WOODS

FOXBORO — On opening day last month, all five of the New England Patriots’ regular linebackers were at least 30 years old, and while it’s hard to find fault with the performance of Tedy Bruschi, Rosevelt Colvin, Junior Seau, Adalius Thomas and Mike Vrabel to this point, the time will come when their replacements will need to be found.

Pierre Woods is one of those potential replacements. One of many Patriot players who has gone from undrafted to contributor, the outside linebacker made the 53-man roster last year out of Michigan and played in 11 games, including all three playoff contests. Though he continues to play mostly on special teams, Woods continues to make strides. He was one of the Pats eight offseason award winners, a big deal in Foxboro.

The father of two — Pierre Jr., or P.J., 8, and Paris, 18 months — was a one-man wrecking crew at famed Glenville High in his native Ohio, playing linebacker, wide receiver, defensive end and punter. And that was with first-round draft picks Donte Whitner (Buffalo) and Ted Ginn Jr. (Miami) on the same roster.

Here’s this week’s Up Close.

MY FIRST CAR: Was a ’96 Chevy Blazer, four-door. I got it my red-shirt sophomore year (at Michigan). My mom has it now. I have to get her a new vehicle though. It has over 200,000 miles on it.

MY FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND AN OFF-DAY: Is spending time with my family. That’s the best part of an off-day. I enjoy that.

IF I WASN’T IN THE NFL: I’d probably be a cameraman in television or driving trucks. I like to drive (Woods once made the 18-hour ride from Ann Arbor, Mich., to Tampa, Fla., by himself without stopping.). I did film and video at school. I worked on the Lloyd Carr Show (at Michigan).

MY HERO: My mother (Jacqueline Tatum) is one of my heroes, my father, my brother who passed away, and God. (Woods’ father, Pierre Sr., died of emphysema when his son was in eighth grade; his brother, Rod, died in his senior year of high school. A few months later, his basketball coach also died. “Sometimes I wonder how I made it,” Woods said.)

MY GUILTY PLEASURE: I just like to eat. People say watch what you eat, but I’ll eat just about anything. I don’t like spicy food, though.

ONE JOB I’D NEVER WANT: I’ll do anything as long as it’s providing for my family.

smanza@projo.com