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When the Patriots drafted Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft, some believed the team was targeting an eventual replacement for Tom Brady, who was 33 at the time.

If that was indeed the plan, the veteran quarterback made it clear he doesn’t expect it to happen any time soon, as he proclaimed last year that he wants to continue playing for 10 more seasons.

Brady has altered his future plans slightly, telling Sports Illustrated’s Peter King that he’ll play “until they tell me they don't want me anymore.''

Appearing on WEEI earlier Monday afternoon, one of Brady’s most trusted receiving targets, Wes Welker, declared that he has no doubt that the quarterback could continue to play for another 10 years. (Full audio of the interview available HERE).

That would mean a career spanning until the age of 45 for Brady, which would put him in rare company amongst NFL players.

In fact, should Brady stick around that long as a starter, he’d become the oldest starting quarterback in NFL history, surpassing three players who started at age 44 – Warren Moon, Steve DeBerg, and Vinny Testaverde.

DeBerg spent his final season with the Falcons, starting one game in 1998. Moon similarly started one game while suiting up for the Chiefs in 2000, while Testaverde managed six starts for the Panthers in 2007.

Only one quarterback, George Blanda, played past the age of 44. Blanda, who was primarily a kicker in the latter portion of his career, retired at the age of 48 as the NFL’s all-time leading scorer (he has since been surpassed on the list).

Welker credits Brady’s preparation and approach to everything in his life as a reason he has been able to be such an effective player for so long.

“In every decision he makes and everything he does – from what he eats, to what he drinks, to what his traveling schedule is – everything is centered around football. Everything … Every decision he makes is literally towards being a better football player,” he said.

The Patriots have one of the deepest wide receiver groups in all of football, with Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Deion Branch, Jabar Gaffney, Chad Ochocinco, Donte' Stallworth, Julian Edelman and Anthony Gonzalez among the headliners.

Welker, speaking on sports radio WEEI to promote his Old Spice football camp, was asked his thoughts on the club stocking up with so many pass-catchers.

"I think it's great. It's competition," Welker told hosts Mike Mutnansky and Lou Merloni. "It's no different from Coach Belichick's [philosophy] in the past, and that's to [sign] guys to help the football team win games. Whatever is best for the team, he's going to do. I think there are guys that can really help and contribute for us.

"When you look at the '07 season, we had people like Kelley Washington. Donte' Stallworth. Jabar Gaffney. We had Reche Caldwell going into that year. Randy [Moss]. We were stacked with some pretty good receivers going into that year, and I feel like it's the same type of deal, stacking up, and finding out who can really contribute and who can really help us this coming year."

In 2007, the Patriots' offense set NFL records, headlined by Tom Brady throwing 50 touchdown passes in the team's undefeated season. Moss, in his first New England season, had a record 23 touchdown receptions.

Patriots 2007 rececptions leaders:
Wes Welker -- 112
Randy Moss -- 98
Kevin Faulk -- 47
Donte' Stallworth -- 46
Jabar Gaffney - 36
Benjamin Watson -- 36

In his most definitive statements yet regarding his contract status, Patriots receiver Wes Welker said today on sports radio WEEI that he won't miss any regular season games.

"There are 9.5 million reasons why I wouldn't miss any regular-season games," Welker said on the "Mut & Merloni" program.

Welker was referring to the $9.5 million franchise tag figure, which is guaranteed to him once he signs the tender.

Welker, who prefers a longer-term deal which would offer him more security, was a guest on the program to promote his Old Spice football camp, which takes place this weekend in Massachusetts.

One of the next important dates on the football calendar is the Patriots' mandatory minicamp, which will be held June 12-14. Last month, Welker told ESPNBoston radio, "I’m thinking I’m probably not going to (attend the camp), but things could change."

His tone seemed different in Monday's interview on WEEI.

"I think we're still kind of waiting, but I'd really like to be there," Welker told hosts Mike Mutnansky and Lou Merloni. "I don't know. To say I'm going one way or another right now, I'm not going to say it's definite or anything like that, but I would definitely like to be at those minicamps for sure."

Asked if there have been discussions about a long-term contract with the Patriots since the draft, Welker said: "I think we're all on the same page and we're all trying to collectively come together and make something happen."

Naturally, Welker said he would like to be rewarded for his performance over the last five years, which is no different from any other player.

