NEW IBERIA — Long after the final whistle blew and the New England Patriots secured their spot in Super Bowl LX, Kayshon Boutte was still trying to process what had happened.
“It feels good,” Boutte said. “We fought through a lot of adversity all season and finally got it done. It’s a great feeling. I don’t think it’s settled in yet. I’m still cherishing the moment, but I think it’s gonna hit.”
For Boutte, the Patriots’ win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game was more than a trip to the Super Bowl. It was another chapter in a journey that began in New Iberia, where a competitive kid with big dreams first learned how far hard work could take him.
Back at Westgate High School, head coach Ryan Antoine says this moment never surprised him.
“I'm just proud of Kayshon,” Antoine said. “We always knew his ability. He comes from a good family, and everybody around here played a part in his development.”
Antoine watched Boutte turn potential into production. During his senior season at Westgate, Boutte piled up more than 2,300 yards from scrimmage and scored 30 touchdowns, earning honors as Louisiana’s top high school player and an Under Armour All-American before signing with LSU.
What separated him, Antoine said, was never just talent.
“He was always the ultimate competitor,” Antoine said. “We’ve never had another kid who competed the way Kayshon did. He wanted to be first in everything.”
That same edge carried Boutte through college and into the NFL, and now places him one win away from a Super Bowl title.
While Patriots fans are expected to fill the stands in Santa Clara, Antoine believes some of the loudest cheers will come from home — from the neighborhoods, schools and fields that helped shape Boutte long before the spotlight found him.
“We want Kayshon and his family to enjoy these moments and let him live his dream,” Antoine said. “But the biggest thing is what this does for our kids, for our community, for New Iberia. It shows them that they can make it, too.”
Boutte and the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 5:30 p.m.
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