Games with Names - Vince Wilfork's Best Patriots Stories

Episode Date: June 28, 2026

Vince Wilfork shares his favorite Patriots stories with Julian Edelman, including talking the iconic butt fumble, Tom Brady prank wars, and Bill Belichick.Support the show: http://www.gameswithnames.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's that time to put on your jersey and wave your flag, whoever you root for. Why do I watch the World Cup? That's like asking me, why do I breed? And it's beautiful. The guys are young and cute and fit. It's not just a game. It's your culture. I like watching it with my dad. It's a connecting force.

From Futuro Studios, I'm Fernanda Chavari, and this is American Football, a show about soccer culture in the U.S. and its underdog roots. Listen to American Football on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Joy is essential and it's also elusive. But now, there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence. Joy 101.

It's a new podcast hosted by me, How to Coppe. If you're craving inspiration to maximize your joy, tune into these candid, uplifting, and moving on-air chats. Open your free IHeart Radio app. Search Joy 101 and listen now. Joy 101 with Hoda Kotfi is presented by CVS. My first guest is Terence Hilton, Shakira, Luke and Yerrin. Have surprises.

Many surprises. Welcome to the Sweet 305 podcast where the group check comes to life. What a! You're the only person I know that loves a yellow starburst. It's lemonade. This is Sweet 305. Here, oversharing is encouraged. Listen to Sweet 305 with Llele Pons on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast,

or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Mangayshatigler, and I'm back with a new season of my podcast, Skyline Drive. This time I talked to scientists, biopunks, curmudgins, blues owners, super seniors, and Goa's top cryotherapy lab to try to understand this obsession with living forever and what it means for all of us. And I get into a bit of trouble along the way. I'd say probably start bone smashing. That doesn't work.

To make it look more defined. They say it works. I don't know. Listen to Skyline Drive, How to Live Forever on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Welcome to Games with Names. I'm Julian Edelman,

and we got a brand new compilation highlight reel starting now. Now, Vince Wilford breaks down the iconic butt fumble. We got to dive into this moment, though. And the funny thing is we started this episode. by talking about 2GAP. Yes. And that right there is the definition of 2GAP is when you blow them up so much

that it runs the runner into the blocker. That's like, that's called recreating the line of scrimmage. Oh yeah. Give us beat for beat. Well, it's fight pressure with pressure, right? So it's like, you know. So pressure with pressure, meaning the offensive line guys pushing pressure at one direction on Big V,

trying to probably wall them off in a certain direction. So Big V's got to put that pressure against that because he wants to attack that area. Right, right. You want to always fight pressure with pressure because that kind of tell you where the ball is supposed to go. And like I say, on that play, honestly,

you know, Nick didn't come directly at me aggressive and Brandon didn't come to me directly, you know, aggressive. So I was stuck like, okay, who to attack? Remember, right? I have two gaps. So who would attack? I can't attack this guy and be out of gap and I can't tack this gap because so in that millisecond it's like I had to make a decision so if you see I was basically in the middle of that gap with both of them and trying to understand and once Nick I felt Nick kind of leave I knew then I had to fight back and he had Brandon it was on my shoulder so that's why it's like I kind of trying to get my arms back and press and once I press that's why I bow before my happen because I guess that gap closed fast enough for San Francisco.

and he didn't realize how fast it was closing. So that's what happened on that play, brother. Did you feel Mark Sanchez run into the offense alignment through you or no? No. I just felt once I press, Brandon felt. And then when I looked up, the ball was gone. I'm like, oh, fumble, you know, but I didn't know he ran into his butt and fumble like that.

You know, I had no idea. Can you imagine being that strong? Listen, listen, 300, and we'll say in conservatively, 45 pounds. That's perfect. Other side, 300 probably at most 315. So the pounds of pressure

that these two men are literally trying to kill each other for and Big V so strong, another 215 pounds hits that and he doesn't feel it. You gotta be fucking strong for that. And that's what, like I just remember Big V would, I would see Big V come in

the weight room and just put as many plates as you can see on the thing, do his like four sets and then just dip out. Go on Ben. Like that's how strong that. You've got to be fucking strong to do that. That's a real man right there. That's a man's man's man, baby. Now, Vince Will Fork and Jules share their favorite

Bellichick stories. One bone to pick, though. Oh, uh-oh. I want to hear this one. Now, can you at least confess that Bill is way softer on fucking defensive guys than offensive guys? And you want to know how I because he would come up and ask us questions. Like on Wednesdays, he'd always test us, right? He'd always test us both offense and defense in front of each other.

