On Thursday night, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 was announced, and former Patriots and Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri was not among the four players selected.
This announcement came during the 14th annual NFL Honors show, held in New Orleans, LA as a part of the leadup to Super Bowl LIX.
In his first year on the Hall of Fame ballot, Vinatieri was passed over, remaining eligible for next year’s induction class, as well as induction classes for years to come. So while this dream for the 52-year-old isn’t over yet, it’s still notable that the greatest kicker in the history of the sport wasn’t granted entry on his first try.
The legend for both the Patriots (1996-2005) and Colts (2006-19) fits the bill of a hall of famer to a tee.
When it comes to the NFL record books, the man’s name is all over it:
- All-time leading scorer (2,673 points)
- Most career field goals made (599)
- Most combined regular season and postseason games played (397)
- Most career field goal attempts (715)
- Most consecutive made field goals (44)
- Most seasons with 100+ points (21)
- Most made field goals in a single postseason (14 in 2006)
- Most career overtime field goals (11)
When it comes to his trophy case, it’s brimming with Lamar Hunt Trophies and Super Bowl rings. Vinatieri’s teams won the AFC six times (1996, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009), going on to win four Super Bowls in six seasons from 2001 to 2006. He was selected to three All-Pro teams, three Pro Bowls, and is a member of both the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. And for Patriots honors alone, he’s a member of their All-1990s Team, All-2000s Team, 50th Anniversary Team and All-Dynasty Team. It goes without saying that he’ll one day receive a red jacket from the Patriots Hall of Fame to go along with his eventual gold one.
On top of all the accolades, Vinatieri has a handful of hall of fame moments that all of us in New England remember well.
While in a Patriots uniform, he was the author of two of the most difficult kicks in NFL history - both taking place in the same game against the Oakland Raiders in the 2001 AFC Divisional Round.
The first was a 45-yard field goal with 27 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime, and the second being a 23-yard field goal to close out the old Foxborough Stadium with a 16-13 win, advancing the Patriots to the AFC Championship Game. Both kicks occurred in blinding snow - images forever etched into Patriots lore.
Later that postseason, Vinatieri played hero again, as he kicked a 48-yard field goal as time expired to beat the St. Louis Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI.
Two years later, he put the hero cape on yet again, kicking another Super Bowl-winning field goal. This time, it was against the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII, as Vinatieri was good from 41 with four seconds left, sealing a 32-29 win.
It’s a shame the greatest kicker of all-time was unable to spend his entire 24-year career in New England, and he told WEEI Afternoons on Tuesday he agrees with that sentiment.
And although we like to forget it, Vinatieri’s postseason with the Colts in 2006 is among the most impressive runs any player has ever had at the position, nailing 14 field goals on his way to a fourth career ring. His most impressive game during that run came in the divisional round against the Ravens, where he went into Baltimore and accounted for all 15 of his team’s points, going 5 for 5 on field goal attempts in a 15-6 victory.
Vinatieri joins a growing list of former Patriots from the “dynasty era” that have been passed over for football’s highest honor, including the likes of Rodney Harrison and Vince Wilfork. For being the team that has defined this millennium of the NFL, their 20-year run of dominance is underrepresented in Canton, OH.
Here’s a full list of all the Patriots in the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
- Nick Buoniconti, Linebacker (1962-68)
- John Hannah, Guard (1973-85)
- Mike Haynes, Defensive Back (1976-82)
- Ty Law, Cornerback (1995-04)
- Curtis Martin, Running Back (1995-97)
- Randy Moss, Wide Receiver (2007-10)
- Bill Parcells, Head Coach (1993-96)
- Darrelle Revis, Cornerback (2014)
- Junior Seau, Linebacker (2006-09)
- Richard Seymour, Defensive End (2001-08)
- Andre Tippett, Linebacker (1982-93)
As you can see, only Law, Moss, Revis, Seau and Seymour represent the Brady-Belichick Era. And if we’re being honest, Revis and Seau primarily have their bronze busts for service time with other organizations. While we know Brady, Belichick, Vinatieri and Rob Gronkowski will all inevitably join - until they do, the representation for New England in Canton is embarrassing.
Here were the four modern era players selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025:
- Eric Allen, Cornerback - Philadelphia Eagles (1988-94), New Orleans Saints (1995-97), Oakland Raiders (1998-2001)
- Jared Allen, Defensive End - Kansas City Chiefs (2004-07), Minnesota Vikings (2008-13), Chicago Bears (2014-15), Carolina Panthers (2015)
- Antonio Gates, Tight End - San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers (2003-18)
- Sterling Sharpe, Wide Receiver - Green Bay Packers (1988-94)
When he eventually gets in. Vinatieri will become just the third pure placekicker to join the Pro Football Hall of Fame, along with Jan Stenerud (1991) and Morten Andersen (2017).
Make this right next year, voters.
The highest scoring player in the history of the sport should have a gold jacket.
Period. End of story.