"Whenever you think something is impossible, or can't happen, there's always someone out there to make you believe otherwise.

Tedy Bruschi was that someone.

Whether it was being undersized as an inside linebacker but still managing to flourish in the NFL, or sustaining a stroke and miraculously making it back to play four more seasons with the Patriots, Bruschi inspired legions of followers.

Fans had a love affair with No. 54, who yesterday announced his retirement from pro football after 13 seasons with the Patriots.

While it's hard not to love a guy who was clutch, and constantly made big plays in the big games, kind of the football version of Big Papi, perhaps his former teammate and good friend Mike Vrabel had the best handle on what Bruschi's legacy holds.

"He was an inspiration for a lot of people on a lot of fronts," Vrabel said yesterday morning, while enroute to Chiefs practice. "I think a lot of guys and fans could relate to Tedy Bruschi. He wasn't 6-foot-5, he wasn't 260 pounds. He wasn't the fastest guy on the field. I think a lot of guys could say, 'Damn, if I could be out there, I'd want to be Tedy Bruschi.' They could relate to him.

"It's not like you're looking at Richard Seymour and saying, 'Man, I'm not ever going to be that big or that fast.' " Vrabel continued. "He epitomized what a lot of fans were thinking. He brought his lunchpail to work every day.""