FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- When Danny Amendola returned a punt 28 yards late in the first quarter of last Sunday’s victory over the Bills, linebacker Dekoda Watson was one of the unsung players who made it happen.

The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Watson was part of the punt-rush team and his responsibility was to hold up starting Bills linebacker Nigel Bradham at the line of scrimmage. It is the type of play that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, but by dominating Bradham and eliminating him from coverage responsibilities it opened space for Amendola on a key play in the game.

Those are the types of plays that have helped Watson last six years in the NFL, with Tampa Bay from 2010-13 and then splitting last season between Jacksonville and Dallas.

Watson, who grew up in Aiken, South Carolina, shares his “football journey” as part of our weekly feature:

When he first started playing football. “When I was 7 or 8 years old. My dad was big on allowing me to play any sport I wanted, to experience the different types of energy and techniques and just being able to be my own guy and choose what I really wanted to play, from soccer to softball, track and basketball. I played them all.”

First positions in football. “Defensive end and running back. I was pretty fast and the only reason was because I was scared to get hit. I didn’t like contact and dealt with that for a long time. Things didn’t really start to click until I realized hitting somebody was better than receiving a hit.”

A player he looked up to growing up: “I always admired Michael Vick, how he worked, what he did in Atlanta. For him to go through everything with the dogs, which still gets brought up today, he overcame that and is still in the league and doing well for himself. I still look up to him today.”

Favorite memories playing football at South Aiken (S.C.) High: “My ninth grade year, we went undefeated over two years. That was pretty cool because when I got to high school, we were 0-29. We were bringing in some new energy.”

Enrolling at Florida State and playing football there: “I liked the idea of leaving South Carolina and if I was to get to the NFL, I felt like that was the best place to go. I was always an FSU fan. Allowing Coach Bobby Bowden to walk out with a win under his belt, playing against West Virginia that year and it was a very emotional game knowing it was going to be his last time coaching. We were down and came back and won, so that was one of my favorite memories.”

Entering the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick of the Buccaneers. “The 217th pick. We heard third or fourth round, but as time continued to go on, you start to get a little more discouraged. Getting drafted, it was very emotional and frustrating at the same time. Now I’m six years in.”

Playing on Tampa teams that posted a combined record of 25-39. “The camaraderie and being around the fellas, playing with them through the good and bad. It was a real brotherhood. There are guys I still speak to today and have a lot of respect for. I opened up a lot more around them. I wasn’t one to go out or anything like that, or hang out with other guys too much. They got me out of that.”

Signing with the Jaguars as a free agent in 2014. “It was a money type deal, honestly. I suffered an injury once I got there and had surgery there. I just couldn’t get over that injury and it shortened my time there unfortunately.”

Cut by the Jaguars in mid-November and signed by the Cowboys three days later. “I had played my best game against Dallas. They cut me that week, on the bye, and Dallas picked me up. So I was with them the rest of the season [playing three games]. Their special-teams coach, [Rich Bisaccia], I played for him in Tampa and have a lot of respect for him. So it was a little bit of a feeling of being back home.”

Signing with the Patriots as a free agent in May: “I liked the way they reached out and talked to me and wanted me to be a part of something. It was one of those questions for me, ‘Why not?’ Whatever they tell me to do, I’m happy to do. I just want to make the most of it.”

Summing up his football journey: “Blessed. There are a lot of things I overcame and am still overcoming. I want to be an example, not only to my son, who is two months old, but to the younger generation and remind them that even when you get to the point you want to be in life, it’s still not going to be easy. You have to continue to work hard and overcome obstacles.”