He'd look over at me. Edelman, what coverage is this and this, this? He'd look over at V.A. V, what color is the team we're playing? No, that's not true. I don't think. One thousand percent. But see, we thought, because you got to understand,

Bill used to come into our meetings. when he leaves squad and all that he would come in there with us and grill us so our question answering he might not give it to us all in a team meeting but he'll leave that meeting

when we break up an individual he'll come in there and grill us with questions Hey Big V we're playing Derek Henry this week Is this a run or pass team? He's just saying shit like I'm not even joking bro

I'm sitting there They're asking us scheme this this They're like, is this team coach like to throw it or run it? I'll tell you what the first, I'll tell you a funny story with Bill and me, right? So my rookie year, we, I think we in, we in many counts or something like that. And he's asking questions. And I mean, he's going around and he's asking like layup questions, right? So he gets to me, he said, Vince, what is Memorial Day?

So I'm like, man, I don't know if there's a trick question than that. So I was like, barbecue. He said, no, you a-ho, what is it? I'm like, that's what we do, barbecue. Man, when I tell you, Bill couldn't do nothing but laugh. He could do it because I'm like, what are you asking? I'm like, it's a trick question. What are you asking me?

So he went on to tell everybody about Memorial Day and I'm like, hey, man. I'm like, be a coach. I thought you was asking me what we do on Memorial. He said, no, I know, you asshole. I'm talking about that, that, that. I'm like, my bad. That was my first question from Bill. And that's how I answered it.

The first question. And he had a little jolly smile. Oh, yeah. The smirk. A little smir. An offensive guy. Oh, asshole, you guys got to get out of. No, no.

When he used to ask a grunt question, we would laugh. If grunt knew what or didn't know, we would laugh. And he would laugh. So it's like, he would. But I truly believe it would. Bill, and when it came to me, I can truly think that I think Bill was testing me early

on in my career on my knowledge of the game. I really was and I appreciate him so much for doing that because he taught me so much about football in the game itself, you know? A lot of questions that he would,

you got to understand, when I was a rookie, our defense line, we was in charge of knowing quarterback pivots, the route tree, blocking schemes, cadence, motions. We had to know all of that.

Which gives you an advantage because if you know the concepts, you know that the quarterback's got to get the ball out. Formations, like, yes, we. Which a lot of, it's crazy to me that teams don't do that. That's, but Bill stopped. I think we were the last class that came in that he did that to,

but I think, looking back now, I think he was just basically trying to see how smart and my football IQ was because in Bill, my bill is thinking three, four steps ahead. Yeah. He's like, let me see. I'm a test and see what he knows. And I proved to him that I know the game of football, you know.

And I think that allows us to do a lot defensively scheme-wise with me knowing what's going on, not only from a defensive line standpoint, but, you know, the back end from the defense and offensively what they're trying to create and build through formations. and this and that. So it was like a,

not only we had, you know, the secondary, if it was Rodney or if it was deaf with the calls, you know, we had our linebackers

with the calls. Now he have trust that, okay, I know Vince would be able to get calls out, get us lined up up front. And it allowed us to play so much faster

as a defense. And I, you know, I credit all of that to build because how he taught me the game. I thought I knew the game, but,

you know, sitting down, having a conversation with him, you know right away. Like, I don't know much about what I think I do. So I, you know, I always think all up because he meant a lot to me, not only in my personal life and the friendship we have and we built over the years, but as a coach, what he was allowed to coach and teach me, that's why I became the player I became.

And that's why I moved from nose tackle to a defensive tackle to an end and then I can flop to go to this side. So I didn't do, I didn't play a nose tradition like any other two-gap nose because Bill had the luxury of moving me in different positions and I can produce at those positions. So it just allowed us as a team in defense to manipulate a lot of play calling from my offense

to start seeing the point, you know, because they never knew what I was going to be, you know. And a lot of it is common sense, though, which is all right take best defensive alignment put him on worse offense alignment may not be in traditional spot but that's weakness

and then you win you know what I mean like well you but like that's it's crazy like I watch a lot of these defenses and I'm like are we I guess we're just that much smarter because I was out I'm sitting here and I was talking Antonio Gates we did a show

together and he doesn't realize that I was in seventh grade when And he was talking about the game that he was playing. I'm like, I wasn't in this game. But the whole time he keeps on talking to me, how the fuck we lose these pictures? And it hits to me like, it's because we were like what you're talking about.

We were the smartest football team by far. Yeah, yeah, we were. We always was. You know what I mean? Like it wasn't just know your position. You knew the rhyming reason why you were doing what you were doing. Yeah. It's a lot of times I lined up and I knew we had teams where first player of the game.

