During the month of July, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will determine which three players deserve to be considered the faces of each franchise. For this series, we will only consider active players. In this edition, the New England Patriots are the focus.

Faces of the New England Patriots

Tom Brady

Just like with the New England Patriots Mount Rushmore article, let’s get the most obvious player out of the way first. Brady is not just the face of the Patriots; he’s possibly the face of the NFL. The reason the Deflategate scandal became such a huge story is because it dealt with the Patriots, but even more so because it involved Brady.

The former Michigan quarterback has been one of, if not the biggest, star in the NFL for over a decade and he has been suspended for the first four games of the 2015 season for his alleged role in Deflategate, despite the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell not really having any actual evidence. Brady has appealed his suspension and Patriots fans are hoping his suspension is vacated based on the lack of evidence.

Once Brady does get on the field this season, fans know he will, once again, prove that he is a winner. The sixth-round pick in the 2000 draft has won four Super Bowls (and came within a hair of winning two others), while posting a record of 21-8 in the playoffs. He has been named Super Bowl MVP three times, including last season. His regular season record as a starter is 160-47, he has received the NFL MVP award two times (including being a unanimous selection once), and he is a ten-time Pro Bowler. Whether you love or loathe him or the Patriots, the first player that comes to mind when you think of Bill Belichick’s squad is Brady.

Rob Gronkowski

Because of his size, production on the field and his fun-loving attitude off the field, Gronk is easily one of the most recognizable players on the Patriots and in the NFL. Many NFL fans love to give the big tight end a hard time about his partying lifestyle, but having a good time is part of what makes Gronk, Gronk. Plus, his partying doesn’t hurt anyone, and he’s never been in any off-field trouble, so it’s not really a big deal as long as he continues to produce on the field.

Other than some injuries that limited his playing time, the former Arizona Wildcat has definitely proven what he can do between the white lines. He is possibly the toughest to cover in the NFL because he is too big (6-foot-6, 265 pounds) for defensive backs to cover one-on-one and he’s too fast and quick for most linebackers. In 2014, Gronk had 82 catches for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns during the regular season while adding 16 receptions for 204 yards and three touchdowns in the postseason. Expect the best red zone target in the NFL to have no trouble finding the end zone in 2015 and to see the resulting “Gronk Spikes” that follow.

Jamie Collins

The first two slots for this article were easy to fill, but the third one was more difficult. Players like wide receiver Julian Edelman, offensive tackles Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer, defensive ends Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich, linebacker Jerod Mayo and Super Bowl hero cornerback Malcolm Butler, among others all have cases to be slotted here, but ultimately Collins gets the final spot.

The talented linebacker was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2013 draft and in 2014 he really made the other 31 NFL teams wish they hadn’t passed on him. The former Southern Mississippi Golden Eagle is possibly the best athlete on the Patriots and he is extremely versatile. He is fantastic both at getting after opposing quarterbacks and in coverage, and he continues to improve against the run.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound linebacker had 116 tackles, four forced fumbles, four sacks and two interceptions in 2014. In the postseason, he added another 23 tackles and an interception. Given Collins’ age (25), versatility, athleticism, and talent, and fellow linebacker Jerod Mayo succumbing to too many injuries, Collins will be an even more integral part of New England’s defense going forward.

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