Unveiling the first All-Bruschi Team

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In 13 years with the New England Patriots and before that with the Arizona Wildcats, I heard countless motivational speeches in locker rooms and meeting rooms. One that made an impression on me was on the importance of flags in wars.

Each regiment would have its flag, and pride was taken in defending it. It was also a rallying point for soldiers, and it meant a great deal to be a flag carrier. If a flag carrier was wounded in battle and could not carry the flag anymore, another soldier would pick it up and carry on in battle.

When this story was told by one of my former football coaches, it was done so in the spirit of asking players, "Who's going to pick up the flag today?"

I never forgot that over the course of my career, and always strived to be a flag carrier on every team for which I played. I viewed a flag carrier as a selfless player who wasn't seeking the glory, but was willing to do whatever it took for his team and delivered when it counted most.

As I conclude my fourth season as an ESPN analyst, the thought came to mind: Who are the flag carriers across the NFL? Who are the players who go "full tilt, full time" and have overcome some form of adversity? Who are the unsung guys who have come through in the clutch for their teams even though the spotlight isn't always shining on them?

After a year of studying tape of all 32 NFL teams, I think I have the answer, and it's presented in the form of the first All-Bruschi Team.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN	WHY HE MADE THE TEAM
Chris Clemons (Seahawks)	On a defense where the secondary seems to get all the press, Clemons is the rock. Losing Clemons to injury in the wild-card round win over the Redskins was something the Seahawks couldn't overcome the following week. Clemons led the Seahawks in sacks (11.5) and also set a solid edge versus the run from his leo/elephant position. While the Seahawks drafted Bruce Irvin in the first round, Irvin was not yet ready to fulfill Clemons' every-down duties.
Everson Griffen (Vikings)	He's started only one game over his three-year career, but Griffen came on strong in 2012 by totaling eight sacks while making plays from multiple positions (tackle, end). He showed the ability to use both power and speed to get after the quarterback, and had a pick-six when dropping back in coverage against the Rams. At 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, he's a versatile athlete who has also played gunner on the punt team.
Brett Keisel (Steelers)	For the Steelers' 34 defense to be successful, it starts up front with "The Beard." He won't fill up the stat sheet, but he gets the job done in letting linebackers have freedom to roam. But make no mistake, he can also hunt down the quarterback and unleash his patented bow-and-arrow celebration. Two more things to be impressed about -- he is still getting it done at age 34, and he has played his entire 11-year career with the same team.

LINEBACKERS	WHY HE MADE THE TEAM
Chase Blackburn (Giants)	He wasn't re-signed by the Giants after six seasons, only to come back late in 2011 and hold down the middle of the team's defense. Who can forget his interception last year in the Super Bowl? Having him cover tight end Rob Gronkowski for that long, it's a matchup the Patriots had to like. But Blackburn won that one-on-one battle. Just when you doubt him, he makes a play that makes you say, 'How did he do that?' And that's the benchmark of an All-Bruschi team member.
Ahmad Brooks (49ers)	We hear a lot about Aldon Smith, Justin Smith, Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman on the 49ers' defense, but Brooks is the often-overlooked playmaker of the unit. He has taken interceptions to the house, and he has had moments of dominance in rushing the passer when you expected it to be Aldon Smith getting up when the rubble clears. Brooks was a part-time player in his first five NFL seasons before breaking through the last two years.
Paul Kruger (Ravens)	On a defense with Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata, who would have predicted that Kruger -- in his fourth season out of Utah -- would lead the Ravens in sacks in 2012 (with nine)? There were a lot of doubts about the Ravens' defense when Suggs was lost for a long stretch due to injury, but Kruger carried the flag in his absence and kept carrying it upon Suggs' return. He's a "hustle bunny" with a nonstop motor. Some of his sacks have come when he was initially blocked, but he was simply relentless and just kept going.
Rob Ninkovich (Patriots)	How many times does the seven-year veteran have to make plays to be recognized as a star? He's played outside linebacker in the 3-4 and defensive end in the 4-3, and he also shows up on special teams at times. And while Jerod Mayo and Vince Wilfork receive a lot of the attention, Ninkovich has emerged as a clutch performer who delivers when his team needs it most. When the Patriots signed him a few days into 2009 training camp, he had just been cut by the Saints as a long-snapper, but he's developed into much more than that for the Patriots.

