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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Long before he was making his living sacking opposing quarterbacks as an NFL player, New England Patriots defensive end Jonathan Fanene was a 225-pound high school quarterback and wide receiver in his native America Samoa.

Few can question that the 30-year-old Fanene made the right choice to ultimately switch to the other side of the football, but his versatility dating back to his teenage years remains a key to his success as a pro.

Fanene talked about his willingness to play wherever the team wants him to, and also addressed other topics during a question-and-answer session with local media at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

One thing that’s clear about Fanene is his pride for his native land of Samoa, a small island that has a prolific history of NFL players. He offered his take on why that is the case.

“Because they want it more.” Fanene proclaimed. “Plus (people think that since) it is a small island that we don't know football. When I was in high school I really didn't think I was going to be in the NFL until I graduated, and I just had the chance to come out here and continue on and to be blessed to play football. It was a blessing.”

Fanene had the opportunity to showcase his country and the home that he built for his family (using his rookie signing bonus), where three or four of his siblings still reside with his parents, on a 60 Minutes special about American Samoa.

“It was a blessing. I didn’t expect 60 minutes but my dad called me and told me about the program. And he told me to be ready, ‘they’re going to be out here next week to talk about the NFL players from American Samoa,’ so I was surprised and I’ve always been blessed to do everything right and go back home and help my family, my parents. Not just that, it’s just being an example to the kids back home.”

Being an example is something that Fanene is used to, as he was charged with an extensive list of daily chores growing up as the second-oldest of 12 children, and the discipline required to complete those tasks is something that has helped him become successful in the NFL.

“The lifestyle that we had back home was pretty much like a workout force," he said. "You know, it just happened, you wake up and do a lot of chores before you go to school. You know, our parents aren’t gonna do the chores for us so we have to get up and do it for them. And I believe that’s why we are, how can I say this, more strong on the outside; compared to playing in the NFL, it’s a hard job.”

A few more soundbites from Fanene:

What impressed him most about the Patriots (the only team that he visited during the free agency period this offseason): “There's a lot of good things up here. It's a winning franchise, first of all. It's a blessing to be here and be part of the Patriots. I told myself that I want to do the best I can do out here to help the team win.”

On the cultural differences between the Bengals and the Patriots: “There's a lot, but I'm just going to pick out one thing. I see guys focus more. Not just the workouts but everything we do out here is more like a team effort. So guys really welcome me inside the locker room. It's not about all the talking and the media stuff, it's more like hardworking and just do your job.”

New England veterans that he has already established relationships with: “My first week out here, they really welcomed me. I love Vince [Wilfork], [Jermaine] Cunningham, and just a lot of guys. They're so friendly and more like a teamwork thing, they just took me in and accepted [me] and the fact I'm here and starting to work.”

On surprise that former Bengals teammate Chad Ochocinco had a quiet 2011 with Patriots: “I'll be honest, yeah. I really didn't hear a lot of his name last year on any of the games. I believe there's a reason why. He came into practice the middle of training camp and tried to learn the system and tried to get used to the culture here. But I believe he's going to come back hard this year and do his job and do the best he can do to help the team.”

On expectations of Bill Belichick: “Just do my job.”

BOSTON -- Tight end Rob Gronkowski was among a large contingent of Patriots on hand for Thursday's Celtics-Lakers overtime thriller at TD Garden. During the game, he could be seen shouting at Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant.

So what did Bryant yell back at him?

"I told him the Eagles need a tight end," said Bryant, a Philadelphia native. "I’m recruiting. He’s a freak athlete. He shouted at me, I shouted back."

Somewhere, Brent Celek isn't amused.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft sat next to Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, while players Vince Wilfork, Patrick Chung, Julian Edelman, Brandon Spikes, Devin McCourty, Sterling Moore, Tiquan Underwood, and Gronkowski were all in attendance. The Patriots received a standing ovation from the crowd when a handful of players were displayed on the JumboTron in the first quarter.

Gronkowski earned some additional JumboTron time later in the game when someone with a sense of humor put him on the video board while an LMFAO song blared. Gronkowski has been in the headlines for dancing shirtless following the Patriots' Super Bowl loss last weekend in Indianapolis while LMFAO performed. Gronkowski just flashed his familiar smile when he realized he was on camera and limited his moves to a little head bob from his seat next to the TNT broadcast position at midcourt.

