Perhaps the brightest spot in Carolina’s Super Bowl 50 loss to the Broncos came from defensive end Kony Ealy, who exploded onto the scene with three sacks. So if he still trying to live up to that performance?
“That Super Bowl game is over, man,” Ealy told reporters on Tuesday. “I really don’t like to talk about the past. My job, like I said, is to come in here buy into the system and make the most of my opportunity here. Period. . . . Just don’t worry about the future right now. Just worry about the present.”
The present entails Ealy entering the final year of his rookie contract. But he’s not focusing on that, either.
“I don’t worry about that,” Ealy said. “Like I said, I keep preaching this about the process and I’m just trying to stay [on] track, head forward and not worrying about anything that’s going to clog up my memory. My job is to come in here, learn the system and buy into the team.”
Ealy continued to come back to themes of buying in and accepting the process and ultimately sounding like he’s already become a full-fledged Stepford Patriot.
“I’m very excited,” Ealy said. “I love it here. I love the people, the program, as far as how Coach Belichick runs it. Everybody buys in. You can see the difference between that. I love it here and I’m going to continue to work my butt off and try to get better.”
If he can find a way to perform like he did while at his best in Carolina, the Patriots defense will be better, as will the rest of a team that has done more to improve following a Super Bowl win than any franchise in the Super Bowl era.