BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — You know it’s coming, America.
It’s that time of year when you’re introduced to an unheralded Patriots player you’d never heard of becoming an unlikely Super Bowl hero.
There’s almost an accidental tourist effect to it, except it’s no accident at all. It’s one of the core methods to the madness they proudly refer to up in New England as the “Patriot Way.’’
So, as the Patriots try to defeat the Eagles on Sunday in Super Bowl LII to secure the sixth Lombardi Trophy in franchise history, the burning question is this: Who’s going to be their next James White in this game?
Their next Malcolm Butler?
Their next Shane Vereen?
Their next Deion Branch?
You remember White, because you’d never heard of him until he unexpectedly burst through your television sets with those Super Bowl-record 14 receptions, 139 total yards and three touchdowns in the Patriots’ comeback win over the Falcons a year ago, a virtuoso performance climaxed by the first walk-off overtime touchdown in Super Bowl history.
White had averaged 44.8 yards from scrimmage and had five touchdowns all last season before his welcome-to-the-spotlight moment in Houston. He was as likely to score three touchdowns in that game as Papa John was to win a James Beard Award for culinary excellence.
A year after his Super Bowl heroics — and a three-year, $12 million contract extension — White slipped into even more regular-season irrelevance in 2017 than in 2016, producing just 600 total yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns while playing only 33.6 percent of the offensive snaps.
In the Patriots’ Super Bowl XLVIII win over the Seahawks, it was Butler, a little-used cornerback, making the game-saving interception at the goal line when it looked like Seattle was a lock to score the game-winning touchdown in the waning moments.
Butler’s life story, highlighted by that play that made him millions in subsequent contract money, is actually on deck as a movie script.
In that same game, Vereen caught 11 passes — five for first downs and two on third downs — and had five of them on New England’s go-ahead drive.
In the Patriots’ Super Bowl XXXIX win, Branch caught 10 passes for 143 yards and TD and was named MVP.
“It’s just how these games go,’’ White told The Post. “You don’t know who the guy’s going to be. It’s usually the guy you least expect.’’
Why? How? Is it by accident or by design?
Not one really knows (or says), but the do-your-job culture Bill Belichick preaches and demands of his players represents the root of the reason for this phenomenon. He builds his teams with players who fit roles and are taught to check their egos at the door. And they do — otherwise they’re sent packing.
“We’ve got a lot of great players on this team, a lot of players that don’t get a lot of opportunities,’’ Butler said. “Once they get onto the field, the whole world knows them. It’s great to have a bunch of players on the team that no one is talking about.’’
Butler was one of those players he described, until he picked off Russell Wilson three years ago.
“Coach [Belichick] does a great job of making sure everybody’s prepared and everybody expects to have their number called and when their number’s called they’re prepared to go out there and execute,’’ Patriots special teams captain Matthew Slater said.
“I definitely think it’s everyone knowing their role and knowing their role can come up and be big,’’ cornerback Devin McCourty said.
“It’s all about accountability,’’ safety Duron Harmon said.
“You never know when your number is going to be called to make a play here,’’ linebacker David Harris said. “This is the ultimate team sport and that’s what makes this team a great team. It takes all 53 guys and you never know what player is going to have the ultimate impact on the game.
“I won’t say it’s weird, but that’s how it’s happened here. There is no secret to it but hard work and detail to the craft. There are no egos on this team, and when that happens you have this outcome.’’
So, who’s going to be the Patriots’ unheralded unlikely hero Sunday?
“You never know who it’s going to be,’’ White said.
“Time will tell,’’ Butler said.
“I have no idea, but there will be somebody in that role, somebody that’s not known to the masses,’’ Harris said. “But whoever is it, it won’t be unexpected for us.’’