BRADY

FOXBORO — As a physical specimen, it’s easy to see why Bill Belichick wanted to draft Kyle Brady out of Penn State more than a decade ago and why he signed him as a free agent earlier this year: Brady is block-out-the-sun big, at a solid 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds.

The Pennsylvania native is adept at opening holes in the run game and can catch a little bit, too, as he entered this season trailing only Kansas City’s Tony Gonzalez for career catches by an active tight end.

But Brady has some great interests outside of football. He knows a great deal about the Civil War and has visited several battlefields; he has his pilot’s license, owns his own Cessna, and has made several trips to discover New England since signing here. And in a strange twist, Brady and his wife, Kristi, welcomed their second child on the same day that Tom Brady’s son entered the world.

Here’s this week’s Up Close.

My first car: Was a 1982 Buick Century. I got it in 1992, so it was 10 years old. My friends called it “Spot” because it had so many rust spots. One morning (when he was a student at Penn State) it was really cold, and every time I made a left turn, the horn would go off. I made a turn onto campus, and the horn was going, and people were looking at me like I was crazy.

My favorite off-day activity: At this stage of life, with two kids, it’s staying home and relaxing, hanging out with my son. And flying. I try to throw that in there on an off-day.

My hero: I don’t know if I had a hero (growing up). I followed sports, I liked (Michael) Jordan. In football I liked the Raiders. I thought they had cool uniforms and they were good at the time. I was left-handed, and Ken Stabler was a left-handed quarterback. I’d go in the yard and pretend to be him.

My guilty pleasure: I don’t know…a really good meal. Steak. But sometimes my wife and I do a “cheap meal,” something greasy and fatty. We go out and get fast food or go to a restaurant with good burgers.

My favorite childhood memory: Vacations. We’d go to the beach in Stone Harbor, N.J., or Ocean City in Maryland or Jersey. And sports — growing up, baseball was my favorite.

If I wasn’t in the NFL: It’s hard to say. Maybe broadcasting. I’ve thought about going back to school. I took my LSATs (law school entrance exam) a few years ago (after discussions with a friend and a neighbor who’s a law school professor). I studied, took the class at Kaplan and I did pretty good. When you take it, you have five years to send it for admissions purposes.

One job I’d never want to have: An accountant. I don’t like crunching numbers or dealing with that stuff. I’m glad there’s people who do, though.

smanza@projo.com