Patriots Kicker Andy Borregales Trades Field Goals for Poker Chips
New England Patriots kicker Andy Borregales is expanding his competitive arena beyond the football field. After completing his rookie season in the NFL, Borregales is set to participate in the “March Madness” tournament on the Celebrity Poker Tour.
Facing NFL Legends and Celebrities
Borregales will compete against a diverse group of celebrities, including several NFL veterans. The lineup features Adrian Peterson and Brandon Marshall, alongside former Patriots teammates Mike Pennel and Pharaoh Brown.
A Busy Offseason for the Rookie Kicker
This foray into poker comes during a busy offseason for Borregales, who was drafted by the Patriots less than a year ago. He earned the distinction of being the first Venezuelan-born NFL player to participate in a Super Bowl, a feat recognized with a certificate from his hometown in Florida.
Community Involvement in New England
Borregales has similarly demonstrated a commitment to community service, partnering with the New England Center for Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children with severe autism.
Successful Rookie Season
Borregales’s rookie season with the Patriots was marked by success, converting 27 of 32 field goal attempts and 53 of 55 extra points. His performance earned him a spot on the 2025 Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team.
Celebrity Poker Tour Schedule
The 2026 season of the Celebrity Poker Tour kicks off with Borregales’s participation in the “March Madness” event. Following this, the tour will continue with the “Streamers Cup” on May 8. The season three premiere championship marks Borregales’s debut on the tour.
A Tradition of Poker Among Patriots
Borregales is not the first New England Patriots player to excel in the world of poker. Richard Seymour, a Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle, has achieved significant success in poker tournaments, winning over $375,000 in a tournament in the Bahamas in 2018.
Seymour reflected on the mental challenges of poker, stating in a 2019 interview with Yahoo Sports, “That’s a hard part of the game to mentally understand. Normally in life, you’re like, ‘If I do everything right, things will go my way.’ And you can do everything right in poker and still lose. It challenges you in so many ways.”
Seymour also highlighted the parallels between professional sports and poker, noting, “Once you’re done playing football you still have a competitive drive. Poker is an outlet for me where I have a competitive drive, you have to be very cerebral. It requires a lot like it did for me in football – I have to be patient, I have to know how to pick my spots, pay attention to guys’ tendencies. It was just a natural progression after leaving sports at a high level.”
While Borregales is just beginning his professional career, and Seymour’s Hall of Fame career concluded in 2012, both athletes demonstrate a shared passion for competition that extends beyond their respective sports.