He is the poster boy for a maligned defense: Considered by some not big enough, fast enough, or good enough, Ninkovich has kept working and progressing, despite the skeptics. Now he is a win away from playing in the Super Bowl.
Safe to say he has exceeded expectations - both his and the team’s. It’s apparent the Patriots needed a player like Ninkovich. It’s even more apparent that he needed a team like the Patriots. It has been a perfect match.
“My expectations? I wanted to stay in the NFL,’’ he said. “I didn’t want to be out of the league, so I knew that this was one of my biggest opportunities I could ever have for staying in the NFL, because I knew I was close to getting out.
“I was almost out as a long snapper, so I came here willing to do anything, as long as I was playing.
“I knew I had all the skills to play in the league, but there’s a lot of luck and opportunity involved in playing, so I came here and was given an opportunity, and made it the best.’’
Taken by the Saints in the fifth round of the 2006 draft, Ninkovich bounced between New Orleans and Miami for the first four years of his career. Waived by the Saints. Claimed by the Dolphins. Waived by the Dolphins. Claimed by the Saints. Waived by the Saints. Two season-ending knee injuries and questions about where he fit in best - long snapper? linebacker? edge rusher? - hampered his cause.
He appealed to the Patriots, though, because they were looking for someone who could do a variety of things. A contributor initially on special teams, Ninkovich has steadily been asked to do more. Over time, he has become invaluable, playing more snaps on defense this year (980, according to ProFootballFocus.com) than any Patriot not named Wilfork, Arrington, or McCourty.