DEFENSIVE BACKS	WHY HE MADE THE TEAM
Ryan Clark (Steelers)	Troy Polamalu gets all the hair commercials and attention, but Clark -- now in his 11th season -- is also one of the tone-setters on the Steelers' defense from the safety spot. He doesn't just hit people; he crushes them. Clark is smart and physical, and the defense is not the same when he's not in the lineup. Last year's playoff game on the road against the Broncos is a prime example of that.
Cortland Finnegan (Rams)	Simply put, I love cornerbacks who get under the skin of opposing receivers. Redskins receiver Josh Morgan knows what I'm talking about. Finnegan won't back down to anyone on the field, and if you asked him to meet you at the bus after the game to settle things behind the scenes, I'm sure he would do that too. He signed a big-money contract with the Rams last offseason, but he still plays with the edge of a seventh-round draft choice.
Bernard Pollard (Ravens)	This is a selection that might hurt some Patriots followers, but the 6-foot-1, 225-pound safety is a big hitter and the entire NFL knows it (and receivers feel it). Sometimes you have to have a player who's going to let pass-catchers know they are going to pay the price when they play you. Pollard, now in his seventh NFL season, is the cashier.
Richard Sherman (Seahawks)	How did he not make the Pro Bowl? At 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, he is a big cornerback who will put on the boxing gloves at the line of scrimmage with anyone. He also has solid ball skills (eight interceptions in 2012). Similar to Cortland Finnegan, he's a player who isn't well-liked by many opposing players, in part because he talks a lot of trash and comes across as arrogant. He's the type of player you don't want to go up against, but you love him if he's on your team. When he's on his game, lock him up and let him go.

QUARTERBACKS	WHY HE MADE THE TEAM
Colin Kaepernick (49ers)	I was wrong about him, thinking that his time to shine would come in the future, not so quickly. He's proven me wrong and that's a key trait for members of the All-Bruschi team -- they prove people wrong, and more than once. They make a living out of it. Few people other than coach Jim Harbaugh saw this coming. Kaepernick has heart, guts, skill and some sweet tattoos.
Russell Wilson (Seahawks)	All the attention was on the top two picks in the draft -- Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III -- but Wilson (75th overall) wouldn't allow himself to be left out of the discussion. The Seahawks invested significantly in free-agent quarterback Matt Flynn last offseason, but Wilson proved he was special and deserved the job from the start of his rookie season. He might not have the prototypical size, but no one is talking about that because all he does is lead his team to wins.

RUNNING BACKS	WHY HE MADE THE TEAM
Alfred Morris (Redskins)	Just one of two rookies on my team, along with Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, Morris has already proved to be one of the NFL's toughest running backs to tackle. He fights for every yard. Morris (5-foot-9, 218 pounds) came from the back of the pack as a sixth-round draft choice out of Florida Atlantic, winning a four-way competition for the starting job. He didn't miss a game, totaling 335 carries for 1,613 yards (4.8 average) and 13 touchdowns. By overcoming the odds and putting together an impressive rookie season, Morris has garnered instant respect.
Adrian Peterson (Vikings)	OK, OK, I know what you're thinking. How does Peterson land here despite garnering as much attention as any player in the NFL? Simple. When you make a comeback like he did, that earns some big-time All-Bruschi props. I'm a huge fan of the comeback, and no one has ever done it like Peterson, which is why he could be the NFL's Most Valuable Player.
Danny Woodhead (Patriots)	How can you not get fired up watching him play? At 5-foot-8 and 200 pounds, he's one of the smaller players in the NFL, yet he still breaks tackles and comes up big when his team needs it most. He'll produce in different ways. Run between the tackles? Done. Get a first down on third-and-17? Done. Beat a 'backer in man-to-man coverage? Done. He is a football player. Period. He may be my team's captain.

FULLBACK	WHY HE MADE THE TEAM
John Kuhn (Packers)	He doesn't get a lot of touches on an offense with the likes of Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Jermichael Finley and Randall Cobb, but when he does, good things seem to happen. The Packers' faithful love him, and there's something special when a player can make a connection to a fan base. That's something I can relate to. "Kuuuuuuuhn!"

