Sports

Ninkovich shifts focus to 2017

BOSTON — Veteran Patriots defensive end Rob Ninkovich stopped by a celebrity bartending event for Leonard Hair Transplant Associates on Wednesday and discussed his offseason thoughts about this season’s Patriots. Mandatory training camp kicks off for the defending champs next week in Foxboro.

While New England has made a flurry of off-season additions that have fans and pundits alike discussing the team’s championship expectations, Ninkovich advocated the need to tune out.

“Every team in the NFL has a ton of quality athletes and there’s a lot of great teams out there, so you can’t put yourself ahead of anybody,” Ninkovich said. “You just have to focus on coming together in training camp, playing well, and worrying about yourselves […outside noise] doesn’t do anything for you, so you might as well ignore it.”

The evening, put together by Dr. Robert Leonard, featured five current or former Boston athletes who were all former clients. Ninkovich, Sebastian Vollmer, Wes Welker and Chris Gronkowski represented the five-time Super Bowl champions while former Celtics’ forward Brian Scalabrine rounded out the group.

Ninkovich, who is one of the longest tenured members of the Patriots defense, went on to speak about what went through his mind when he re-watched New England’s 25-point comeback in Super Bowl LI.

“It’s just kind of surreal to see how the whole game kind of changed. It was going a certain way and then you saw the tide change,” Ninkovich said. “They were on their heels, we kept pushing and we won the game. I’ll definitely remember that game for the rest of my life.”

Another pillar of the Patriots defense, linebacker Dont’a Hightower, re-signed with New England on a four-year deal. Ninkovich talked of Hightower’s great season in 2017 and described his happiness in seeing his teammate return to the fold.

The Patriots are set to raise their Super Bowl LI banner and kick off the 2017 NFL season on September 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs. For many it will be a time to look back on the success of 2016, but not for Ninkovich. For the 12-year NFL veteran, his time for celebration has ended as he and the Patriots focus on the upcoming season.

“All that was kind of already buried once I got my ring,” Ninkovich said. “For me I’m focused on what I have to do in the next few minutes after [the championship banner] goes up.”

David Souza is an intern in the Boston 25 Sports Department. Follow David on Twitter - @DSouza4717