FOXBORO, Mass. — As someone who spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons with the Denver Broncos, Terrance Knighton has plenty of history with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
The Broncos and Patriots met three times during Knighton’s tenure in Denver, with Brady’s troops taking both regular-season meetings but the Peyton Manning-led Broncos prevailing in the 2013 AFC Championship Game.
Knighton and Brady no longer are opponents, though. After a one-season stint with the Washington Redskins — which included a 27-10 loss to the Patriots at Gillette Stadum — the veteran defensive tackle signed a one-year contract with New England in March.
When Knighton arrived at Gillette for organized team activities, he and the franchise QB had a chance to reminisce about their past battles and look forward to the future.
“(We talked) little bit about our past,” Knighton said Thursday after the team completed its third day of OTAs. “Me getting the better of him, him getting the better of me. He’s won that matchup more times than I have. But it’s always good to be around guys like that to pick their brain, see the type of person that they are. Playing with Peyton Manning, DeMarcus Ware, you learn a lot from those guys — Hall of Famers. So I’m just trying to pick (Brady’s) brain, just watch him out of the corner of my eye to see how he prepares.”
Knighton continued: “Out here on the field, you know he’s trying to score on every play. Especially practicing a lot of red zone, they’re trying to put six points on the board every time. It keeps you on your toes, and obviously, when you’ve got a guy like that at quarterback, the competitiveness rises around you. So it’s only going to make the team a lot better.”
Teaming up with a player of Brady’s caliber wasn’t Knighton’s only motivation for joining the Patriots, though. A native of Windsor, Conn., the 6-foot-3, 354-pound D-tackle also is a lifelong Boston sports fan.
“I’m very happy to be here, man,” Knighton said. “Obviously, (the Patriots are) the team I watched my whole life growing up down the street — about an hour-and-a-half away. I’m just happy to be on their side now. I’ve been battling against them for years. I’m just happy to be here putting in the hard work and trying to bring my attributes to the team.”
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
