Playing To Win

New England Patriots wide receiver and two-time Super Bowl winner Danny Amendola is having the time of his life. He’s earned it.

As he approaches the boundary, Danny Amendola cuts sharp to the inside. He slithers his way through traffic, keenly aware of the obstacles in front of him. His teammate, Julian Edelman, surges through a gap just ahead of him, and Amendola follows through the rapidly closing hole. He’s almost tripped up—a potential disaster—but keeps his balance, and just when it looks like he’s in the clear, Amendola angles left to avoid one last stumbling block: a yellow taxi cutting in front him.

The two receivers are fresh off the most stunning Super Bowl comeback in NFL history, helping to erase a 28-3 third-quarter deficit against the Atlanta Falcons and thereby cementing themselves as New England sporting legends. But that was months ago. Today, the pair are skateboarding through Boston, enjoying the spring weather and the relative obscurity provided by a fast-moving skateboard. It’s a hobby they keep throughout the off-season back in California, where they both live during the blissful months between Super Bowl and training camp.

For Amendola, perhaps the only thing less traditional than his off-season “training” activities is the route the veteran receiver took to NFL success. An undrafted free agent, the 5'11", 188-pound Amendola started his career on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad and bounced around the league before finding a home in New England. Now a two-time Super Bowl champ with the Patriots, Amendola recently agreed to a pay cut for the third straight year, all in an effort to stay with the franchise that has set the gold standard for success in professional football. Maxim caught up with the Texas-born wideout to discuss what it takes to thrive in the league, how he stays in shape year-round, and life with Gronk. —Keith Gordon