New England Patriots

PHOENIX (WBZ) ― With only a few days left until the Super Bowl on Sunday, there are a lot of things going through the minds of the Patriots.

WBZ had exclusive access to some of the players before Media Day on Tuesday, and this is what they had to say about the season, the team, the Super Bowl and "ever."

Defensive lineman Vince Wilfork is very focused on the task at hand. "We got something to do this week that's never been done. You win, your history, you lose, your part of history too… on the bad end of it."

This has been a great year for Wilfork. He earned his first Pro Bowl selection and is part of a team that could potentially be carved into NFL history. Right now, his eye is on the prize.

He's focused and determined to work as a team and earn a Super Bowl win, but that doesn't stop him from imagining the ultimate big game highlight. "Vince Wilfork," he said. "Trip sack… touchdown. You got Vince Wilfork intercepting the screen and scooping up a fumble and a touchdown."

"I am going to show up," he said.

This is the biggest game of his career. And as bad as Wilfork wants to take the championship, his wife wants it just as much. "That's my rock," he said. "Everything I've done this season is for her. I will admit that my wife is probably the best thing in my life… She's everything to me."

Linebacker Junior Seau and Safety Rodney Harrison are glad to be in this together. The two have shared very memorable moments – both on and off the field, and sat down with WBZ to talk about it. "He's like a big brother," explains Harrison. At times, he's been like a father to me. He's put me in my place. He's a guy that has encouraged me when I was at the lowest point in my career as well as the beginning of the season. He's a tremendous leader, he's a tremendous person."

There is the Seau that everyone knows – the 12 Pro Bowls, the 18-year career, Harrison explains. "But they don't really know the Seau that I know. That's a special Seau… Passionate, caring, very unselfish, gives whatever he has to others and that's what he's always represented since I've been a teammate of his in San Diego. He just has a heart of gold."

Harrison's dad has never seen him play football, and that is a very emotional subject for the safety. "It's disappointing," he said.

In fact, he does not really talk about it. But instead of dwelling on the negative, Harrison has used it as a motivation to be a better father to his own kids. "It's something that inspires me to be an awesome and great dad for my boys… and he's losing out."

Seau is also looking at the positive. "His (Harrison's) mother has done an excellent job. I see a single parent that did all she could, and to watch Rodney grow as a man."

Looking ahead to Sunday, Harrison was asked how much a ring would mean to his good friend. Harrison did say a win and a ring would be wonderful, but it would not be needed to prove that Seau is and will always be remembered as one of the best players to put on pads. "The ultimate team goal is to win a Super Bowl and he deserves that."

A Sunday win would be outstanding for the Patriots, but what would be more memorable would be the legacy this year's team would leave behind.

Seau has brought up the phrase "ever" for the team, and he was asked about it during WBZ's interview. What would it mean to finally be that team to earn that "ever" title? "That category is untouched. We have 53 men that's causing so much havoc in this world that people are paying attention. It's rare that you have this opportunity in life to be able to have control of a destiny forever – and that's special."

"Junior always talks about opportunity and an opportunity like this one only comes around once in a lifetime… To do something that hasn't been done," explains Harrison.

But whatever happens on Sunday, Seau says good or bad, everyone on the Patriots team will be held accountable.

Running back Laurence Maroney is one of the newer members of the team, and to this day, is so thankful to be on a team filled with athletes destined for the hall of fame. "Never in a million years, I thought I'd be playing on the same team as the players that are here… Junior Seau, Moss, a Tom Brady, a Rodney Harrison… I cherish every moment I have with these guys.

Maroney looks to the future – to when he may have his own kids. He looks forward to telling them that he played in Super Bowl XLII, because back in high school, he didn't even think colleges would recognize him. He said he did not get any real media hype until his junior year in college.

After that long road, and missing the Super Bowl by one game last year, Maroney still can't believe he's really in the big game. "It still ain't kicked in that I'm really going to be playing in the Super Bowl."

So what is Maroney's ultimate Super Bowl highlight? "Winning," he said, "and scoring the winning touchdown. I always dreamed that the clock is running out and I scored the winning touchdown and I'm just going to take my pads off and leave them on the field."

That would be a great ending, but hopefully, we won't need an end of the game score to win the Super Bowl.

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