"The main thing is really just trying to keep a level head about it, and make sure you're making the best decisions for yourself, but at the same time, put yourself in a position where you can play for a great team and hopefully do some great things in the future," he said on the program, later adding that he has a "great relationship with Coach, Mr. Kraft, the front office and everybody else."

"I don't think there are any sort of hard feelings on my side or their side. I think we're all looking forward to the 2012 season and hopefully do some big things there," he said.

In a story now posted on ESPNBoston.com, Mike Reiss speaks with three football analysts in the media and asks the question, "What is a realistic expectation for when first-round picks Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower might contribute to the Patriots?"

Top draft picks have had mixed results when it comes to immediate contributions.

In 2007, safety Brandon Meriweather (24th overall) didn't start right away. Ditto for safety Patrick Chung (34th overall) in 2009.

But linebacker Jerod Mayo (10th overall) broke through in 2008 to become an immediate contributor. And even in 2010, second-round draft choice
Jermaine Cunningham (53rd overall) played 50 percent of the snaps as an early-down outside linebacker in the 3-4 alignment.

Given the make-up of the roster, one can see opportunity for Jones and Hightower if they can seize it. But how much opportunity?

Share your thoughts in the comments section and in the accompanying poll.

The Patriots currently have 89 players on the active roster, just one shy of the allowable limit during this portion of the offseason. The team might not fill the vacant roster spot right now, but NFL clubs typically carry a full roster during minicamps and organized team activities in order to evaluate as many players as possible.

Should the team opt to make a move, five unrestricted free agents from the 2011 roster remain available for signing -- running back Kevin Faulk, defensive end Andre Carter, defensive lineman Shaun Ellis, cornerback Nate Jones and safety James Ihedigbo.

Here’s a look at what each offers and the chances the Patriots may decide to re-invest in one of them, either now or in the future:


Kevin Faulk
Faulk has spent the entirety of his 13-year career in New England, and has previously suggested that he would only return to the field if it were with the Patriots. The alternative, retirement, seems very much in play as well.

After signing Joseph Addai and Brandon Bolden (Mississippi), the Patriots already have six running backs on the roster. Taking into account that some view Addai as a comparable -- and younger -- version of Faulk, it seems as though the dependable veteran may not have a spot with New England going forward.

Faulk was used in a limited role last season, and was not active for Super Bowl XLVI. After countless important carries, catches and blitz pick-ups, he’d have plenty to be proud of should he call for retirement soon.


Andre Carter
Carter had already accrued 10 sacks by the time he went down with a season-ending quadriceps injury in the Patriots' 14th regular season game of 2011, and established himself as the latest low-profile, high-reward veteran free agent pickup by Bill Belichick.

The key to Carter’s return is his health, as it remains unclear when he’ll be ready to be back on the field at full speed. As Mike Reiss previously reported, Carter intends to play in 2012 and there has been mutual interest expressed by the team and the defensive end for a return (but that was before the draft and the selection of multiple defensive ends).

Without knowing enough about his timetable, it’s difficult to judge his immediate future, but it would make sense if the team invited Carter to rejoin the franchise upon receiving a clean bill of health. That could be within the next month, during training camp, or even beyond. For now, it’s a wait-and-see situation.


Shaun Ellis
Ellis, like Carter, played under a one-year deal in 2011. Unlike Carter, however, Ellis didn’t come cheap, and he wasn’t as productive as many expected out of him, given his contract and playing history.

The Patriots have worked hard to retool their front seven this offseason, and Mike Rodak recently profiled that as of Friday, their 27 front-seven players was the highest total in the NFL.

New England loves to mix it up on the defensive front, and it would seem that with the addition of athletic players like Chandler Jones and Jake Bequette that they’ll be able to throw multiple looks at opposing offenses in 2012. Ellis has flashed versatility in the past. Should he remain available entering training camp, don’t discount the possibility of a return -- at the right price.


Nate Jones
It spoke volumes that Jones played meaningful snaps for the Patriots just days after signing with the team in late November of 2011. He proved to be a sufficient late-season addition, totaling 20 tackles in eight appearances with the Patriots.

The team added Will Allen in free agency and Alfonzo Dennard in the draft, while 2011 second-round pick Ras-I Dowling returns this season, so the secondary appears well-stocked.

