Q: Why are you here?
VT: I have no idea. I was playing some good golf. I guess [I'm here] because golf season is over and nothing else is going on in my life. But, all kidding aside, a lot of my friends and family asked me why I am still doing this and the simple reason is because I still think I can go out on the field and be productive if need be. I can come in and hopefully help this team get to their goal. And [I'm here] because I love playing football. That's the bottom line.
Q: Have you prepared yourself for this over the past couple of months?
VT: My lifestyle over the last 20 years or so has been working out and staying in shape. This past offseason it was the same thing. I haven't worked out as hard as I would going into a training camp, but I feel like I am in pretty decent shape. Obviously I have to get into better football shape, but I have some young kids that keep me busy. I'm out in the back yard throwing the football with my son, so I feel pretty good overall.
Q: When you were in for a workout six weeks ago, Bill Belichick said that it was a fluid situation. Did that heighten the workouts a bit?
VT: Not really. I just continued to do the things I was doing on a daily basis. I just felt like that was good enough to keep me in shape and if I did come into anybody's camp I could go from there.
Q: Bill [Belichick] said he hopes that you never see the field on game day. How does that make you feel?
VT: That's the idea. He told me he just wanted me to come in [the game] in an emergency situation. Obviously you have Tom [Brady] and Matt [Cassel], who is a young player who has a lot of ability. But, hey, over the years, as a player, if you understand your role you have a better chance to be successful and help the team be successful.
Q: So you're cool with that?
VT: Oh yeah. I am very good with that.
Q: Do you see yourself playing more scout team, taking pressure off of Matt?
VT: Sure. I am here to help in any way I can. If that's taking some snaps on the scout team and helping Matt out so that he can also better prepare himself with what he has to get done, then yes. I just love being around football. I enjoy it. I feel like I can still do it. So I am going to milk it to the very end.
Q: And hopefully a Super Bowl ring.
VT: A Super Bowl ring would be great. There is no better place to have an opportunity like that than here in New England with the Patriots. It's a first-class organization.
