During Thursday evening, it was announced that former Indianapolis Colts legendary kicker Adam Vinatieri was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 as part of NFL Honors night.
During his 2nd year on the ballot, Vinatieri will be headed to Canton, Ohio, along with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly.
Arguably the greatest kicker of them all, Vinatieri joins former place kickers Morten Andersen and Jan Stenerud as the only other players at his position currently enshrined into football immortality.
During his prolific 24-year playing career, Vinatieri initially played 10 seasons with the New England Patriots and then 14 more seasons in the second half with the Colts.
He was truly great at both stops and seemingly aged like fine wine, until the very end when father time and injuries finally caught up with him at 47-years-old—as 2019 was his last playing season in the NFL.
He converted 599 of 715 of his career field goal attempts (83.8%) and 874 of 898 of his extra point attempts (97.3%) respectively.
He has the most all-time career points in NFL history (2,673) and the most field goals made ever (599). Additionally, Vinatieri has played in the most regular season and postseason games combined in league history (397).
With Super Bowl winning field goals and seemingly ice in his veins during the game’s biggest moments, including in tough weather conditions, if he’s not the best kicker of all-time, he’s no doubt the game’s clutchest.
He was a 4x Super Bowl Champion, 3x NFL First-Team All-Pro, 3x NFL Pro Bowler, NFL scoring leader, member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, and member of the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
From his infamous tenure in Indianapolis, if you ask me what I’ll remember most from Vinatieri, it’s his longevity, consistency, clutchness, and leadership in the Colts locker room.
From a playing perspective, it’s converting 5 of his 5 field goal attempts during rough road conditions in Baltimore, which were the Colts only points on the day during the Divisional Round, against the Ravens—and propelled them with a final score of 15-6, and to an eventual (and previously elusive) Super Bowl win.
Unfortunately, it’s worth noting that former Colts all-time great wide receiver Reggie Wayne, did not join his former Horseshoe teammate in this year’s distinguished class, so #87 will have to wait at least a 7th-year to receive his own bronze bust. Wayne has previously been a finalist all prior six years he’s been on the ballot.
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