Should the Patriots experience similar injury issues at any point this season, Jones seems like the kind of guy New England would turn to once again in a pinch (similar to Hank Poteat in the early years of Belichick's tenure). That is dependent upon his availability, as Jones could land with a team later this offseason.


James Ihedigbo
Ihedigbo had by far his best season as a pro for New England last year, notching 69 tackles in a prominent safety role. The secondary struggled as a whole, however, and as mentioned already, the team has worked to inject new personnel into the lineup.

Ihedigbo started 12 games in 2011, but that still doesn’t suggest the team is expected to bring him back. With Patrick Chung presumably healthy, second-round pick Tavon Wilson on board, veteran Steve Gregory signed this offseason and Devin McCourty potentially working into the safety group, it’s hard to find room for Ihedigbo at this time.

He has what it takes to make an NFL roster, and should find work before the beginning of the season. The question is, will a numbers crunch and possible desire to go in a different direction preclude a return to New England for Ihedigbo?

Peter King of Sports Illustrated leads off his "Monday Morning Quarterback" piece with an interview with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

King notes that of the 90 players who dressed for Brady's first career start on Sept. 30, 2001 -- in a game against the Colts -- only one still plays for either team. It's Brady.

That provides the springboard to a popular question here in New England: How much longer might Brady play?

"My wife [Gisele Bundchen] said to me, 'When I met you [in 2006], you said you wanted to play 10 more years. How come that number never goes down?'" Brady tells King. "It's that I love the game. I love the game. I'm going to play until they tell me they don't want me anymore.''

Brady's current contract extends through the 2014 season. He turns 35 in August.

Brady relays that he had a meeting with Patriots coach Bill Belichick last Thursday.

"I still feel like I'm in my first year trying to prove myself," he tells King. "There's no entitlement around coach Belichick. I've got to be the best guy for him to keep playing me. When I'm not, someone else will play.''

Brady feels his arm strength is as good as it's ever been. He also mentioned his annual participation in the Boston-based Best Buddies annual fundraiser, which includes a bike ride and football game with Patriots teammates.

To read "Monday Morning Quarterback", CLICK HERE.

In a piece now posted on ESPN.com, senior writer John Clayton identifies 10 training camp competitions around the NFL that bear watching. One from the Patriots makes the cut, at No. 7, and it's Brandon Spikes vs. Dont'a Hightower at inside linebacker.

"Spikes was a second-round pick in 2010. If Bill Belichick keeps the Patriots in a 4-3 defense, then Hightower will battle Spikes for playing time," Clayton writes. "If both do well, Belichick could switch back to a 3-4 and use both players."

Clayton is in tune with the pulse of New England, as one of the big questions since the Patriots made Hightower the 25th overall selection in the draft is where he fits.

If he's an inside linebacker in the 3-4 defense, would he beat out Spikes to play next to Jerod Mayo? Or could he help as an outside linebacker in that alignment, leaving the Spikes/Mayo pairing intact on the inside?

Bill Belichick noted that Hightower has Mike Vrabel type versatility -- he could be inside, outside, in a two-point stance or a three-point stance.

The other factor to consider is the rising percentage the Patriots are in a sub defense (5 or more defensive backs), which was in the 65-70 percent range in 2011, according to personnel director Nick Caserio. Hightower figures to be part of that mix in some way, as he was at Alabama. That is an area that Spikes, who has been viewed more as an early-down player as a run-stuffer, has not always been called upon.

Both figure to contribute, but how much, and in what role, will be a training camp storyline to monitor.

To read Clayton's piece, CLICK HERE.

Quick-hit thoughts around the NFL and with the Patriots:

1. I have been impressed with how articulate and poised Patriots first-round picks Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower have been over the last few weeks, and most recently on Friday. Bill Belichick will take his chances on certain prospects, but the first round is for the “sure thing”, and it’s easy to see why these two fall into that category from a complete package standpoint.

2. This is how hot for Jones I think the Patriots were – I believe they were in talks to move up higher than 21 to get him, but it didn't come together. Once the Seahawks took Bruce Irvin at 15 and the pass rushers started to come off the board, it was action time.

