Not many NFL positional coaches can say that got singled out in a Pro Football Hall of Fame speech, but following Randy Moss last weekend, Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia can.
"There is a coach by the name of Dante Scarnecchia," Moss said in his speech. "Dante, I want to thank you. One of the worst times in my career, I received a letter from you, telling me what you had learned from me and what an inspiration I was to you, and Coach, that uplifted me so much. You have no idea, because I was down and out. I wanted to leave the game. Scar, you talked me back into the game."
Speaking to Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald, Scarnecchia said it came as a huge surprise.
"It was really kind of him to say those things," he said. "I'm stunned he would remember [the letter]. It was after he left. I really liked him. He was always very, very respectful to me. Most of the time, he called me 'Coach.'"
He added: "Like Junior [Seau]. Junior because he probably didn't know my first name."
Scarnecchia is 70 years old and began coaching with the Patriots in 1991.
