New England Patriots
“That’s how those guys roll. But it’s my job to, like I said earlier, prevent them from going to another parade.”
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Jake Bobo doesn’t remember which exact Super Bowl parade he attended in Boston during the Patriots’ two-decade run of dominance.
After all, they tend to blend together when you hoist six Lombardi Trophies in 20 years.
But the North Andover native — then donning a Tom Brady jersey — still vividly remembers duck boats carrying the Patriots through the chilly streets of Boston after yet another triumph on football’s highest stage.
It’s a sight that Bobo — now a wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks — hopes doesn’t play out for the seventh time later next week.
“All my buddies are rooting for the Pats,” Bobo said Monday at Super Bowl LX Opening Night. “I’m being honest with you, I kind of enjoy playing the bad guy — being from that area — and not letting all those guys go to the parade. And so we’re gonna try our best to do that.”
The 27-year-old receiver — now in his third season with Seattle — still holds plenty of pride for his New England roots.
“I think it adds a certain kind of toughness to my game and personality off the field, to be honest,” the former Belmont Hill standout said of his regional ties.
The 6-foot-4 pass-catcher is still fond of his hometown teams, and bemoans the lack of Dunkin’ in the Pacific Northwest.
“I have no other choice,” Bobo said of pivoting to Starbucks. “There’s no Dunks. It’s incredible.”
But his longstanding affinity for the Patriots currently stands as an afterthought — especially with the Lombardi Trophy nearly in his grasp.
“It’s so cool, I’ll try to downplay it. Make it seem like it’s not that big of a deal. But I can’t do it. I can’t wait. It’s gonna be a weird feeling seeing those logos on those helmets out there.”
While Bobo — much like the rest of the collective Patriots fandom stretching from Bar Harbor to Bridgeport — cheered on Feb. 1, 2015 when Malcom Butler snatched Russell Wilson’s last-minute pass at the goal-line, the onus now falls on both he and his teammates to curb the Patriots’ Cinderella season.
Bobo is coming off his best game of the season in the NFC championship game against the Rams — reeling in a 17-yard touchdown from Sam Darnold in Seattle’s eventual win over Los Angeles.
It was a welcome sight for Bobo, who has seen his snaps drop this season as other pass-catching options have emerged for Darnold. He only recorded two catches and logged 19 percent of Seattle’s offensive snaps during regular-season action.
“All I really want to do is contribute,” Bobo said. “It’s kind of my mindset going into game day, going into the season, to be honest with you. And that means finding whatever role I can to be able to do something to help this team win.
“And so whether that’s going to be special teams and going down and making a tackle somewhere, or catching the ball in the end zone — either way. I mean, you just have to be ready to go with that in your head.”
With many friends and family in attendance in Santa Clara on Sunday, Bobo is already visualizing a big game for himself and his teammates — much to the dismay to his frends back home.
“Everyone that’s going to be here — my immediate and extended family — the rule is you have to root for the Hawks,” Bobo said. “Now my close friends that are back home will be rooting for the Pats? … I wouldn’t want it any other way. That’s how those guys roll. But it’s my job to, like I said earlier, prevent them from going to another parade.”
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