Football isn’t played much at Cranston Stadium during the spring and summer, but that changed this past weekend as a new tradition was born.

Former Patriots linebacker and 3-time Super Bowl Champion Tedy Bruschi stopped by Cranston Stadium on Saturday morning for the city’s first-ever F.A.S.T. Celebrity Touch Football Game. Bruschi, who suffered a stroke in February 2005, was there to raise money and awareness through Tedy’s Team. F.A.S.T. is an acronym that represents the warning signs of a stroke, according to the American Heart and Stroke Association: face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty and time to call 911.

Net proceeds from the event went to Tedy’s Team, a fundraising unit of runners who compete in two events: the Boston Marathon and the Falmouth Road Race. That group, which includes event organizers Elizabeth Perry Tirrell and Allison Slattery, helped coordinate and participated in Saturday’s festivities.

Bruschi wasn’t the only Patriot, past or present, in attendance. Former linebacker and 3-time champion Matt Chatham and current backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett also suited up. Chatham and Bruschi were on opposing squads, red vs. blue respectively, while Brissett was the designated quarterback for both sides.

Slattery even had the honor of picking him off for the game-winning interception return, which she said was the plan heading into the final play.

“He let me do it, full disclosure,” Slattery said, with a laugh. “It’s definitely a cool experience for sure. I think it went really well. I think everyone had fun. We had a perfect day for it. Thankfully we didn’t have the 90-degree heat like earlier in the week.”

For Perry Tirrell, her “true inspiration” to get on the field and on the race course was sitting on the sidelines. Her uncle, Bobby, has survived a combined nine heart attacks and strokes.

“I loved it,” Perry Tirrell said. “It’s a great first year, a great foundation. We can’t wait to keep doing it. For me, it’s great because I was born and raised in Cranston, lived here 90 percent of my life. So moving away, moving into Massachusetts, I’m excited I can bring stuff like this back into my hometown. It really makes me feel happy, and everyone here is loving every second of it.”

The three professional players joined local high school players, TV and radio personalities and members of the City Council. Everyone from NBC 10’s Joe Kayata to West linebacker Will Such to Council President Michael Farina gave it their all on Saturday.

All of the players and some of the luckier members of the crowd poured on to the field for pictures and autographs after the game ended. Farina and Ward 5 Councilman Christopher Paplauskas, lifelong Patriots fans who were no exception, said they had a blast playing for a good cause alongside a player they revered.

“This was an awesome honor,” Farina said. “Thanks to the guys at the Thirsty Beaver, [owners] Ed Brady and Justin Erickson, for organizing this with Tedy’s Team. It was a great event. It was intense. [Bruschi] still is a tremendous athlete. You could see him trying to slow himself down, so we could keep up with him. It was amazing to see.”

Such plays regularly at Cranston Stadium, putting on his pads for the Falcons in the fall, and he enjoyed himself as much as any regular Friday game.

“It was good,” Such said. “He obviously had that winning mentality. I could see he wanted to win, but it was fun coming out here.”