QUARTERBACK: Tom Brady fell short of his fourth game-winning touchdown drive in a Super Bowl. He overcame a ragged start to find his groove. He set a Super Bowl record with 16 straight completions, including 15 straight on two touchdown passes. His first touchdown pass, a 4-yarder to Danny Woodhead, showed his patience to wait for the running back to break free of the linebacker. Brady's second one, a 12-yarder, was quicker recognition to find tight end Aaron Hernandez against the middle linebacker. Brady did get hit on his interception (which turned out to be a long punt) and seemed to hurt his already banged-up left shoulder. He started off the scoring but not the way he intended. His intentional grounding penalty on the Patriots' first play led to a safety, a strange mistake for a quarterback known for such great awareness. Grade: B-plus.

OFFENSE: The Patriots' receivers let Brady down in the fourth quarter with drops from Wes Welker, Deion Branch and Hernandez. The passing game was limited with tight end Rob Gronkowski less than full strength with a high-ankle sprain. He didn't get a catch until three minutes left in the first half. Hernandez picked up the slack with a 12-yard touchdown grab in the third quarter. The offensive line held up quite well against a Giants pass rush that recorded five sacks of Brady in the last Super Bowl matchup. Welker was a hot target in the passing game, although he couldn't pull down a key reception late in the fourth quarter. Grade: C.

DEFENSE: The Patriots' much-maligned defense came up big in the biggest game of the season. Playing both safeties deep to defend against the deep pass, the Patriots made it tough for Eli Manning and forced him to throw into tight windows. The New England run defense got pushed around early (70 yards rushing allowed in the first half), but fared better in the second half. The Patriots played more physical after they were sparked by Patrick Chung's hit on Hakeem Nicks along the sideline. The Patriots then allowed Ahmad Bradshaw to score a 6-yard touchdown with 40 seconds left, so they could get the ball back into the hands of Brady. Grade: B-minus.

COACHING: Bill Belichick lost his second straight Super Bowl. The Patriots had a great game plan defensively and were running an efficient offense. But it was questionable to throw on second-and-11 in the fourth quarter — which resulted in an incompletion to Welker and stopped the clock with four minutes left in the game. Then, the challenge on the Mario Manningham catch on the Giants' final drive cost the Patriots a timeout. Belichick prides himself on precision and discipline, which is why having 12 men on the field for defense was so surprising. That penalty negated a recovered fumble for the New England defense and led to the Giants' first touchdown (a Victor Cruz 2-yard catch in the first quarter). Grade: B.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 29-yard field goal. The kickoff coverage team allowed a 34-yard return early in the third quarter. The Patriots' return game was virtually non-existent. Punter Zoltan Mesko was outplayed by Steve Weatherford, averaging 38 yards per punt. Grade: C.

MANSFIELD, Mass. -- Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes, who is recovered from an ankle injury and returned to practice Tuesday for the first time in weeks, said he believes he will be ready for the season opener Sept. 12.

Spikes shared his thoughts at a Reebok autograph signing at Sports Authority in Mansfield.

"Right now, I am just excited," Spikes said. "We added a lot of guys, so the toolbox is full of tools, and stuff I can do with the guys up front. I'm looking forward to Monday night."

Spikes touched on the frustration he felt being injured after a strong start to camp.

"Not being on the field, it's been kind of tough, but I've been trying to keep up, off the field, as far as film work and being ready for when my number is called," he said.

More from Spikes a bit later, including his thoughts on Twitter.

TAMPA -- Rapid reaction after the New England Patriots throttled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31-14, in both teams' second preseason game:

Domination from top units. The Patriots looked sharp on both sides of the ball, opening a 21-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. It was 28-0 at the half. Quarterback Tom Brady was on his game; outside of failing to execute in a two-minute situation at the end of the first half, he directed an offense that played at a regular-season pace. Meanwhile, the defense had a nice mix of tight coverage and pressure, forcing two three-and-outs to open the game. It was 14-0 by that point as the Patriots' first-stringers smoked the Buccaneers' top players. The Patriots' top units look loaded.

Ochocinco's takes big hit, responds. The first Tom Brady-to-Chad Ochocinco connection got off to a tough start, with Brady's first pass to No. 85 over the middle resulting in Ochocinco taking a big hit from linebacker Mason Foster that drew a personal-foul penalty. After another incompletion along the sideline, Ochocinco gathered in an 8-yard touchdown from Brady on a play-action fake out of a three-tight end set. Ochocinco left the football in the end zone, hardly celebrating. In all, Ochocinco was charted on the field for 24 snaps (including penalties). His stat line: two catches, 14 yards, one touchdown.

