Middle schoolers got a surprise two-fer Friday, with a visit from both the New England Patriots mascot and former Patriots player Jermaine Wiggins.

Both the football team’s mascot and Wiggins came to the school as part of a Fuel Up to Play 60 follow-up presentation. The nutrition and exercise program had given a presentation at the school a month earlier, but Wiggins was unable to attend, due to family matters.

After the Patriots mascot trooped around the school, surprising students and staff alike, Wiggins held a short Q&A session with the kids. He told the kids a little about his background, and they, in turn, got a chance to ask him questions.

Wiggins, who played for the Patriots three seasons in the 10 years he was in the National Football League, told the students he was “not born with a silver spoon” in his mouth, and that he had to work hard for what he eventually achieved. The 41-year-old former football player told them about his childhood growing up as a kid in East Boston, and how he did not always get the chance to eat breakfast in the morning.

“My mother worked a couple jobs … I grew up in a single-parent household, so when she went to work, sometimes I was left to fend for myself,” Wiggins said. “I would just grab some cereal, throw a bunch of sugar in it, and by 9 o’clock in the morning, you’re dozing off in class.”

He also told them he wasn’t blessed with what he deemed natural talent in current New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, whom he also called “the greatest quarterback to ever play the game.”

“Anything is possible, but you have to be willing to put the time, willing to put the work, willing to put the effort in,” Wiggins said.

The students peppered Wiggins with questions about his career, and about the Patriots. With regards to the football team’s current coach Bill Belichik, one student notably asked, “Why does Bill Belichick never smile?”

“He smiles, sometimes,” Wiggins said with an almost-straight face. “Bill, he’ll give a little smile every now and then – he wants to make sure we aren’t having too much fun, until after we win the Superbowl.”

As part of the incentive for kids to get active, instead of sitting inside, Wiggins signed 10 footballs for gym teacher Nichole Stahmer to give to students. Fifth grader Indiana Troupe won the first football, for running more than 500 miles, all told.

Stahmer said students who complete certain athletic challenges or accumulate points with physical activities will receive the footballs. She said a specific system of how she plans to give out the footballs has yet to be nailed down.

The Patriots play the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado, Sunday afternoon.