HOUSTON — The man who could be tasked with covering Julio Jones on Super Bowl Sunday wasn’t even a New England Patriot in early September. He was wallowing on the depth chart for a team that would end up going 7-9.
But the circumstances have changed dramatically for Eric Rowe, who found himself getting traded to New England for far less value (a conditional pick in 2018) than the second-rounder the Philadelphia Eagles had invested in him a little more than a year prior.
Funny what a few months can do to change a man’s life. From unwanted to essential, Rowe has tried to absorb a new playbook and way of life in New England, battled injuries, fought his way into a starting role … and now Rowe finds himself facing the NFL’s hottest and perhaps most dangerous receiver in the Super Bowl.