Ed Toner: Once a Patriot, always a Patriot

From 1967-1969, the Boston Patriots’ defensive line had a tackle who wore No. 75.
Some things never change. The 2015 New England Patriots also have a No. 75 in 340-pound Vince Wilfork anchoring the D-Line.
Ed Toner, who grew up in Lynn and graduated from Lynn English, wore his 75 long before Wilfork was even born (Nov. 4, 1981). When the two 75s met at a Patriots’ event, they hit if off.
“The only contact the old players have with the team is at these events with the public,” Toner said by phone from Florida on Wednesday. “If there’s an event, they send an email to the old players and some who live around here show up, wear their jerseys and sign autographs. That’s where I met Vince.
“I kidded Vince when I met him. I said that he should take a good look at me. He said, ?I’m lookin’ at you.’ I told him to look at No. 75 in the program from 1969. He asked if that was me and I told him to look at me because that’s what he’ll look like after he retires.
“I was about 250 pounds and lost 40 pounds since I had a knee replacement so I’m 210. Even at 250, I’m a shrimp compared to him, but he can go to the hoop and stuff the ball. He’s athletic.”
While Toner is planning where to watch Sunday’s Super Bowl from the Palm Beach, Fla., area, Wilfork and his teammates will go to work at University of Phoenix Stadium for Super Bowl XLIX Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
It’s been 45 years since the 70-year-old Toner, out of UMass Amherst, played on the defensive line for the “Pat Patriot” logo team, but he played with many of the Patriots’ best.
On the line, he backed up tackles Houston Antwine and Jim Lee Hunt and ends Larry Eisenhauer and Bob Dee. The Patriots have retired No. 79 (Hunt) and No. 89 (Dee).
“I played a lot of defensive tackle and defensive end and a lot of special teams,” Toner said. “We used to run a 4-3, so every series I’d replace one of them. Defensive tackle and line play is pretty much the same then as it is now.
“Bob Dee was from Holy Cross and I was drafted by the Pats to replace him. He retired the next year.”
Toner was drafted in the third round by the Patriots in the American Football League draft. He was an 18th-round pick by the Baltimore Colts in the National Football League draft in 1966.
One thing that has changed was the offseason preparation by football players of a long time ago.
“Working out started with training camp then,” he said. “I used to hang out at the Lynn Y and worked out before that was in its heyday. Now, (the players are) bigger, stronger and faster. The biggest problem I have with game now is you take a couple of guys out of the game and it loses its lustre. The Jets and Bills lost their quarterbacks and it becomes a different game.”
There is no doubt where his allegiance is for the big game. The New England version of the Patriots have his silver and blue support.
“New England has handled everybody once they started rolling,” Toner said. “Coach (Bill) Belichick has a running game, Tom Brady, Gronk (Rob Gronkowski), my favorite Vince Wilfork and Chandler Jones is healthy. I’m feeling good and I like the way they’re going in. We don’t know what Belichick is going to do. He has his own plan. He could throw it 40 times or run it 50 times. He does what he does.
“I don’t know where this ball thing (deflation of the footballs in the AFC Championship game) sits, but everybody knows Coach Belichick is always looking for motivation. He has it this week. I think you’ll see some wild-eyed football players coming out of that locker room. (The Patriots) are probably the most unliked people outside of New England. Everybody hated the Yankees and now we’re in the same boat.”
Toner also points to one big difference maker on the New England sidelines.
“I loved (Peyton) Manning and Drew Brees, but I think Brady is a step higher,” Toner added. “He gets vicious on the sidelines. He’s intent on making sure things go right. If there’s a better competitor out there, I don’t know who it is.”
Toner played with Vi