3. Making any definitive conclusions at rookie minicamp is risky business, so it was notable from this perspective that Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he was impressed with receiver Rueben Randle over the last few days. LSU's Randle slipped to the bottom of the second round and is a top candidate to replace the departed Mario Manningham. The Giants generally do a solid job of reloading through the draft.

4. Random thought from the past week: The game has changed so much over the last few years that a player like defensive lineman Ty Warren, drafted 13^th overall by the Patriots in 2003, probably would be more of a second-rounder at this time. Warren was a solid player in the base 3-4 defense, but didn’t factor much into sub defenses, which are being run more and more.

5. First-round draft choice David DeCastro, the guard from Stanford, should be a Day 1 starter for the Steelers (probably on the right side). Second-round draft choice Mike Adams of Ohio State will compete for one of the tackle spots. That’s often the way the Steelers roll – nothing flashy, just solid. Interesting story about Adams – he was taken off the Steelers’ draft board after the Combine, but requested a face-to-face meeting with the team and got back into their good graces. Don’t hear that too often.

6. Texans owner Bob McNair said he plans to extend the contracts of coach Gary Kubiak and general manager Rick Smith, both of whom enter the last year of their deals. Just a few years ago, Kubiak had been on the hot seat. File this one in the same category as Tom Coughlin from about five years ago – sometimes patience is the way to go.

7. Tough blow for the Browns, potentially losing defensive lineman Phil Taylor for the season after tearing a pectoral muscle while lifting weights. Taylor, a 2011 first-round pick, is their Vince Wilfork (just not as good). Don’t see the Browns generating enough momentum to be a factor in the tough AFC North.

8. Talked to one agent who said negotiations with prospects drafted in the third round have been more challenging than the first round. The reason, according to the agent, is that first and second-rounders receive their full slot allocation, while fourth- to seventh-rounders don’t. That puts the third-rounders right in the middle. Something to keep an eye on, perhaps, with Jake Bequette and the Patriots.

9. Smart move by the Jets to pass on "Hard Knocks" this year. That's not what they need.

10. When I learned that Patriots seventh-round pick Jeremy Ebert doesn’t have graduation at Northwestern until June 16, two days after the team’s minicamp concludes, it reminded me of Taylor Price from two years ago. Price got a late start (besides rookie minicamp, a player can’t practice until he graduates) while the rest of his teammates were working, and it showed.

The Patriots gave new meaning to "shutdown corner" at their just-concluded rookie minicamp, keeping seventh-round draft choice Alfonzo Dennard away from the media.

Dennard, who was arrested April 21 for suspicion of assaulting a police officer, is the lone draft pick not made available to media members since he was selected. He did one interview with the Patriots' official website, but the arrest wasn't addressed.

Dennard's high school coach told the Cordele (Ga.) Dispatch that Dennard has a May 15 court date.

The arrest, as noted by Bill Belichick, was a significant factor in Dennard slipping to the seventh round. Dennard, who was issued Rodney Harrison's old No. 37 by the Patriots, was expected to be selected much earlier than that.

"We researched it, we found out as much as we could about it. Obviously as an organization we were comfortable taking the selection where we did," Belichick said following the draft. "There's obviously some other things that are currently out there from a legal standpoint that I obviously can't comment on."

Those could become more clear this week.

In an open letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell posted on his OCNN website, Patriots receiver Chad Ochocinco opines on some of the NFL's percolating player-safety and health issues while noting "we are at a crucial point in the history of football."

At the end, he wrote, "Am having a rebound year and plan to do a lot of celebrating in the end zone. Can my fine money go to supporting ex-players suffering?"

Ochocinco totaled 15 receptions last season in his first New England season, which he acknowledged was a disappointment. Now he's facing an uphill climb for a 2012 roster spot.

When looking at the Patriots' receiving corps, the locks are Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd. After that, it will be an exciting competition, as noted by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels on Friday.

Deion Branch, last year's No. 2, would seem to have an edge on Ochocinco. He outplayed Ochocinco in 2011, logging 76 percent of the team's offensive snaps, a number the coaching staff probably wasn't anticipating but became a reality in part because of Ochocinco's struggles (Ochocinco played 26 percent).

Jabar Gaffney, the productive No. 3 receiver from 2006 through 2008, returns after three years away. Given Tom Brady's affection for Gaffney, and Gaffney's ability to line up at all receiver spots, he also appears to have more value than Ochocinco.

