Andrews is New England’s longest tenured player.
There have been plenty of changes for the New England Patriots since their 2023-24 season concluded in January, as they are set to enter this upcoming season with a new head coach, front office, quarterback, and more.
One thing that will not change, however, is captain David Andrews lining up at center.
After a self-described long-year last season, the 31-year old believed he still had gas left in the tank but took time to get away to access his future. It ended with him deciding to return for Year 9.
“It is not much about loving the game. I’ll be 65 years old and still love the game, but just making sure I can do all the things I need to do to prepare and be ready to go on Sunday,” Andrews told reporters on Thursday. “I took some time and got away and spent some time with my family, much needed. That desire was still down in there to wanna get up and go train and do all the things I need to do to take care of myself.”
Entering his ninth NFL season, Andrews is now the Patriots longest tenured member. But, despite spending his entire career in Foxboro, home has a different feel this year.
“It’s kind of like being part of a new organization but not. It’s still home and, but the new offense, right?” Andrews told reporters on Thursday. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to work with a lot of our coaches, a lot of the new guys, obviously and now we have all the young rooks coming in this weekend, so to meet some of them and see them and get to work with them next week.”
As the Patriots remodeled their coaching staff under new head coach Jerod Mayo this offseason, Andrews was one of the first veterans to meet and speak with the new coaches. That included a conversation with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, which left Andrews excited about learning a new offensive system.
“As someone who loves football and loves the schematics of it, getting to see kind of another system and another side has been really fun for me and, challenging,” he said. “I’ve got nine years of experience, call it in one system offensively for the most part. So getting to see that new side of it has been really fun, different schemes, how they do things.
“I think it’s really interesting. I’ve enjoyed that a lot. It’s been a challenge for me trying to relearn and reprogram my mind and speak the language. So, I’ve enjoyed that part of it and obviously still in that process and can be in that process for a while.”
Throughout all the changes, Andrews is embracing the process with the hope of getting the Patriots back to their winning ways.
“Obviously with the changes and everything, getting to talk to Mayo, sit down with him, talk to him, I was very excited to be a part of something new, a change,” he explained. “But hopefully trying to figure it out and start something new and start something good. Being a part of that process, that was something I was excited about.”
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