After Terrell Jennings scored his first NFL touchdown in a win over the Atlanta Falcons, the New England Patriots running back vowed to give the milestone ball to his mother back home in Florida.

She didn't have to wait very long for it, with the team playing less than 200 miles away from their native Jacksonville a few days later in Tampa Bay.

Jennings' mother was one of 13 ticket requests he was asked to make ahead of their game against the Buccaneers – making for a sizeable contingent from Duval County all rooting for New England. Especially when you factor in the family of Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas, who was one of Jennings' best friends and teammates in high school.

Only one person from their village was missing.

"Next week we're going down to Florida, and he was ready to come, so he came early," Douglas said last Sunday about his uncle who was killed the night before Patriots Week 9 win.

"He came to this game."

Against Atlanta, the Patriots got off to a hot start Sunday thanks to a 17-yard touchdown reception by Douglas. He went on to finish with 100 yards on four receptions – including a 58-yard catch-and-run play that converted a third down and led to a touchdown from teammate Stefon Diggs.

Only after the game, did Douglas share what he was going through.

"I take a lot of pride in this football team, my job, and my responsibility to support them and try to foster connections and try to give them everything that I can to help them do their job," Vrabel said Monday in his morning media availability.

"When somebody goes through some pain like that, I wish I had known. Credit to Pop, he was like, 'I just don't want to be a distraction, Coach.' It kind of breaks my heart a little that he had to wear that on his mind until after the game. We'll continue to support him every change that we get, and his family – our condolences to them. Pop is just one example of many that exhibit the type of camaraderie and the togetherness that we want to create."

The victory marked Douglas' first 100-yard game as a pro and the best game of his NFL career.

And after a recent elevation to the active roster, it was also a big game for Jennings, who found the end zone for the first time on a three-yard rush and put New England up 14-7. He recorded 11 carries for 25 yards with one reception for nine yards.

"He was like an uncle to me as well," Jennings said of the man he and Douglas called "Tiger."

"That was a very hard moment for us playing on that Sunday, but it was also a blessing to have him in the sky for us, doing his work as well. After my touchdown, because (Douglas) scored first, I walked up to him and was like, 'Damn. Unc doing his work, first day in Heaven. That sounds like him. He wanted to be helping us every day, he's just doing it from a difference place now."

That's exactly what Douglas felt after his early touchdown.

"I just looked to the sky and told him thank you because I know that he's with me," Douglas said when asked what he was thinking about after his touchdown.

For Douglas and Jennings, Tiger was a staple in their community who helped out everyone around him. He marveled at their athletic abilities and encouraged them to stay on the right path. The friends followed advice, going on to play college football – Douglas at Liberty and Jennings at Florida A&M.

It was a hard road for Jennings, who was homeless at points in high school.

Before being taken in by his godmother Natalia Gonzalez, who was his teacher at the time, Jennings would crash often at a friend's house for days at a time. That landings spot often was the home of Douglas' grandmother.

"It takes a village, so they had open arms to me, not even knowing the situation," Jennings said of Douglas' family.

"But they were like yeah, come on man, you can stay."

Before Douglas' pro day, Jennings wished him luck by sharing a picture of the two with a prophecy: Jennings would one day meet Douglas at the top.

"It's a blessing," Douglas said.

"We go over it almost every day like man, it's crazy, aint it? We're on the same team from high school to here (in the NFL)."

Now, in Week 10, after an emotional week with two career-best performances, Douglas and Jennings will reunite with most of their village back home in Florida -- together.