When Jack Westover watched Malcolm Butler intercept Russell Wilson in Super Bowl XLIX, he was a 15-year-old kid in Bellevue, Washington - a die-hard Seahawks fan, heartbroken like the rest of the Pacific Northwest. Fast forward a decade, and Westover is no longer watching from the couch. He’s suiting up for the New England Patriots, the very team that crushed his childhood dreams on that infamous goal-line play.
“I was young. I was a little kid then.
Now I’m happy to be on this side,” Westover said with a grin. “Kind of feels good, especially with how all the fans back home are acting right now.
It feels good to be on this side, not going to lie.”
It’s a full-circle moment for the Patriots’ fullback, who’s now preparing for the biggest game of his NFL career - and doing it against the team he once idolized. While his family is all-in on Team Westover, not everyone back in Washington is ready to flip allegiances.
“I’m getting the whole ‘rooting for you but go Hawks,’” he said. “Oh gosh, it’s brutal. My family’s fine, but oh my gosh, I can’t stand some people right now.”
His message to the fence-sitters?
“Kick rocks.”
That’s the kind of edge Westover brings - a little fire, a little humor, and a lot of pride in the journey that got him here.
It wasn’t a straight path. After a solid college career at the University of Washington, Westover entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with his hometown Seahawks.
But his time in Seattle was short-lived. An injury early in training camp led to his release via injury settlement.
A tough break, but not the end of the road.
“Just playing for the hometown for a bit was cool, but happy to be out here now,” he said.
“Out here” is New England, where Westover has carved out a role the hard way. He joined the Patriots’ practice squad last season as a tight end, then made the transition to fullback during the offseason - a move that’s paid off for both him and the team.
He’s not lighting up the stat sheet - two catches for eight yards over 20 games - but that’s not his job. Westover’s value comes in the trenches, where he’s logged 233 snaps as a lead blocker, clearing the way in a Patriots offense that’s leaned more and more on its ground game as the season has progressed.
And now, with the season on the line and a Super Bowl berth at stake, Westover’s role becomes even more critical. The Patriots will need every bit of physicality and grit they can get against a tough Seattle front, and Westover is built for that kind of game.
It’s a unique twist of fate - a kid who once bled Seahawks blue and green now wearing Patriots red, white, and navy, preparing to go to battle against the team he grew up loving.
But for Westover, there’s no looking back.
He’s on this side now - and he’s ready.