I'm lined up somewhere opposite in those. because office alignment was said. You know, I got a lot of old crap. Didn't realize I was going to be over there. So now I know, okay, now I'm playing with your scheme because everything you prepare for is not it. So now you have to go back to the drawing board and you have to figure out, okay, where events are going to be,

what they're going to be playing, we thought it was going to be this. But now, but, yeah, I remember, like, a lot of office alignment like, oh, crap, you over here? What you're doing over here? Yeah. To screw your play up. Yeah. Simple as that.

Now, a guy you played with on those defenses is now the head coach of the New England Patriots, Mike Vrable. Love it. What are your thoughts on that? I love it. And the thing is, I had the luxury to be a player with Mike. And in Houston, he was a linebacker's coach. So coach for Mike, I mean, play for Mike. And I always knew since the time our playing days that he was going to be a head coach.

I always knew that. I mean, he was a coach. Like, no doubt in my mind. that was going to happen. And I love that move because he's going to get the best out of everybody. And he's very smart when it comes to the game of football. He knows exactly what he's doing. He knows how he wants to deliver messages.

He's outspoken. If he believe in something, he believe in it. If he don't like something, he'll tell you. I mean, he'll speak his mind. But at the same time, the respect that he receives is because what he pour out. So I think we're in good hands with Mike. I really do believe we're going to do some wonders this year. I mean, we're going to sell a different football team this year.

And I'm expecting for us to shock a lot of people, you know, just because of I know Mike as a person and the player and the coach. I've already known him. You know, I know it. And they spend money. Yeah, they're going to spend, guess what? He ain't for the hottest hand. If he wants somebody, he's going to let it be known. we need this player.

I don't want him. We need them. He'll tell him, you know, and that's what I love about him. He's a player's coach, but at the same time, he's disciplined. He's going to have a smart football team. He's not going to make a lot of dumb mistakes. And they're going to play hard for him. They're going to play hard for him.

So I'm excited about it. I'm happy that, you know, we did get Mike, you know, if that was the choice. I love that we went and grabbed him because I think he'll do wonders for us. Yeah. You think these teams are going to look more like our old teams? Yeah. In some capacity, yeah. I think one of the main things we're going to get is the competitiveness and aggressive play.

I think in a smart team, you know, so you're going to see, we're going to look, we're going to look apart. We're going to look like we know what we're doing. You know, the past four or five years, we didn't look like that. You know, the past four or five years, you know what we looked like? We looked like teens we used to talk about. Yeah. Like, how you do that? That's how we used to look.

I don't think we'll look like that. Special teams. Yeah, we're going to be coached very, very well and hard. And we're going to play hard. What's the difference between Braves as a coach and a player? Really nothing. Really nothing. Really nothing.

That's why when I played with him, he's the same guy as a coach thing when I played with him. You got to understand, I've seen him and Tom Brady to go at it on the sideline or practicing. You know, I've seen Braves walking out a quarterback's meeting with Tom. I've seen Ray and Tom walking down the hallway with a playbook talking about this. And I've seen Ray and Tom talking about scheme. I saw and I heard Ray tell Tom that would never work against this guy. I've seen it. So the respect, Tom gave him for input in what he was trying to do.

That tells you everything. What was the worst thing you ever heard Coach Frable say to Tom? I mean, it got F you, F you, no F you. Nothing was off limits. Yeah, F-bombs was always a part of it. He didn't care who you will. Bill get F-bombs. Brave, man, look here.

When I tell you when Mike believe in something, he's going to stand firm in it. And he's going to tell you why. That's what I love about it. Was he a smart shit-talker? Yeah, he was, yeah. So he, like, pulled something out of the cuddies. I've been on the field with a call come in and Bray's,

he'll shake a head. It's not going to work. I've been in the huddle with him. Or when we in the meeting room, that's not going to work. And he'll tell you why. He was so smart as a player. It was just, you would never believe that he was a lineback. The way he saw the game, he saw it as a head coach.

Scenario situation. He's seen it as a head coach as a player. Now, this just popped it in my head. Do you think Bill liked Rabel more than you because he let him play offense and gave him a touchdown? That's one thing I regret with Bill. Like, come on, Bill. Like, and the crazy thing is Pullback?

But the thing is, he did see more. He let Seymour line up in the back field. So I'm like, man, listen, no, no shade towards anybody, but I was the best, I was the best athlete on the defense. Hands down. Tell them.

Straight up. I returned kicks in high school. I kicked the ball in high school. I did, I played every position you could possibly name on, on the field. One position I would never play its center.

But I tried it and I hated it. Yeah. But I played every position. Like, I played basketball. I dunk basketball. I did all of that. I was the greatest pound-for-pound athletes on the pages.

