Before Raymond Clayborn becomes the 26th person inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Saturday, he stopped by the Hall for a Speaker Series event, signing autographs, taking photos and answering questions from the fans in the audience. From his reaction to his Hall call to his ties to Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, here are five things we learned from the newest inductee:
1. Clayborn was very surprised to learn he became the 2017 inductee for the Patriots Hall of Fame.
"I thought I'd never get in," Clayborn said, because he never won a Super Bowl with the team. When Robert Kraft called to tell him that he made it into the Patriots Hall of Fame, he was both shocked and honored.
2. Clayborn's last season as an NFL player was in 1991 when he played under Bill Belichick for the Cleveland Browns.
He said that Belichick was tough back then, too, and Clayborn is impressed with what he has continued to accomplish.
3. Not only did Clayborn play football at the University of Texas at Austin, but he was also a track star.
Clayborn went to the University on a scholarship for football and kept in shape during the off-season running track. He accredited his ability to perform so well as a cornerback to what he learned running track.
4. He was extremely impressed by Julian Edelman's catch in Super Bowl LI.
While watching the game, Clayborn recalled how he thought to himself, "Oh man, that's going to be an interception!" His former team brought him a great deal of nerves, but he's happy that the Patriots came out on top.
5. He wishes that he could come back and play for the Patriots.
"Bring me back and let me play again! I want a Super Bowl championship ring," he smiled.
