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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Super Bowl media day podium has become a comfortable place for Kyle Van Noy.
After back-to-back Super Bowl appearances with the New England Patriots, the former BYU star linebacker had his career rejuvenated after a trade from the Detroit Lions that put him on the world's biggest stage.
He may be used to the spot. But the same unassuming native of Reno, Nevada is still getting used to all the attention, even as his team prepares for Super Bowl LII against Philadelphia on Sunday.
"I wouldn't say attention, because I don't like attention," he said. "But I put myself in that underrated category and I like it that way.
"I wasn't perfect in Detroit and there were things that happened in detroit where I wasn't happy about it. Then I got to New England — and what a blessing."
His new teammates, and even head coach Bill Bellichick, had their arms wide open to welcome Van Noy to the Northeast.
"They helped me get up to speed," he explained. "I remember days I was in there at 5:30 and didn't leave until 10. That that I did in Detroit, I carried over to New England and it helped me be successful because I kept the same regiment. For me, it was remarkable to have a group of guys that rallied around me, to get me on he same page as them and to continue to play football at a high level."
Van Noy has been through a lot since he committed to BYU out of McQueen High School. He had to defer a year of college for off-field incidents, but stayed committed to then-coach Bronco Mendenhall and the program — and that commitment paid off.
He even remembered the little people who helped me get where he is today — like one TV sports reporter from Salt Lake City.
"It's been pretty remarkable," he said. "A long journey; traveled a lot of miles and to be here, it's a dream come true. It's been amazing."