Starters play throughout first half. Playing time is often a big question in preseason games, and Bill Belichick kept his top players in the game throughout the first half. Rookie left tackle Nate Solder, who started, played two series into the second half. The Patriots were shorthanded in the secondary, so they had some top players still on the field in the second half.

Attacking defense, led by Carter & Mayo, shines. After a 2010 season in which the Patriots struggled to generate pressure on a consistent basis out of their base alignment, Thursday night looked like a different unit. They were swarming, led by linebacker Jerod Mayo (two sacks) and defensive end Andre Carter, who was bringing it off the right edge. Impressive.

Running game gets it going. The offensive line/tight ends and running backs Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis get deserving praise, as the Patriots steamrolled the Buccaneers. First-half totals on the ground: 117 yards on 17 carries (6.9 avg.) and two touchdowns.

Health questions with Fletcher, Lockett & Woodhead. Areas to monitor on the health front in the days to come are with linebacker Dane Fletcher (thumb), safety Bret Lockett (thigh/groin) and running back Danny Woodhead (shaken up on fourth-quarter punt coverage). Woodhead was smiling on the bench at the end of the game.

Mallett throws a pick-six. After an impressive performance in the preseason opener, rookie quarterback Ryan Mallett struggled, throwing a pick-six on his first drive that opened the second half. It was returned 69 yards for a touchdown by cornerback Elbert Mack, with Mallett getting crunched on the return. No. 2 quarterback Brian Hoyer, who played sparingly as he was inserted into the game mid-drive twice as a way to keep him sharp, also almost threw a pick-six. Not a great night for the backups after a strong showing in the preseason opener. Overall, the second half was sloppy for the Patriots' reserves.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Sure, it’s just the first preseason game. And yes, he’s only a rookie.

But Patriots fans have to be a little bit excited after watching Stevan Ridley dart into the end zone three times in Thursday night’s preseason-opening win over the Jaguars.

The third-round pick (73rd overall) in April’s NFL draft wasn’t even the first running back the Patriots took in the draft -- that honor went to Cal’s Shane Vereen in the second round -- but if his performance Thursday night is any indication, Ridley could quickly become a fixture in the Patriots’ backfield.

“I’m just being a football player and I’m just doing what the coaches ask me to do,” Ridley said, exhibiting consummate rookie form in answering questions from the media. “They want me to be a downhill runner and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”

Not only did Ridley show he could be a downhill runner on Thursday night, but the 5-foot-11, 225-pound cannonball of a running back also showed an ability to make defenders miss.

Ridley tallied 64 yards on 16 carries, including two touchdown runs, while leading the team with seven receptions for 47 yards and another touchdown.

“God’s blessed me to go out there and have a lot of talents, [to] go out there and do a lot of things: catching the ball, running it, and just trying to be an all-around back,” Ridley said.

After having signed in time for the start of training camp, Ridley has been one of the steadiest rookie performers thus far in practices, getting an early jump on Vereen, who has missed all but one practice with an injury.

With 1,000-yard rusher BenJarvus Green-Ellis getting the night off, and Danny Woodhead seeing limited action, it was Ridley’s night to shine.

“It was truly a blessing to be out here on the field, and be out here playing my dream,” Ridley said.

Despite his early success, it appears that the 22-year-old will approach the future as any rookie should, taking the highs and the lows in stride.

“I’m nowhere close to perfect and I just have a lot of work to do. I’m not satisfied and I’m sure the coaches aren’t either,” Ridley said. “I’m going to continue to work hard every day and try to do my best to help this team improve and get better.”

It’s just one game, and it’s a crowded position where Ridley will have to compete to see playing time. But if he can follow up on his performance from Thursday night, the future is bright for the latest hot hand in the Patriots’ backfield.

“I’m just going to continue to be [myself] and help this team out,” Ridley said. “That’s all I can do.”

ESPN NFL analyst Keyshawn Johnson believes Randy Moss should return to the Patriots.

Moss, 34, "can still play," says Johnson, who adds that he doesn't count Moss' time with the Vikings ("he didn't want to be in Minnesota") or the Titans ("that was a disaster"), saying it's not all Moss' fault.