In that case, Ochocinco, who sliced his base salary from $3 million to $925,000 in 2012, could be vying for a No. 5 receiver spot (special-teams captain Matthew Slater is a lock but isn't factored into this offensive-based analysis).

That's when these questions could come into play:

Is he more valuable than Julian Edelman? Edelman served as the team's primary punt returner in 2011, and performed well. That special-teams value is something Ochocinco doesn't provide.

Is his style of play a better complement than that of Donte' Stallworth? Ochocinco doesn't threaten the field vertically like Stallworth, but as Welker said earlier this year, he's one of the best when it comes to comeback routes.

Will Anthony Gonzalez/Jeremy Ebert slot insurance be a factor? With Welker possibly playing under the franchise tag, and thus facing an uncertain future with the club, the Patriots could lean toward keeping another slot receiver with the future in mind.

Add it all up and Ochocinco could have a tough time making the club, meaning his rebound might have to come with another team.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Patriots held their second and final practice of their rookie minicamp on Saturday afternoon. Reporters were present for stretching and some light positional drills.

Players were in helmets and T-shirts, with the session moved outdoors after Friday's practice was held inside the team's fieldhouse.

Safety Nate Ebner, who rode a stationary bike for the start of Friday's workout, initially did not stretch with teammates on Saturday, but later shed a sweatshirt and began to practice alongside 19 other rookies and first-year players.

Chris Simms, who has reportedly joined the team in a coaching assistant role, was present on the practice fields, along with former offensive lineman Joe Andruzzi, who has assisted in offseason strength and conditioning for the past several seasons.

New special-teams assistant Joe Judge led the defensive line through a blocking sled drill, with the minicamp roster heavy on defensive linemen and linebackers. New coaching assistant Steve Belichick later helped to align players for a kickoff drill led by special-teams coach Scott O'Brien.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -– Patriots rookie defensive end Justin Francis enjoyed a reunion on the practice field on Friday afternoon with former Rutgers teammate Alex Silvestro (now a Patriots first-year defensive end) during day one of the team’s rookie minicamp.

But that wasn’t the only familiar face Francis crossed paths with, as he and Steve Belichick -– who was recently named a coaching assistant on his father’s staff –- played on the Scarlet Knights football team during the 2011 season.

Belichick, a four-year letterman on the lacrosse field at Rutgers, joined the football program as a long snapper last season with a leftover year of NCAA eligibility he had prior to his graduation.

It didn’t take long for the son of a coach to make his influence felt among his new teammates, as Francis told reporters during a media session at Gillette Stadium on Saturday afternoon, “He did great at our program too. He helped us as much as he could. That’s pretty much what he was there for, to help the club and the team.”

The two are now embarking on a different journey together, one that involves Francis viewing Belichick as not just a friend, but a boss as well.

“I do actually, and it’s kind of weird. But like I said, he’s a good friend and I know he’s never going to direct me in the wrong path or anything," Francis said. "I take than and I keep that. I always respect him. I respect his job and I respect him as a friend as well.”

Their friendship dates back to Francis’ sophomore year at Rutgers, during which they met in a math class they took together. He described the humorous start to their relationship.

“I had a math class, doing horrible in math. Steve’s next to me on his MacBook. I’m like, ‘You’re Coach Belichick’s son, and I suck at math, so don’t judge,’’ Francis declared with a chuckle. “We laughed about it and we’ve been friends ever since then. It’s been a good little journey.”

In his brief stay in New England, Francis says has yet to sit down and work with the younger Belichick, but acknowledged that’s it been helpful to have Steve around to keep each other's spirits up.

He admits that he didn’t think that Steve was planning a post-college career in coaching, but has no trouble seeing similarities between him and his father.

“Yeah, a lot. Steve’s a nice and steady guy. His dad is the same way. Coach is the same way. He’s stern. Steve’s the same way," Francis said. "They both have a great way of dealing with things and they’re very smart. Can’t do nothing but respect that.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -– Despite fielding offers from other franchises and not having spoken to the team prior to the draft, when the Patriots came calling to sign undrafted tight end Brad Herman out of Iowa, the choice was clear.

“It was just a great situation for me,” Herman told reporters in his first appearance in front of the microphone as a pro.

