In terms of championship rings, it isn’t even a close call — the Patriots’ long-time linebacker and special teams ace, Larry Izzo, who has played on all three of the Patriots Super Bowl winners and who the team recently signed to another contract.
Izzo is pure Houston, having played collegiately at Rice from 1992-95 after starring in Texas high school football at The Woodlands, where he continues to live during the off-seaon. Izzo is an example of the specialized type of player that has become common in the NFL, which has limited rosters that place a premium on good special team players. Izzo is one of the best special teamers and has led the Patriots in special teams tackles in five of his six seasons in New England. Izzo has now completed 11 seasons in the NFL (he played his first five seasons in Miami).
Izzo’s career is of special interest to me because he put on one of the best single-game performances of any football player that I’ve ever seen while playing in a big game for The Woodlands High School against Westfield High School in 1991. Former Texas A&M coach Emory Bellard was coaching Westfield, which was loaded. The Woodlands had a pretty good team, too, but not as good as Westfield. Playing both ways at fullback and linebacker, as well as on most special teams, Izzo dominated the game, running and tackling with equal ferocity. He literally willed The Woodlands team to a close win in a game that Westfield would have won handily had Izzo not played.
Izzo is not among the most physically gifted football players that I’ve ever seen, but he is one of best football players that I’ve ever seen.