. …
“To play for an organization like this, with the team and everything around it, it was not really much to think for me if I would come here or not. I loved the opportunity. I was excited I was able to come here, and that’s why I grabbed it and ran with it.”
Kuhn played nose tackle and three-technique defensive tackle with the Giants, and he must battle for a roster spot with the Patriots. The Patriots’ defensive tackle depth chart also includes 2015 first-round pick Malcom Brown, 2016 third-rounder Vincent Valentine, veterans Alan Branch, Terrance Knighton, Anthony Johnson, Frank Kearse and Joe Vellano and rookie free agent Woodrow Hamilton.
“I think most of the guys don’t have the competition mindset (yet),” Kuhn said. “The competition is with yourself, as well. You’re trying to work extremely hard everyday. I think we’re almost trying to help each other out so that we can be all the best. You just see what happens after that. …
“It’s definitely been quite a new room this year. But I mean you have a guy like T-Knight (Knighton) coming in who has been a really great player. He knows so much about football. I mean, so much more than I do. So he’s really been a great help just like from little technique things, but also a young guy like Malcom. He’s been here last year. I think he had a really good year last year. He played well, and he knows the system really well. You learn from an old veteran and then like a younger guy who’s been here before.”
Kuhn and the rest of the Patriots begin organized team activities next week. The real competition at defensive tackle starts when the pads come on for training camp in late July, however.
Thumbnail photo via Doug Kyed/NESN
