When Ryan was hired at Gillette Stadium just a few weeks ago, he knew Boyd had to come with him. Over the last five years, Boyd became a favorite among his coworkers at the SoccerPlex.

"It was tough for everybody to say goodbye, but at the same time, I think that everyone there realized it wouldn't have been fair to him to take him away [from his family] and they were happy for him to come up," he said. "I've gotten a lot of comments on social media [that] he deserves the call up to the big leagues."

For Ryan, making it to the NFL in his line of work is the pinnacle, he said. Originally from Maine, Ryan worked for the Red Sox in 2010. When the team's season was over, he finished that season with the Patriots, and returning for his hometown team makes it even better. Starting any new job, however, comes with a certain level of stress and anxiety as you get acclimated to a new environment, new people.

In this too, Boyd has helped Ryan.

"It's been a crazy three weeks, and as far as two overnighters with the preseason games and the soccer, knowing that he's always around. He's kind of, outside of my fiancé, he's my best friend and he's the one that keeps me sane most of the time," he said. "After a 30-hour shift, I can sit down with him and decompress for a couple of minutes. It doesn't bother him, whatever is going on in my life, whether it's professional or personal, he's the one that can kind of keep me sane.