That situation involves playing alongside a talented pair of young tight ends in Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. While some might think that such a situation would be detrimental to Herman’s chances of making the roster, he’s taking a different approach.

“They’re great tight ends. [I] couldn’t learn from a better group of guys, and I can just do my part to help with the team’s success.”

Part of helping his new team will be for Herman to master the Patriots playbook and system, which presents a new challenge compared to what he experienced at Iowa.

“It’s complex. The college game is much more simpler than the pro game. It’s because we’ve got full-time jobs here.”

He explained, “You don’t have to worry about school or putting too much on younger kinds. But now we’re adults, this is our job. You’re gonna have a more complex playbook both offense and defensive wise.”

Although he’s only been on the job for a handful of days, Herman says he’s already learned that it involves “long days and short nights of sleep.”

Thankfully for the 22-year-old, he has some familiarity on his side, having played in a pro-style offense in college that he says involved some of the same techniques that the Patriots employ.

As for whether or not the familiarity between Bill Belichick and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz (a former Belichick aide with the Browns) played a role in Herman ending up as a Patriot?

“I have no idea,” he said.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Patriots defensive end Markell Carter had a crash-course introduction into the NFL last year, after the NFL lockout wiped out organized offseason workouts for the 2011 sixth-round pick. This weekend, Carter is one of six first-year players participating in the team's rookie minicamp.

"Whenever coach gives you the opportunity to learn more, you take it," Carter told reporters at Gillette Stadium on Saturday. "Just having these extra two days to be in the meeting room, to be back on the field, doing drills, it's going to give me a head start.

"A year ago, this weekend I was sitting on my couch. I'd work out in the morning two hours and then after that have the whole day to myself," he continued. "Now I'm more organized. I'm more of a professional. I understand my role and I understand what I have to do to achieve that role."

Carter spent all of last season on the practice squad, and was given a pay raise by the Patriots to help keep him from signing with another NFL team.

"There was no bitterness or anything like that, that I wasn't able to play," Carter said. "[The raise] was a little bit more motivation, but to me it was like they wanted me here, but they gave me this pay raise to show me how much they invested in me, so I need to invest some more into them as well."

This offseason, Carter's 21-year old sister, Keyarrie Hudson, is moving in with her older brother. Hudson suffers from lupus, and living in the Boston area gives her access to better specialists for the condition than what is available back home in Oklahoma.

"She's really strong. A lot stronger than me. Lupus probably would have been the end of me," Carter said. "For her, it was just a new chapter in her life. She just took it on full force.

"It's always been me and my little sister since I was [young]. Just to see her go through those struggles, see how she had a smile on her face even though I knew it was hurting her. Just how she stayed in her faith, and how she didn't lose herself," he continued. "A lot of people would have been depressed and lost who they were, but she never lost that. She was that same girl as she was before and after."

Carter, who played at 250 pounds as a senior at Central Arkansas, is now up to 275 pounds, gaining about 10 pounds this offseason.

"I still feel like my quickness is still there, forward and laterally," he said. "I feel like I'm a lot more stronger in my punch. My explosiveness is [better]. My strength is [better]."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- As just a 23-year-old first-year player in the NFL, Patriots quarterback Mike Hartline already has some unique football perspective.

After spending the 2011 training camp in the presence of Peyton Manning (Hartline was an undrafted free agent signed by the Colts last year), he now shares a locker room with Tom Brady.

He talked about the similarities and differences between working with the two.

“Every player’s different. Those guys are both arguably two of the best ever. So when you can get to work with them and talk to them a little bit, yeah, you try to pick their brain,” Hartline told reporters at Gillette Stadium on Saturday. “They’re leagues beyond where I’m at, so to try to dig too deep can get confusing sometimes. You try to go at your own pace and you do your own style and hopefully the things that you do show towards the coaches and you get an opportunity to stick around.”

But Brady and Manning aren’t the only two NFL players Hartline has been able to confide in, as his older brother Brian is a three-year veteran wide receiver with the Miami Dolphins.

Mike Hartline doesn’t turn to Brian for advice on how to improve as a player, but does rely on his brother for a different type of support.

“We look to each other more of moral support, I want to say. We never really try to tell each other how to play, or what to be like,” Hartline added. “Just to mentally stay positive. Sometimes things won't go your way. To have a guy like that to be a support system is really beneficial.”