The fiercely competitive Pierre Woods saw last season cut short by a broken jaw.

Journal photo / Glenn Osmundson

FOXBORO – He’s a proud dad who is on record as saying he’d tackle his own mother if she were on the football field in pads, so pity the young men who show up at Pierre Woods’ door someday about 16 years from now.

The Patriots’ linebacker and his wife, Doris, welcomed twin girls Daylee and Demi in April; they join big sister Paris and brother Pierre Jr.

Woods finds himself surrounded by women at home, but grew up in Cleveland with five sisters and said living with all those females doesn’t bother him.

What did bother the 27-year-old was not being able to enjoy his mother’s Christmas dinner of fried chicken, collard greens and cornbread – outside of his family and football, Woods’ other great love is food.

But after suffering a broken jaw against the Steelers on Nov. 30, during just the third start of his career, Woods had to go without all of his favorite meals and get used to sipping everything through a straw. The blended meal that tasted best, if that’s the right word, was beef stew and potatoes.

“It was frustrating, but at the same time I was able to spend time with my family. It was a gift and a curse at the same time; you always want to be on the field,” he said.

He lost about 12 pounds, but once he was given the green light to eat solids again, “I gained back 15 pounds of ‘bad’ weight. But I’m back down where I need to be. I lost body fat and I can feel it when I run.”

New England will be looking to Woods not just to run, but hit quarterbacks and ball carriers this season, as he is one of the top candidates to take over the starting position that opened when Mike Vrabel was traded to Kansas City.

The 6-foot-5 Michigan product was elevated to starter last season after Adalius Thomas broke his arm in Week 10; he responded well, recording a career-high 11 tackles, sack and a pass breakup in his first start, the Pats’ overtime loss to the Jets.

But two games later, against Pittsburgh, Woods broke his jaw tackling tight end Heath Miller. He wanted to return to the field, but the Patriots’ training staff was not going to allow that.

“I think, for me, I just love football and when I left the field, I didn’t leave the field on my own will,” Woods said this week after an organized team activity session. “I said, ‘Do whatever so I can play,’ but they said no.”

The linebacking corps is certainly one that will look a bit different this season. Woods and fellow former Wolverine Shawn Crable, Jerod Mayo, Gary Guyton and Vince Redd are part of a youth movement at the position.

Their work in these offseason practices can go a long way toward making the unit cohesive.

“We’re all back working, all the outside linebackers, the inside linebackers, just to get continuity out here, learning each others’ voices, just executing as best as possible. We just need to work together as one,” Woods said.

While technically Woods may take Vrabel’s spot in the lineup, he isn’t trying to take the veteran’s place.

“You can’t take it like that – Mike is a great player. His knowledge of the game is unbelievable,” Woods said. “I learned so much from him, [but] we’re totally different players.”

Woods is continuing to learn, from Thomas, Tedy Bruschi and Tully Banta-Cain, who spent the first four years of his career with the Patriots before leaving two years ago for San Francisco and has returned this year.

“You’ve got leaders out here, and myself, I’m trying to be a leader. We’re all trying to get together and make it happen,” he said.

And now, after a hard day’s work, Woods can enjoy a big, non-blended steak and potatoes dinner.

smanza@projo.com