When fullback James Develin announced his retirement this offseason, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick called him “one of the most appreciated and respected players” that he’s had on the roster since he became the coach in New England.
That level of appreciation and respect is felt by one of the players trying to take over at fullback this season. Danny Vitale signed with the Patriots as a free agent in March and spoke to reporters on a conference call on Thursday.
Vitale said that “seeing all the amazing things” that Develin did for the Patriots made it an enticing offer and that he’s aware of how much he’d have to do to have a similar impact on the team.