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FOXBORO - There's a growing fervor for all things Pat Patriot in this 50th anniversary season of the New England Patriots, but count Fred Taylor as a fan of the Flying Elvis.

"Every day I work out in south Florida, I've got on some type of Patriots gear," the veteran running back said Wednesday. "And the guys down there, they tease me all the time. They tell me it seems like I've been a part of that team forever the way I wear the clothing.

"But it's a nice uniform. I've always admired it, especially when they changed to this," he added, pointing to the Flying Elvis logo on the side of his helmet.

To each his own - and even though the Patriots will be wearing their pre-1993, crouching minuteman logo in four games this year, Taylor made it sound Wednesday as if he'll be proud to wear either after 11 seasons of having a snarling cat on his helmet.

Taylor was by far the oldest veteran at the Patriots' "organized team activity" of the week, conducted on the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium. This is only his second NFL team, the previous 11 years being spent in the teal-tinged uniforms of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he knows that in order for him to succeed, he has to do what that experience has taught him to do. "It's the start of learning the system, first and foremost, so I can be able to compete without hesitation and just come out here and do what I can do," he said. "That's the most important thing for me right now. I just came here to do a job. I've been working in this business for 11 years now and I want to learn the playbook so I won't have to hesitate.

"I don't want to look like a rookie out there," he added. "I listen, and I've always been coachable. Whatever I've got to do, I've got to do it, but it starts by learning the plays first."

Taylor was one of the most recognizable Jaguars, a standout who went over the 1,000-yard mark seven times in his career and currently checks in with 11,271 career yards, 16th best in the history of the NFL.

That's 7,084 yards short of Emmitt Smith's league record, but there are other approachable luminaries on the list, including a back who many still believe to be the best ever to play the game.

"I've always said I wanted to catch Jim Brown," said Taylor, who trails the former Cleveland Browns' great by 1,041 yards. "Whether I do or whether I don't, it's been great playing in the NFL this long. When you look at the average lifespan of a player, and the things that I've gone through in my career with the injuries, and this and that, I've just got to keep moving forward. Whatever I end with, I'll take it."

Perhaps there would have been a time in Taylor's life that he would have wanted to advance further up the all-time list as a Jaguar, but the economics of today's game dictated otherwise.

"Especially after 11 years there, you speak of loyalty and all that," he said. "This is a sensitive subject for a lot of players, but it's all a business out there, and once you learn that, you can kind of separate the two and it's easier to deal with. I thought I would retire there, but God knows what's best, and I'm here."

Although Taylor was a salary-cap casualty in Jacksonville, he definitely can be a valuable addition to the Patriots' backfield. He may not be expected to be the lead back with Laurence Maroney and Sammy Morris presently ahead of him on the depth chart, but Patriots' coach Bill Belichick has always been one to reward solid effort with the opportunity to play. It's even more important to have a proven alternative on hand if Maroney, who spent most of last season on injured reserve with shoulder woes, does not display the level of productivity expected of him.

Taylor said there will be no shortage of competitiveness from him as the preseason unfolds.

"If I'm going to be able to play with the guys on this team, I had to volunteer to come and try to not get ahead, but not to be too far behind and not get yelled at that much," he said. "So I decided to come out here with the rookies. "I want to continue to play," he said. "I love to win, I'm very competitive. We play this game to try to win championships. So you've just got to push forward. First and foremost, I just want to learn the plays first."

Taylor said that reports of a wrist injury suffered while training were "a little blown out of proportion," and that he's ready to give the Patriots every bit of what he may have left - which he believes to be quite a bit.

Taylor isn't anticipating being ready for retirement any time soon.

"You can't put a number on it, but I've always said I'll run until the wheels fall off," he said. "When you drive your car and you've got good rotation or whatever, you can keep pushing those tires. I'm going to keep going forward."

As for being the oldest player at this particular passing camp?

"I don't feel like the old guy," he said. "Young guys inspire me."

MARK FARINELLA may be reached at 508-236-0315 or via e-mail at mfarinel@thesunchronicle.com. Read Farinella's blog, "Blogging Fearlessly," at thesunchronicle.com/farinella.