I mean, Jamie Collins pretty tight, but listen here, a guy my size to do what I did, come without for the play this. I played lineback. I dropped in cover like I could do all of that. And you could dance. I could dance. Like a ballerina. I could dance.

My footwork was good. That's what people don't realize you're 345 pounds and you could move like a ballerina. So for me not to be on the offensive. side of the ball when I see a lot of guys, not just from us, but other teams, you know, putting their guys in the background that, you know, have some athleticism to them. You know, that was kind of bummed out for me. Now, would that be a perfect moment to use if Bill, you saw Bill, motherfucker? Oh, I hit him with that.

You hit him with him. Yeah, you motherfucker. Up close and personal with shineouts, Brent Smith and Zach Myers. Win your way into an exclusive I-Heard live for an intimate performance and Q&A. July 6th at the Horshoot Tavern in Toronto. Don't miss it. For your chance to win, enter now at iHeartRadio.ca. With Brent Smith and Zach Myers of Shindown.

Stream the new album 8, available now. I love the sounds. The buzzing from the stadium, the chanting from the fans, the announcers calling the place soccer, football, at home. Why do I watch the walk up? That's like asking me, why do I breathe? I inherited that fandom for my mom. I like watching it with my dad.

It's a connecting force. From Futuro Studios, I'm Fernanda Chavari, and this is American Football, a show about soccer culture in the U.S. and its underdog roots. We go beyond the game to the people and the stories that make it great. A soccer game is a festival. It's not just a game. It's your culture. I took an elbow to my head, which cracked my...

It is an American game. The Brazilians don't like hearing that, though. Are they the only ones that don't like that? Nobody likes that. As we get ready for the Men's World Cup this summer, listen to American Football as part of the My Coutura Podcast Network, available on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Hoda Kotby, host of the podcast, Joy 101 with Hoda Kotby.

Okay, if you know me, you know this. I'm always searching for inspiration, for support. it and useful tools to help maximize joy. So this podcast lets us uncover all of that together. We're going to have these meaningful conversations with the world's most fascinating people. Like when actress Olivia Munn shared how she overcame fierce health challenges that she never saw coming. I've gone through breast cancer and then helped my mother through breast cancer and that was more difficult. There's a lot of people who understand postpartum depression.

I was not prepared for postpartum anxiety. Olympic champ Sean Johnson revealed why she had no choice but to be a gymnast. There was something about gymnastics that was intoxicating to me. It's given me a belief that we all have one of those treasures inside of us. We just have to find it. Listen to Joy 101 with Hoda Kotby on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. My first guest is Paris Houghton, Shakira, Luke and Yerrin. Samira and Gracie!

I'm so excited. On the bouncy bed. You have surprises? Many surprises. Welcome to Sweet 305 where the group chat comes to life. What a f***. It's like a way

my friend, hello, hello, I never have ever to have to be about except with my kids, my children,

yes. C, my amante. Uff Oof, that's incredible, yeah, the telenovela. You're the only person I know that loves a yellow starburst. It's lemonade.

There's no one of anyone that you'd like to collaborate with this person. This is Sweet 305. Listen to Sweet 305 with Lele Pons as part of my Culturea Podcast Network on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Next, Vince Wilfork shares his story of Tom Brady and Matt Castle's prank war. D.T. You remember when it was... It was Matt Kassel and Tom going back and forth. I wasn't around for that.

Oh, my God. What happened? They was going back and forth, pranking each other. So I think Matt filled Tom Carp for all of these little bubbles. The peanuts. The peanuts. So Tom took his tires.

And hit him everywhere. And hit him. Like, so he had three tires and still was looking for one. It was in the bubble. So Bill finally was like, look, guys, just stop screwing around. Yeah. You're putting too much plan. Getting out of control.

Just kidding. So Bill had to put a stop to him. Man, he was going for weeks. He was going. Dude, they were, I mean, I'm like, dude, when I tell you, some of my most funniest times in life is on a football field in the locker room. Oh, 1,000 percent.

So people always ask me, do you miss the game? I'm like, no, you know, I miss my teammates in the locker room and the fans. That's what I miss. I don't miss the game itself. I miss the camarader just hanging out in the line. locker room two, three hours after we finished and just sitting down and drinking and Gatorade and just hanging out in the locker room. Next, Vince Wilford gives us his Mount Rushmore of the U.

Who's on your Mount Rushmore of Miami Hurricanes? Man, that's so hard. Like, because we have so many great players. My first and foremost I put on is Ed Reed. And it's down. You know, Ed Reed is, he's a staple of a hurricane. and I would go Jerome Brown. Jerome Brown.

