FOXBORO — Rosevelt Colvin hasn’t played a down of football this season, but he’s still been doing some rushing: rushing his daughters out the door to bring them to school.

But after being brought back to the New England Patriots yesterday, Colvin will have the opportunity to rush quarterbacks once again.

The 31-year-old linebacker was brought to Gillette Stadium on Tuesday for a tryout and by yesterday morning he had re-signed with the club where he spent the 2003 through ’07 seasons and was sporting a new number – 95, the inverse of the 59 he previously donned with the Pats.

Meeting with the media in front of a locker still lacking a nameplate, but in a dark gray New England sweatshirt with a bright white ‘95’ at its center, Colvin somewhat surprisingly said he had “mixed emotions” about his return.

“It’s a good opportunity to come back and see people I have some history with, a good chance to run around, play football for a couple games,” he said. “I have some personal situations I’m dealing with, but [football’s] what I’ve known in my life for the last 14 years. Like I said, either way I would have been fine, not getting an opportunity or getting an opportunity. I’m thankful for it, so hopefully I can produce and some good things will come out of it.”

Colvin was the best option available for New England, and a much-needed one. The team has gotten perilously thin at outside linebacker: Adalius Thomas remains shelved with a broken right forearm, and Pierre Woods suffered a jaw injury against the Steelers on Sunday. It also appears that rookie Vince Redd was hurt in the game with Pittsburgh, as he missed yesterday’s practice with an ankle injury.

Colvin’s experience in the Patriots’ defensive system was a big factor in bringing him back.

“Rosie played a lot of football for us and he played on all three downs,” Bill Belichick said. “He’s a high-character guy, smart player, works hard on and off the field and prepares well. He unfortunately had a couple of injuries, but his effort, preparation and toughness — we never had a problem with any of that.”

Colvin signed with the Pats in 2003, after spending the first four years of his career with the Bears. His first season in New England came to an abrupt end when he suffered a severe hip injury that was initially thought to be career-threatening.

He made a full return the next season and would record 24½ regular-season sacks over the next four seasons (59 games). This year was to be the final year of the six-year deal he signed with the Pats in 2003 But, after suffering what is believed to be a ruptured Achilles tendon last November, ending his season, New England released Colvin at the end of February.

He signed a two-year deal with the Texans in June, but was among Houston’s final cuts at the end of training camp and has not played a game yet this year.

Colvin wasn’t eager to latch on with another team, saying he was content either way and didn’t feel he had anything to prove. He spent his days at the Houston-area house he and his family had moved into, getting his daughters ready for school, spending days with his wife, Tiffany, and working in one of the UPS Stores he owns.

“I wasn’t sitting around searching for an opportunity. I always said if the opportunity presented itself I’d review it with my wife and we’d go from there. A.D. [Adalius Thomas], his inability to play a couple of weeks ago sort of triggered something in my mind that it may be a possibility. I guess the situation has come here for me, and I stand before you today,” Colvin said.

Though he joked about what kind of shape he’s in, Colvin was fit enough to satisfy the Pats’ brass who worked him out on Tuesday, and he was at practice yesterday. Game shape is another issue, and it’s unknown if or how much he might play against the Seahawks.

If he does, Colvin expects to be the same player he was during his first stint in New England.

“Obviously, rushing the quarterback is my love, a lot of the reason why I watch the game,” he said. “Everyone has their deal, and for me, that’s it. I look forward to the opportunities; I just have to knock some of the rust off.”

smanza@projo.com