FOXBORO -- Raymond Clayborn was inducted to the Patriots Hall of Fame Saturday, but not before he took care of a little paperwork.
The longtime defensive back signed a one-day contract in order to retire a Patriot, making the 62-year-old the second-oldest player on the team behind the ageless Tom Brady.
Clayborn played for the Pats from 1977 to 1989 and was a three-time Pro Bowler over his 13-season career. He set the franchise record for career interceptions with 36, a number that remains tops in team history alongside Ty Law.
Though the bulk of Clayborn’s career was spent in New England, it ended in Cleveland in 1991. The coach of that team? Bill Belichick.
Clayborn recalled his first impression of Belichick, whom he spotted back in the 80s when Belichick was the Giants’ defensive coordinator.
"Actually, they came up when he was with the Giants and we were [holding] training camp at Bryant College in Smithfield, R.I., the Giants came down to practice one time and I kept saying, ‘Who’s the guy that looks so raggedy back there?’ I kept asking the Giants," Clayborn recalled. "You know, he had cut-off sweat pants and cut-off [clothing] like he wears now. [They said] ‘Oh, that’s the defensive backs coach, that’s Coach Belichick.’”
Clayborn and Belichick’s football relationship came full circle Saturday, as the coach brought the longtime Patriot out to the field to meet with this year’s group.