TIGHT ENDS	WHY HE MADE THE TEAM
Heath Miller (Steelers)	At 6-foot-5 and 256 pounds, Miller is an all-around tight end who can block at the point of attack and find the right spots to be when his quarterback needs him. He's not always flashy, but he's been one of the most durable and consistent players at the position over the last eight seasons. He's still playing at a high level, as evidenced by his 71 receptions in 2012 (in 15 games).
Delanie Walker (49ers)	He is listed as a tight end, but he's really a Swiss Army Knife for the 49ers' offense. He does it all. Vernon Davis gets most of the hype, but the 6-foot, 242-pound Walker makes it all happen. He averaged a career-high 16.4 yards per reception in 2012 and his versatility helps create favorable matchups. An unsung performer who entered the NFL as a sixth-round draft choice out of Central Missouri, he has become an integral part of the 49ers' attack.

WIDE RECEIVERS	WHY HE MADE THE TEAM
Anquan Boldin (Ravens)	Similar to Bernard Pollard, he has emerged as a "Patriots killer," but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be recognized. He won't make All-Pro at this stage of his career and isn't a perennial Pro Bowler, but he's the type of player you want on your team because when the ball is in the air and it's the moment of truth between the defender and receiver, he wins. Oftentimes, it's when the game is on the line. He's tough, battle-hardened and a gamer. You have to bring it against him.
Randall Cobb (Packers)	An emerging talent, he has quickly become a headache for opposing defenses by lining up as a running back, a slot receiver, on the left, the right, while running the ball out of the backfield and owning the middle of the field. He's a future star, which means he might not show up here in the coming years. That's why I want him on my team now.
Cecil Shorts (Jaguars)	There weren't many bright spots for the Jaguars in 2012, but Shorts was one of them. In his second season out of Mount Union, he displayed big-time playmaking ability on the outside as a threat that opposing defenses had to account for at all times. As a receiver, you basically have two jobs -- get open and catch the ball. Shorts is an up-and-comer who caught my eye as one of the NFL's electrifying talents that the national spotlight hasn't yet shined upon.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN	WHY HE MADE THE TEAM
Willie Colon (Steelers)	I never liked playing against the 6-foot-3, 315-pound Colon. He always blocked after the whistle, talked a lot of trash and made you want to punch him in the face at times. He wasn't fun to go up against, but he's the type of lineman you like to line up next to. He made the transition from Hofstra to the NFL, which you don't see often..
Chris Kuper (Broncos)	He doesn't receive much national recognition, as he is probably known most for being carted off the field in the 2011 regular-season finale with a gruesome ankle injury. Kuper returned to play through a lot of pain in 2012 and was a steadying presence at right guard while helping to keep Peyton Manning clean.
Brandon Moore (Jets)	How many players who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2002 are still with the same team and competing at a high level? That's the category Moore falls into, as he is a solid guard who is well-respected across the NFL. He hasn't missed a game over the last eight seasons, proving to be durable and reliable.
Russell Okung (Seahawks)	He has received some national recognition, and he entered the league as a first-round draft choice, so he fits a different profile than several other picks. One play jumped out to me on tape, when he put 49ers defensive lineman Justin Smith on his back. That's not easy to do, and it that type of power and aggression that earns him this spot.
Ryan Wendell (Patriots)	He just finds a way to get the job done despite being undersized (6-2, 300), a bit slow, and not overpowering. You look at him and ask, "How has he managed to stay in the NFL?" He's crafty, a little bit nasty, and he plays with a lot of spunk. He'll block his man by any means necessary, and like Brandon Moore, has come up the hard way as an undrafted free agent out of Fresno State.

SPECIAL TEAMS	WHY HE MADE THE TEAM
Matthew Slater (Patriots)	One of the true professionals in the game, he's already made two Pro Bowls, so it's more his journey that lands him on this team. It's about hard work, faith and professionalism. He's grown into one of the best in the business, with Bill Belichick drawing a comparison to perennial Pro Bowler Larry Izzo.

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Tedy Bruschi

Columnist, ESPN.com

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Tedy Bruschi spent his entire 13-year career with the New England Patriots after being drafted in the third round out of Arizona. He played in five Super Bowls, winning three. He retired prior to the 2009 season.