FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- One by one, they filed into the room.
Stephen Gostkowski ... Dont'a Hightower ... Julian Edelman ... Danny Amendola ... James White ... Rob Gronkowski ... Tom Brady.
By the time Rob Ninkovich's retirement news conference began around 12:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, more than 30 players -- many still sweating from having just come off the practice field -- packed into the team's media workroom normally reserved for reporters. There weren't enough seats, so many sat on the floor, a group which included head coach Bill Belichick and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.
On the multiple television screens in the room read the following message: "Thank you Rob Ninkovich, 2X Super Bowl champ." Underneath the message was Ninkovich's No. 50, with a New England Patriots logo in the middle, and then five images of Ninkovich, one of which was him kissing the Lombardi Trophy.
This was the Patriots' way of giving Ninkovich, who arrived with his wife, Paige, and their daughter Olivia, the first-class send-off they feel he deserved.
It turned out to be that, and then some.
Rob Ninkovich is speaking at his retirement news conference as Tom Brady, and many other teammates, listen intently. The presence of teammates shows the respect that Ninkovich has among his peers. Tom Brady and Rob Ninkovich share an embrace at the end of Ninkovich's retirement news conference. Bill Belichick (sitting on the floor) pushes back a 12:30 p.m. meeting to stay for Rob Ninkovich's retirement news conference.
The most emotional time for the 33-year-old Ninkovich, who spoke after Belichick and owner Robert Kraft and the playing of a highlight montage of his New England career, was when he was thanking Patricia and Belichick.
"I really appreciate the time you have given me away from your family, and I love you," Ninkovich said to Patricia, his voice beginning to crack, as Patricia's eyes welled up.
Ninkovich then turned to his left, where Belichick was sitting on the floor resting his arms on his left knee, and fought through his emotions as he said, "Coach, I gave you everything I had. And I hope it was enough. I love this game. Hopefully my playing career has taught me a lot and playing for you I learned a tremendous amount. I hope I can take that knowledge you've given me over the years, and if I'm coaching or in football or doing something, and pass it on to the next group of guys. So thank you."
Belichick, who had pushed back a 12:30 p.m. meeting to stay at the news conference, looked up at Ninkovich and said, "Thank you."
Soon enough, Ninkovich -- who took a deep breath to collect his emotions and acknowledge Kraft as the "best owner in football" -- veered off the planned script he had and began looking around the room and pointing out all the teammates around him.
To special-teams captain Matthew Slater, he said, "I love you, brother."
He then spotted Brady and spoke of his love for him as well, saying he is not only the greatest quarterback of all time but "he's a better person." The two would later share an emotional embrace in front of reporters.
There were some laughs too, with Ninkovich saying he looked forward to tailgating, something he hasn't done before. Most of all, this was about emotion and the power of relationships within a team, with outsiders getting a seemingly organic, unscripted look at the respect Ninkovich has among his peers and coaches.
As Belichick said, "You can see the testament of everyone here, what Rob means to all of us."