FOXBORO, Mass. -- The New England Patriots announced Thursday the hiring of former Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Edward DeSaulnier as a club consultant on alcohol and drug abuse.
DeSaulnier's job, believed to be a first in the NFL, will involve educating the players and members of the Patriots' family about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse.
A former member of the Massachusetts Senate, DeSaulnier is a recovered alcoholic. He is a graduate of Rutgers' University School of Alcohol Studies.
DeSaulnier, 60, said he would stress the value of educating the players about how alcohol and drugs can ruin one's life.
'I should know, it happened to me. I'm not looking for drug addicts in the Patriots' organization. We would like to depict some of the players as role models in our program for identifying and preventing alcohol and drug abuse.'
