FOXBORO -- It's expected to be a rainy, messy show at Gillette Stadium when the Patriots and Texans square off for their game Monday night. Perfect conditions to recognize a man who spent his career in football's trenches.
Longtime Patriots left tackle Matt Light, who retired before the start of the season, will be honored at halftime by the team.
"It's fitting isn't it?" Light said with a smile. "You look like your dog after a while. You go through things in your life, they seem to fit better than others . . . It's rainy and nasty and mucky, it's a good day to be honored if you're an offensive lineman."
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It is just the fifth time in team history that a former player will be honored at halftime. Kevin Faulk was honored in Week 4 at halftime of New England's game against the Bills earlier this season. Troy Brown was honored in Week 2 against the Cardinals.
Light met with reporters before the game to discuss some of his memories as a player, and how he's adjusting to his very different post-football life.
"Everybody asks me, what do you miss the most," Light said. "The thing that I miss the most is competing for something on the level that most people don't. You do things -- it's almost military precision with which we go about each day, our focus and everything else. And it's really difficult to find that in the real world."
As a player, Light had a reputation of always being able to find the humor in things. He was notorious for pulling pranks on teammates and coaches, things he thought helped bring his Patriots teammates together.
"Most of 'em we cannot talk about," Light said. "Most of them, I can't even tell my own family which is horrible. But we had a lot of fun . . . Shocked Bill Belichick with a couple remotes. That was always fun. That was great. Offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, poor Dante, he had to suffer quite a few little issues in our offensive line room.
"I think the best thing you could say about it is, if you do it the right way, you're never getting one person in a negative manner. But you do things that kind of bring everybody together. For me when you're laughing, at a time when you don't laugh a whole lot when you're working, those are the moments that stick in your mind. Man we had a lot of those over the years, it was a lot of fun. Great group of guys, man."
Those fun moments are a part of his football career that Light says he now misses. Things he doesn't miss? Early morning positional meetings, and facing defensive linemen like current Texans star JJ Watt.
"There's a lot of people I'm glad I don't face anymore," Light said. "My life is a lot more relaxed. I miss a lot of things about the game of football. Tonight's an awesome opportunity to come back and watch these guys do what they do. Of course it's an exciting season, as it always is. For me it's an opportunity to share with my family and friends what's been an awesome journey."