"He had a lot of success with Tom Brady and Tom Brady had a lot of success with him," Johnson says.

Check out the video above and share your thoughts on his take in the poll and in the comments section.

In the third of a series on Patriots 2011 draft choices, ESPNBoston.com speaks with Virginia cornerbacks coach Chip West about New England second-round pick Ras-I Dowling:

• How would you characterize Ras-I as a cornerback?: "I would say 'big' and 'physical'. He goes at it hard. He likes to play a physical brand of corner.”

• Is there a comparison to an NFL player that comes to mind?: "I'm an old-school guy, so I think more about some of the older guys. Eric Allen comes to mind, from his time with Philadelphia."

• What were some of the biggest questions NFL coaches and scouts had for you on Ras-I?: "Most of it was about durability. I've never known Ras-I to miss a lot of games because of injury other than this past year. It's not his fault he got hurt. He's a competitor, a good player, and most of all, in my opinion, a great, great young man. As far as a person who people will love and take a liking to, he's that example."

• What were your first impressions of working with Ras-I in your first year on staff in 2010?: "I saw a really good football player, coming off a good, solid junior year. Selfishly, I was hoping he would come back [for his senior season]. I saw a good player who possessed good man coverage skills. With the size Ras-I has [6-foot-2, 200 pounds], one thing I'm not sure people understand is the type of movements he has. He moves fluently and possesses a unique skill set for a player that size."

• Even though this was your first year on staff, how would you compare and contrast Ras-I to his former teammate Chris Cook, a second-round pick of the Vikings in 2010?: "Some people think their styles are similar, some think it's drastically different. I didn't spend a lot of time with Chris. I always thought Chris was physical, and I also feel that Ras-I is very physical. We play a lot of man-coverage at the line of scrimmage, asking our corners to bump-and-run, get in the receiver's face. We challenged our corners."

• What did you notice about the way he handled his injury-filled 2010 season?: "He kept his faith going and understood that all he could do was get better, and try to get back on the field. His spirits were always up. He was always upbeat."

• How much did you notice the role faith played in his life?: "I definitely noticed it. The one thing I could say about Ras-I is that he lives it. Some coaches will tell you 'He won't get you fired -- on and off the field.' I definitely feel that way about Ras-I. He is strong as far as spirituality. Everybody tries to do the right thing, and he lives that every day."

• What might New England followers not know about Ras-I that would interest them?: "He's a very special young man. Obviously the Patriots saw what they needed to see as far as the player, and with that, I think the biggest selling point is that you couldn't get a better person. Flat out, you just couldn't get a better person. He's a very coachable young man who I like a lot. He's very special."

In the second of a series on Patriots 2011 draft choices, ESPNBoston.com speaks with Cal associate head coach/running game coordinator Ron Gould about New England second-round pick Shane Vereen:

• How would you characterize Shane as a running back?: "The guy that stands out to me [as a comparison] when it comes to style of play is Marshall Faulk. He can run between the tackles and be physical inside. He has the ability to pass-protect on third down. He can catch the ball as a wide receiver, or coming out of the backfield. He can be an every-down guy and is the type of player who is going to rise to the occasion with the opportunity to compete. He has that competitive spirit. He's already a talented young man, but the thing that separates him from a lot of guys is his work ethic and that he's smart. He understands football, so he'll adjust to things because of his football IQ."

• What were some of the biggest questions NFL coaches and scouts had for you on Shane?: "His size. They look at him on film and he might look small. But you see him in person, he's a lot thicker than people think he is, a lot stronger than people think he is -- he's a 380 bencher, he power cleans well over 330, and is almost a 475 squatter. He's a lot stronger than people think and a lot bigger than people think [5-10 1/4, 210 pounds]."

• Was there one performance that stands out in your mind during his career at Cal? : "There were a lot of them, but one that comes to mind was when we were playing Stanford when he was a sophomore. He carried the ball 42 times. Somebody asked me after the game if I knew how many carries he had and I said 'Maybe 25, 30 max.' It was 42. I could not believe it, but it was a day where he willed us to victory with his heart, passion and desire -- that competitive spirit he has inside of him."

