Retirement hasn't changed Tedy Bruschi's life that much.
The former New England Patriots star still watches game film until his eyes hurt. He still lives for Sundays. And he still approaches football with the same enthusiasm that made him a fan favorite as an Arizona Wildcat.
Only now, Bruschi is doing it for a different team โ ESPN.
Bruschi joined the network in September, a month after retiring from the NFL following a 13-year career. Bruschi, 36, provides analysis on ESPNBoston.com and appears on a wide range of radio and television shows, from "NFL Live" to the iconic "SportsCenter."
Football is still a major part of Bruschi's life. But like all retirees, he now has more time to focus on important things.
He continues to dedicate himself to Tedy's Team, the charity he founded to raise stroke awareness.
Bruschi, a stroke survivor, has donated prizes for the winners of Saturday's Great Pumpkin Race at Buckelew Farm, although he cannot attend. Money raised from the 5K race will go to Tedy's Team and the Hydrocephalus Foundation.
The Star talked to Bruschi about his new life:
Q: It's been about two months since you retired. How has the adjustment been?
A: "Retirement's been great for me. I don't play football anymore, sure, but my Monday mornings are a lot less painful. I still watch football games with purpose. I try to watch every play of every game so I can properly do my research. I still love the game of football. I love watching football. I love talking football. I love everything about the game. It hasn't really been a tough adjustment for me."
Q: Has the move from athlete to analyst been hard?
A: "Not at all. I made sure during my playing days that I gave it my all, plus more. I knew that one day, the game would end for me. I look back at my career and, really, there's nothing more I could accomplish. I wanted to win championships. I wanted to be a player who was contributing, day-in and day-out. All those goals were met."
Q: Has your schedule changed? Is there any plan to come back to Tucson this fall?
A: "My wife and I are trying to come back this season, see some volleyball games and a football game."
Q: Have you been following the Wildcats?
A: "I watch all kinds of football every Saturday and Sunday. I got to watch the Arizona-Washington game, the heartbreaker a few weeks ago where the ball bounced off the receiver's toe and got intercepted. I went through that with all of Tucson. It was tough. It's easier to keep tabs now."
Q: Tedy's Team continues to raise money, even in Tucson. What does that say about what you're trying to accomplish?
A: "That's great for us. That's how far Tedy's Team is reaching now. We're starting to branch out. We're still running in the Boston Marathon, and we still have a participation in the Falmouth Road Race. Now we have Tucson."
Q: What has Tedy's Team done in terms of raising awareness?
A: "People are starting to realize that stroke doesn't just affect the elderly now. There are a lot of people participating in Tedy's Team that are stroke survivors in their mid-30s, people who have children who have had strokes. Now, there's knowledge out there about how strokes affect people. People know the warning signs."
If you go
โข What: The Great Pumpkin Race 5-kilometer run
โข When: Saturday, 8 a.m.
โข Where: Buckelew Farm, 17000 W. Ajo Way
