In honor of his retirement, check out 75 of our favorite images of Vince Wilfork through the years.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) is sacked by New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork (75) in the first quarter during NFL action Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011 in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh won the game 25-17. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
The New England Patriots' top draft pick, Vince Wilfork, left, fights off a block during practice Saturday, July 31, 2004, in Foxboro, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
St. Louis quarterback Marc Bulger, left, escapes the grasp of New England Patriots Vince Wilfork during the second quarter of their game in St. Louis, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2004. Bulger's move kept the drive alive resulting in a touchdown (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
New England Patriots defensive linemen Vince Wilfork, right, and Ty Warren laugh as they talk before football practice begins at the team's training facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 3, 2007. The Patriots will play their AFC Division rivals, the New York Jets, in a wild-card playoff game on Sunday in Foxborough. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75) runs with a recovered fumble in the third quarter as New York Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery chases during an a AFC wild card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 7, 2007. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
New England Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork signs autographs after the morning session of the NFL football team's training camp in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
AFC All-Stars (clockwise from top left) Mike Vrabel #50, Logan Mankins #70, Matt Light #72, Asante Samuel #22, Dan Koppen #67, and Vince Wilfork #75 of the New England Patriots line up for a photo day picture with hula girls at the 2008 NFL Pro Bowl on February 8, 2008 in Kapolei, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork prior to a football game at Gillette Stadium against the St. Louis Rams in Foxborough, Mass. Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)
New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork (75) sacks Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne (7) during the third quarter of an NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday Jan. 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork rubs his face as he prepares to speak to reporters in the locker room prior to football team practice in Foxborough, Mass., Monday, Aug. 22, 2011. Wilfork says he doesn't want to be a distraction to his Patriots teammates after a report that he was paid $50,000 while at the University of Miami. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork (75) intercepts a pass as San Diego Chargers running back Mike Tolbert (35) watches in the second quarter of an NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75) celebrates during the closing seconds of the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots defeated the Ravens 23-20 to win the AFC Championship. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75) tackles New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 21, 2014, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, left, hugs defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75) in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, in Foxborough, Mass. The Cardinals won 20-18. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
The T-shirt of New England Patriots Vince Wilfork #75 is seen after the NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, center, speaks while on the sideline set of NFL Network after the Patriots beat the New York Jets 13-10 in an NFL football game Friday, Sept. 13, 2013, in Foxborough, Mass. Listening are NFL Network's Steve Mariucci, left, and Marshall Faulk, right. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75) in action during the 2014 NFL week 15 regular season football game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014 in Foxboro, MA. The Patriots won the game 41-13. (AP Photo / Jim Mahoney)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, left, shakes hands with defensive lineman Vince Wilfork during a press conference after the NFL football AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots defeated the Colts 45-7 to advance to the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick stands with New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75) on the sidelines during the second half of NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. The New England Patriots won 28-24.(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork reacts to his team's last-minute touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the New York Giants Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots won 28-20. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75) celebrates near the end of the second half of NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. The Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2015, file photo, New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75) celebrates after Malcolm Butler intercepted Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson during the second half of NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game in Glendale, Ariz. Wilfork played 158 games over 11 seasons for the New England Patriots before joining the Texans this season. As the defensive tackle prepares to face his former team for the first time he reflects on his successful time there and his feelings on parting with the organization. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75) looks at a digital camera with his daughter Destiny on his shoulders during the team's walk through at University of Phoenix Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008 in Glendale, Ariz. The Patriots will play the New York Giants in the Super Bowl XLII football game on Sunday, Feb. 3. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork (75) waves his arms in order to pump up the fan noise during an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, September 27, 2009 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Patriots won the game 26-10. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) is sacked by New England Patriots' Kyle Love the third quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75) lines up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork (75) pursues the action against the Houston Texans during an AFC divisional playoff NFL football game on Sunday, January 13, 2013 in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots defeated the Texans 41-28. (AP Photo/David Drapkin)
FOXBORO, MA - SEPTEMBER 8: Defensive lineman Vince Wilfork #75 of the New England Patriots is congratulated by teammate Richard Seymour #93 after an interception against the Oakland Raiders during the 2005 NFL opening game at Gillette Stadium on September 8, 2005 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO, 10/1/06
New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals.
- Photo By: KEITH NORDSTROM
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Former New England Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork announced his retirement today, closing his 13-year career as one of the most productive players in the team's history. Wilfork played 11 of his 13 seasons with the Patriots and helped bring two Super Bowl Championships to New England with victories in Super Bowl XXXIX and Super Bowl XLIX.Â
Wilfork, 35, was originally drafted by the Patriots in the first round (21st overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft. The Miami (Fla.) product spent the first 11 seasons of his NFL career with the Patriots before playing his final two seasons with the Houston Texans. Â While with the Patriots, Wilfork played in 158 games with 148 starts, and the Patriots owned a 123-35 (.778) record in the regular season, averaging 12 wins per season. The Patriots played in 21 playoff games, six AFC Championship Games and four Super Bowls with Wilfork anchoring the defense.Â
He served as a defensive co-captain for seven consecutive seasons (2008-14) and earned five Pro Bowl selections (2007, 2009-12) and Associated Press All-Pro First team Honors in 2012 and Associated Press All-Pro Second team honors in 2007, 2010 and 2011.Â
During his time in New England, he helped the Patriots defense finish in the top 10 in points allowed eight times (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014).Â
