The Patriots return to training camp July 27 to begin their quest for a third Super Bowl title in four seasons. Their summer of celebration — from the post-Super Bowl parade to the ring ceremony — is officially over, and it’s time to look ahead to 2017-18.

The Patriots kick off the season in Foxborough against the Chiefs on Thursday, Sept. 7.

Training camp officially is nine days away. The Globe will count down each day by highlighting a player, coach, and fact about the team.

Quick fact: Alan Branch is the heaviest Patriots player at 350 pounds.

Player Spotlight: Trey Flowers

Flowers was the unsung hero of the Patriots’ Super Bowl LI triumph. In his third career postseason game, Flowers led the Patriots with six tackles and 2.5 sacks.

The biggest play of Flowers’s young career came late in the fourth quarter with under four minutes to play. The Falcons, up 8 points, had marched to the Patriots 22-yard line. Atlanta opted to pass on second and 11. Flowers plunged through the line to sack Matt Ryan for a 12-yard loss. One play later, the Falcons were penalized for holding, effectively pushing themselves out of field-goal range.

Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said he regrets the second-and-11 play call more than any other from the Super Bowl.

Flowers’s dominant performance capped a terrific second year in the NFL. His seven sacks comfortably led the Patriots.

The 23-year-old is looking more like one of the Patriots’ biggest draft day bargains after he dropped to the fourth round of the 2015 draft. At 270 pounds, Flowers typically lines up as a tackle, using his quickness to shoot the A-gaps. His 18 hurries were the most of any player lining up in the O-technique (when a player is lined up against the center).

Despite his two years of NFL experience, Flowers has grown comfortable in Foxborough, even designating some post-practice time to mentor first-round pick Derek River after a day of minicamp concluded June 14.

Coach Spotlight: Brendan Daly

Daly has coached some of the league’s top defensive lines since he started his NFL coaching career in 2006 as the defensive line coach with the Vikings. Minnesota led the league in rushing defense from 2006-2008.

After stopping in St. Louis and returning to Minnesota, Daly joined the Patriots as the defensive line coach in 2014. New England has finished as a top-9 defense in each of those three years.

Last season, the Patriots had the top scoring defense in the league, allowing only 15.6 points per game. New England didn’t allow an opposing running back to eclipse 90 yards in 2016.

The Patriots defensive line excels in stopping the run more than rushing the passer, but adding Kony Ealy should increase the sack total. Veteran Alan Branch is playing some of his best football, and Flowers is a rising star.

Brad Almquist can be reached at brad.almquist@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @bquist13.