Bruschi, an inside linebacker, played on all three Super Bowl-winning Patriots teams. The last championship game was on Feb. 6, 2005, against the Philadelphia Eagles. He played in his only Pro Bowl on Feb. 13.
Three days later, he was hospitalized after experiencing numbness in his left arm and left leg and blurry vision and was diagnosed with a mild stroke.
He recovered to play nine of the last 10 games that season, all starts, and was named The AP Comeback Player of the Year.