J.B. He was like the one that started the defensive tackle trend. And then it's like you have to, I mean Ray, right? I mean, Ray. And then, of course, it's like you got Andre Johnson. Like pick him, Andre Johnson, Michael Irvin, who you want, sent. Like, pick one of them. I know.

It's tough. You know, even with defensive tackles, you still got one. Sapp out there. You got Cortez-Kinney out there. You got Russell Manley out there. So, like, you can't go wrong because the amount of players we had and the careers that had. One thing I always loved about us, University of Miami, being in the NFL, is the longevity we had in the NFL. Oh, yeah. We have longevity with guys 10, 11, 12 plus years. The durability. Look at Frank Gore. I mean, we, Frank Gore. I mean, we, we, we, Like, just look at Frank, for instance.

Like, man, his career. Spectacular. And I'm going to tell you just like the hit. When I seen Frank as a freshman, I didn't know how good he was. I just knew he was good. He was decent, right? But I didn't know how really good he was until he got a chance to get to the league and show that thing all over the year.

And now he's one of the top leading rushes ever. He's going to be a Hall of Fame. Yeah. And mind you, he was a third back, third string. behind Clinton, behind Willis McGahey. Yeah. And then it was Frank. And we, all on one team.

It's crazy. I mean, I remember when you guys won that Natty in 01. Ken Dorsey. That's right. Dorsey. Ken Dorsey, he was from my area. And we went to the same quarterback coach because I was playing quarterback. And he, like, that was like, how was it winning a Natty?

Well, the thing is, when we won that Natty, you know, it was always big talk about Nebraska. and they tradition and this and that other. And I'm like, we went to the Disney, Disneyland, whatever it was, Disney World out there. And they were looking at us like we were gods. And we knew then we was going to beat their heads in because they were looking at us like they seen a ghost. Yeah. Holy crap.

Like, yeah. So we knew going into that, we was going to beat the dog crap out of. We knew that. Like, our toughest game getting to that was, you know, we had the scaring BC and then the Virginia's tech game when we got us to the Rose Bowl. They almost got you. But yeah. I mean, it was, but the Natty itself,

no, man, no match. No match. No match. No match. Whatsoever. Is that one of the top in college football teams of all time? Absolutely, it is. It is. The best. The best. I don't care who you pair. I don't care. Name it. Who are some of the all the time? Go and do this

roster. The USC, 2004, 20, 25. It wouldn't matter. We wouldn't matter. What's some of the earlier Miami teams? Only, they say the 80. 88. Vineta, Vitaida, they think the 80, one of the, I think it's the 88 or 86, whatever. They think that I'm like, no.

Because what we had, well, we had depth. You have to understand, I was a backup. Yeah. You see what I'm saying? That tells you all the depth you need to know. You understand? So it's like, it didn't matter. Like, when we took one guy out and one going in, we don't, we didn't miss a,

beat. Yeah. So, you know, now you have guys that if one guy get out the fish, like everything go to crap, not us. Like, we had guys rolling in that can go start at any other college there is. It's that time to put on your jersey and wave your flag, whoever you root for. Why do I watch the walk up? That's like asking me, why do I breed? And it's beautiful. The guys are young and cute and fat. It's not just a game. It's your culture. I like watching it with my dad.

It's a connecting force. From Futuro Studios, I'm Fernanda Chavari, and this is American Football, a show about soccer culture in the U.S. and its underdog roots. Listen to American Football on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Joy is essential, and it's all so elusive. But now, there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence. Joy 101. It's a new podcast hosted by me, Hoda Kotby. If you're craving inspiration to maximize your joy,

tune into these candid, uplifting, and moving on-air chats. Open your free I-Heart Radio app. Search Joy 101 and Listen Now. Joy 101 with Hoda Kotby is presented by CVS. My first guest is Karen Tolton, Shakira, Luke and Yerrin. Have surprises? Many surprises. Welcome to the Sweet 305 podcast where the group check comes to life.

What on? You're the only person I know that loves a yellow starburst. It's lemonade. This is Sweet 305. Here, oversharing is encouraged. Listen to Sweet 305 with Lele Pons on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Mangishatechater and I'm back with a new season of my podcast, Skyline Drive. This time I talked to scientists, biopunks, kermudgeon, blues owners, super-reaching.

seniors and Goa's top cryotherapy lab to try to understand this obsession with living forever and what it means for all of us. And I get into a bit of trouble along the way. I'd say probably start bone smashing. That doesn't work. To make it look more defined. They say it works. I don't know. Listen to Skyline Drive, How to Live Forever on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.