Wilfork’s lasting legacy remains with Patriots

Vince Wilfork was back around Gillette Stadium this week, as the soon-to-be-inducted Patriots Hall of Famer prepared for his Saturday ceremony that will enshrine him among the greatest Patriots of all time. Though it might’ve been a while since Big Vince was in Foxborough, his legacy never left and now he’ll have a permanent spot inside The Hall at Patriot Place.

Wilfork was a dominant force for the Patriots, playing 11 years with the team and winning two Super Bowls while bridging the gap between the first three championships and the second set of titles. Selected in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft, Wilfork quickly became a foundational piece of the Patriots defense.

“Vince is a really, very athletic guy,” said Bill Belichick on Friday. “I want to say he still holds the shot-put record in the state of Florida in high school. Which, whether he holds it or not, the fact that he’s up there, that high, for that long is pretty impressive. He can run, very light on his feet. I mean for such a big guy, I think good balance, tremendous playing strength. Great competitor, very smart, good communicator. Was a good team leader. Great team captain. So he brought a lot to this organization on and off the field for a long period of time.”

“The only reason I’ve done something good was because of the coaches that I had,” Wilfork told Patriots.com during his Thursday jacket fitting. “They taught me very, very well. What it was like to be a professional, you know what it’s like to play with technique and don’t rely on just your size and just little small things. And a lot of credit goes to Bill Belichick when it comes to playing football because you know, here I am. I’m coming out of the University of Miami. I know what it’s like to win. I know that but playing the game and understanding the game inside of the game, Bill taught me that.”

Perhaps most impressive was Wilfork’s ability to play multiple roles within the defense. It was something that emerged later in his Patriots…