Hobbs honors D-Will
Ellis Hobbs honored fallen Darrent Williams yesterday:
Cornerback Ellis Hobbs paid tribute to Darrent Williams, the Denver Broncos cornerback who died last week, by wearing his name on the shirt he wore under his game jersey yesterday. Both grew up in Texas and got to know each other before the 2005 draft, when they both were coming out of college.
"I was doing it out of respect," said Hobbs, who started for the third straight week. "I had all the emotions that I wanted before this. This just gave me a purpose to go out there. I asked the Lord 'Let him play through me.' I know how bad he wanted it on the field with his aggressive attitude. I can say that we're the same type of player. I respected him and he respected me."
Hobbs's gray Patriots T-shirt had the words "R.I.P. D. Williams," on it, in addition to the No. 27.
I hadn't realized that they'd known each other pre-NFL; although it makes sense -- both were drafted in the same year, into the same position, and both were from Texas. It was a good, non-distracting tribute.
