“It’s kind of been a hard road: Playing small college football, being undrafted, just trying to make a team, then being released from that team, trying to just be on somebody’s practice squad,’’ said Connolly, a 29-year-old St. Louis native. “I assume that my hard work over the years has paid off.’’
That and his versatility. Connolly has started for the Patriots at three offensive line positions over the past two seasons. He spelled Logan Mankins at left guard last season when Mankins was injured; took over for right guard Stephen Neal later in the season when Neal was hurt; and has logged 11 starts this season at center in place of Dan Koppen, who fractured his ankle in the season opener.
Because of injuries, the Patriots have been forced to move players around on the offensive line all season, with right guard Brian Waters the only one to start every game at the same position. Given an opportunity, this season and last, Connolly has seized it.
This isn’t Connolly’s first trip to the Super Bowl. After spending his first two years in Jacksonville (spending 2006 on injured reserve), he signed with New England on Sept. 12, 2007, and was with the Patriots throughout that season, which began with 18 victories and ended with a painful, last-minute loss to the Giants in the Arizona desert.
But Connolly spent that season on the practice squad, getting his teammates ready during the week, standing on the sideline out of uniform during games.
To be so close to perfection, without ever appearing in a game?
“It was great to be there,’’ Connolly said. “I would have wished that I was playing, but it was fun to just be a part of it.’’
He was part of the Media Day frenzy at the Super Bowl four years ago, when he estimated that only four or five questions came his way. The entire time. This morning, when he and his teammates spend an hour talking to the media at Lucas Oil Stadium, Connolly’s assigned spot figures to generate a bit more traffic.
