FOXBORO – Just to make sure, the question is asked of Kevin Faulk: This is season number 11 for the running back, right?

"Fortunately," Faulk replies quickly.

It has been 11 years since the Patriots made Faulk their second round draft pick, and only he and Tedy Bruschi pre-date Bill Belichick in Foxboro. The fact that the running back, a little small, not the fastest, and with fumbling issues early in is career, has survived this long – with this team – is a badge of pride for the soft-spoke Louisiana native.

"It's not just a long time to be in the league, but this team, with the expectations we have every year for this organization," Faulk said Thursday after New England's second mini-camp session.

He thinks about the fact that he's spent his entire career with the same team "for a certain amount of time. But when the time comes to work for (a roster spot), you just come out and try to make the team."

There comes a time for every NFL player when he starts to debate about how long he'll play, and for men who have been suiting up every Sunday for over a decade, there's even more consideration given to the idea. Faulk said his 33-year old body is feeling fine, and he still enjoys heading out to the fields.

"Of course. It's the game," he said. "I'm signed up for it. Of course I think about (retirement), but at the same time I put it in the back of my mind, because today is what I'm living for."

Faulk and his family will head to Louisiana for some downtime before training camp gets underway at the end of July, and while he works out to make sure he's ready for his season, son Kevin III, 12, will be with him.

"(Kevin III's Pop Warner team) starts the same time we start. He'll start training with me to get himself ready. He tries to do what I do," Faulk said, smiling. "I have him do just enough to let him know you have to work hard to be the best you can be."

While he'd become accustomed to being the elder statesmen in the Pats' running back group, Faulk isn't the oldest ballcarrier in the room anymore with the addition of Fred Taylor.

Faulk and Taylor's history stretches back a ways.

"Our friendship dates back – when I was in high school and he was at Florida and I took official visits there," Faulk said. "He didn't host me, but we were together and hanging out. It's nice to have Fred in general."

Faulk sums up Taylor thusly: "A hardworking guy and a leader as well."

The Patriots' all-time leader in receptions by a running back and punt-return yards, Faulk has welcomed Taylor but also had to say goodbye to Heath Evans; in recent seasons, Faulk, Evans and Laurence Maroney were frequently spotted laughing together.

"I still talk to him; we talked this week. He has a 7-on-7 (football) tournament coming up next weekend (in Palm Springs, Fla.) that I'll be there for. I know he's enjoying that hot weather there in New Orleans," Faulk said, just as a few raindrops began to fall.

Maroney, of course, is still around, and Faulk was asked if he's mentored the young back, who has taken a lot of shots – about his durability, about his effectiveness, about his potential to develop into a top running back – about keeping his chin up.

" 'L' is always going to be ‘L.' He's always going to keep his head up," Faulk said. "But we tell him, ‘You can't do anything about what people say about you. All you can do is control what you can do.' "

smanza@projo.com