FOXBORO, Mass. — Sunday’s matchup between the New England Patriots and Houston Texans will double as a town meeting of sorts.
Two Patriots players and two Texans players hail from Rock Hill, S.C., aka Football City USA. Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, 27, and Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, 25, are South Pointe High School alums, while New England wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, 27, and Houston cornerback Johnathan Joseph, 34, went to rival Northwestern High School.
Gilmore was two grades above Clowney, but he knew the two-time Pro Bowler was a “freak” before anyone else.
“We were close,” Gilmore said Tuesday. “We w…