• Are there any stories that stand out from the time you were recruiting him?: "I thought he's be going to UCLA because when I walked into his high school coach's office, all I saw was UCLA; I think his wife was an assistant coach there. So I was thinking 'Oh my goodness, he's probably going there.' But we were able to cultivate a great relationship. I remember him running track on Fridays and then he'd drive north to my office and we would meet on Saturdays. If we had Junior Day, he was always there. He would visit campus to see what was going on, and that said a lot about him. Once I got to meet his family, you could see how supportive his parents were. I knew right away from talking to his mom that if there was any problem, she would nip it in the bud. When you talk about Shane's character, he's the type of guy that if you had a daughter, you'd want him to marry her. That's the highest compliment."

• What did you see from Shane when it came to handling adversity?: "When Shane came in as a freshman, he had pulled his quad a little bit and didn't have that snap in his legs that I was used to seeing. So I told him we were going to redshirt him, because he wasn't ready to go yet. He was not happy with me. The one thing I told him was 'If you're upset, the one thing I want you to do is come talk to me about it.' He did just that. He let me know how he felt, we talked through it, and I thought that spoke to his maturity. I don't think many kids would that; the easier route would be to pout and go through the entire year upset."

• What should New England followers know most of all about Shane?: "He's an unbelievable kid. He could be an ace for an organization. He'll never embarrass the organization. He's just a tremendous character guy, a tremendous athlete. I'm very passionate about the guy."

ESPN New York’s Ian Begley caught up with Tom Brady today in New York at a promotional event for UnderArmour. Among the topics Brady discussed were Rex Ryan (“As long as he hates me, I'm cool”) and the labor situation.

More importantly to Patriots fans, Brady also talked about his surgically repaired right foot, saying it is feeling good.

"I feel good,” Brady said. "I feel like anybody who has had surgery and had to go through rehabilitation. We still got a long time until football season starts, and I'm just working my way back. I'm trying to get out there and throw as much as I can and work out as much as I can. That's what it takes."

Click HERE to read Begley’s full report

Patriots running back Danny Woodhead got past Hakeem Nicks in the second round and is now among the eight finalists vying for the cover of Madden 12.

Round 3 of the bracket-style fan vote pits Woodhead against Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. You can vote at ESPN.com starting today until April 11.

Among the other players still alive for the honor are Jamaal Charles, Peyton Hillis, Drew Brees, Adrian Peterson, Michael Vick and Patrick Willis.

Also, Woodhead will be stopping by ESPN.com’s SportsNation on Tuesday at 1 ET to chat with fans. Send in your questions now.

In discussing the upcoming NFL draft, Trent Dilfer, Chris Mortensen and Mel Kiper Jr. agree that the Patriots are in a prime position with seven picks in the first four rounds.

"We are truly watching a legend in Bill Belichick," said Mortensen," referring to Belichick's ability to "manipulate" the draft throughout the years, as well as his success coaching the Patriots.

"I believe [that] with a strong draft, guys, Tom Brady may get two more Super Bowl rings," said Kiper.

Check out the video above.

The Patriots on Friday announced some changes to their coaching staff, most significantly promoting Bill O'Brien to offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.

O'Brien, who played college football at Brown and coached 14 seasons at the collegiate level, enters his fifth season with the Patriots. He served as quarterbacks coach for the past two seasons.

The other moves involved defensive coaches, including linebackers coach Matt Patricia, who will now coach the Patriots’ safeties. In addition, defensive assistant coach Patrick Graham will serve as linebackers coach, while assistant coach on offense/special teams Brian Flores will become a defensive assistant on head coach Bill Belichick’s staff.

As previously reported, Corwin Brown, who served as a defensive backs coach last season with Josh Boyer, will not return.

All-Pro guard Logan Mankins doesn't think he'll return to the New England Patriots next season, according to a Boston Herald report Friday.

Mankins feels as though the team isn't willing to lock him up to a long-term deal and says there hasn't been any talks on a new contract, and the only way he sees himself back in a Pats uniform is if they place the franchise tag on him, the Herald reported.

"No, I wouldn't be happy about [a potential franchise tag], if that's what they chose to do, to be dealt that kind of hand," Mankins said Thursday after Pro Bowl practice in Hawaii, according to the report. "But we'll see what happens."

Mankins' contract with the Patriots is up and, contingent upon the rules set forth in the new collective bargaining agreement, almost certainly will be an unrestricted free agent.

To read the complete story, CLICK HERE.

Tom Brady was unanimously selected to the 2010 AP All-Pro team Monday. Brady was joined on the team by two Patriots -- guard Logan Mankins and inside linebacker Jerod Mayo.

Click HERE to read more about the 2010 AP All-Pro team