When news breaks in the NFL, more often than not ESPN’s Adam Schefter is the one to break it.
But there is some information that players keep close to the vest, and that’s the case with the details of Patriots second-year linebacker Josh Uche giving up his No. 53 jersey to returning veteran Kyle Van Noy.
While the former second-round pick wore the number for his nine games and one sack a year ago, as soon as he saw that Van Noy was returning to New England after a one-year stint in Miami he was more than willing to give it up.
“Honestly, to have KV back it was a no-brainer to give the 53 back considering how much he’s done,” Uche said in a Tuesday video call with New England reporters. “I’m just happy to have a jersey to wear on Sundays, honestly. It’s been a dream for me. So I’m just happy to be a part of the team.”
Uche wasn’t, however, willing to necessarily give up the terms of the jersey number return, or if there even were any terms.
“Right now I feel like Adam Schefter,” Uche said with a smile.
I’m just going to keep this in my pocket right now.”
With Van Noy returning to the No. 53 that he wore for three-plus previous seasons in New England -- to the tune of 45 starts in 51 games played with 16.5 sacks, 35 QB hits, two interceptions, nine passes defensed, five forced fumbles and two touchdowns – Uche swaps into the No. 55 jersey that certainly has its own impressive history in Foxborough.
“I love it man, just the legacy that comes behind it,” Uche explained. “Everything that comes with the No. 55, you have Junior Seau, you have the obvious one [Willie] McGinest. It’s an honor to even be allowed to wear a number like that.”
Uche said he’s never met or spoken with the Patriots Hall of Famer McGinest, but has spent time studying the versatile former edge defender.
“I’ve kind of just been going back and watching the old Patriots Super Bowls and Patriots games, some of the big games,” Uche explained. “Just seeing guys like him, obviously throughout those games, just the way he dominated the game and the tenacity those guys played with definitely gives you that old-school vibe of football.”
Beyond that, Uche has taken one specific aspect away from his film study of his jersey number predecessor and those past Patriots championship defenses.
“You can always be more aggressive,” Uche declared. “Watching those guys, like the Rodney Harrisons and [Richard] Seymours, just how aggressive they are. Yeah, they’re just like gangsta. They hit you in the mouth, get up, talk a little smack to you and come right back with it. So definitely can take those things away from their game and try to implement it into mine.”
