Patriots name Port Arthur’s Elandon Roberts captain

Published 1:04 pm Saturday, September 7, 2019

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick highly praised one of his new defensive captains, Port Arthur native and linebacker Elandon Roberts.

Going into his fourth season, Roberts, 25, has played in the Super Bowl each year he’s been in the NFL, winning two rings. He was drafted in the sixth round out of the University of Houston in 2016.

“From Morgan State to Houston to here,” Belichick told PatriotsWire.USAToday.com. “He wasn’t a highly recognized player when we drafted him. But, he’s one of the most unselfish players that we have on our team, he’s also one of the toughest players on the team. A tempo-setter. An impact hitter … One of the smartest players, too.”

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According to NESN.com, Roberts said being a captain is “just another job to do” and takes it with pride.

“I respect the position,” he said. “… It doesn’t bring pressure or anything like that. But you hold yourself to a different standard, because you know your teammates and your coaches hold you to a different standard because of that title.”

Roberts will be mentioned in the same breath as quarterback Tom Brady on a list of Patriots’ captains. Linebacker Dont’a Hightower, cornerback Devin McCourty, running back James White, special teamer Matthew Slater and injured center David Andrews also are named captains.

Unlike many NFL teams, MassLive.com reported, the Patriots do not wear captain’s patches.

“His intelligence, his awareness, and how hard he studies the game of football is very important to him. That’s reflected in the way he approaches it and the way he plays it,” Belichick said.

Roberts led Memorial to the 5A (now 6A) Division II state semifinal round in 2011, his senior season, and began collegiately at Morgan State in Maryland.

**UPDATED to reflect report that Patriots do not follow the NFL trend of the “C” patches for captains.**

About I.C. Murrell

I.C. Murrell was promoted to editor of The News, effective Oct. 14, 2019. He previously served as sports editor since August 2015 and has won or shared eight first-place awards from state newspaper associations and corporations. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, grew up mostly in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

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