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NFL honors Joe Andruzzi for Marathon role

Former Patriot Joe Andruzzi, among the many heroes in the Marathon bombings, presented NFL commissioner Roger Goodell with a Patriots jersey.AL BELLO/GETTY IMAGES/Getty

Former Patriots guard Joe Andruzzi, who carried an injured woman to safety after the Boston Marathon explosions, was honored by the NFL during the draft in New York on Thursday.

Andruzzi was supposed to announce New England’s pick at No. 29, which the Patriots traded to Minnesota. Instead, he came out just before the 29th pick for the salute.

A native New Yorker, Andruzzi told the crowd, ‘‘There’s a new saying in Boston: Boston Strong’’ before unveiling the jersey as ‘‘Sweet Caroline’’ was played on the loudspeakers.

Andruzzi displayed a jersey with the Boston’s 617 area code and ‘‘Boston Strong’’ written on it while posing with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell at Radio City Music Hall.

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In Foxborough, the Patriots also honored first responders of the Marathon attack. After addressing fans assembled at the team’s draft party, team owner Robert Kraft called 25 police officers and first responders to the podium, all of whom had been involved with the Marathon bombings and their aftermath.

Each received a game jersey with BOSTON across the shoulders and the No. 1 on the back.