New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick likes what he knows.
He isn’t the kind of guy always aiming to reinvent the wheel or create a massive shake-up. If something has worked for him in the past, there’s a good chance he’ll give it another try down the line.
That’s the basic philosophy behind the Patriots’ tendency to bring back past players in a pinch.
New England is a revolving door of past Patriots that have sought opportunities elsewhere, only to return to the same place where they made a name for themselves. In many ways, New England is a place where names are born, leave and come back to be recognized all over again.
Here are the top eight prodigal son returns for the Patriots in the Belichick era.