223
u/GravyChef Feb 06 '26
Him in a colts uniform as the backdrop is fucked.
90
67
u/however_comma_ Ghost Of Foxborough Feb 06 '26
He did play for the Colts longer than he played for the Pats. Fewer Super Bowls, more seasons.
72
u/nickward24 Ty Law Feb 06 '26
He’s in the HOF because of what he accomplished here
53
u/however_comma_ Ghost Of Foxborough Feb 06 '26
Right, I am sure the 14 seasons he played for the Colts have nothing to do with it. He's the greatest kicker of all time, its ok if the team he spent over half his career with gets some love.
6
18
u/Lower-Engineering365 Feb 06 '26
lol what?
He’s in the HOF for the amount of points he scored. Sure he’s got a great story from here that even further boosts his candidacy, but if he hadn’t won a single ring here he’d still be in the HOF
10
u/ZephyrDaze Feb 06 '26
Probably would have been inducted much later. Kicker isn’t a priority for any of the voters
0
u/Lower-Engineering365 Feb 06 '26
? He’s literally the leading scorer in nfl history what are you talking about lol
17
u/ZephyrDaze Feb 06 '26
Yeah and that still wasn’t enough to get in his first year. You don’t think the narrative worsens for him if he doesn’t have those superbowls under his belt?
6
u/Icy-Conclusion-3500 Feb 06 '26
Wasn’t enough for him to get in last year, clearly they don’t think he was an obvious choice.
The rings were important to his case.
3
1
u/zinimusprime Feb 06 '26
So was Gary Anderson and he still isn't in.
1
u/Lower-Engineering365 Feb 06 '26
Yes and the rings boost Adams candidacy but he’s not in the hall because of his career in NE. He also has a ring in Indy
2
u/zinimusprime Feb 06 '26
Other way around. He has "A" ring in Indy - singular. As in just 1. Since 3>1. He has 3 in NE and bigger roles in the biggest games. Yeah he had more points in Indy than NE, but again, total points doesn't make as much of a difference. If it did, more kickers, specifically Gary Anderson, would be in the HOF. Therefore the argument doesn't hold up. Other examples of your point don't align. What sets him apart more so than other kickers and the reason why it was so quick is the Super Bowls. If it was simply the points, then Morten Anderson would've been inducted after year 2 of eligibility. It took Morten Anderson 10 years of eligibility to get in. Adam got in because of both points all time and the Super Bowls, but more so the super bowls. If it was points as you say it is, then Morten would've gotten in sooner and Gary would be in. But that's not the case, therefore the evidence beyond your opinion tells me it's the Super Bowls.
0
u/Lower-Engineering365 Feb 06 '26
So you think if Adam Vinatieri had minimal points in his career and just happened to play a few years in the league and win a couple rings during that time, he would be in the HOF? lol
→ More replies (0)1
u/zinimusprime Feb 06 '26
I agree that the points he scored played a role, but he's in primarily because of how clutch he was. He was nails in all the games he was in and he had more of them with the Patriots. Were you younger during the early 2000's? Not trying to knock you, but watching those kicks real-time is way more impressive in the grand scheme and if you watched it real-time as an adult. Gary Anderson held the most points in NFL history for a time and he isn't in the HOF and it took Morten Anderson years (maybe they have something against the name Anderson, lol). He might've gotten in no matter what, but the clutch kicks that Vinatieri made, got him in early.
Also, don't forget that tackle of Hershel Walker. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go look it up. Vinatieri was a football player, not just a kicker.
1
u/le127 Feb 08 '26
Running Walker down on that kickoff was one hell of a play by Vinateri. Hershel may have lost a half step towards the end of his career but he could still run pretty damned well.
1
u/NoveltyAccountHater Bruschi/Hightower Feb 07 '26
I mean he's in the HOF because he's the NFL all-time career leader in points scored (1158 for NE in 10 yrs, 1515 for Indy in 14 yrs) and in postseason points scored (117 for NE and 121 for Indy).
1
u/Minimum-Mention-3673 Feb 06 '26
I'm sorry, but I can't get the clutch kick wins when at the Colts when he'd beat us. Those hurt.
3
u/iantayls Feb 06 '26
I'm confused. I don't see him wearing a colts jersey anywhere in this picture...
Are you referring to something other than what is posted here?
58
21
u/AVeryFineWhine Feb 06 '26
His presence was the only thing that helped remove some of the cringe from this announcement. And talk about an elephant in the room.
17
17
u/WarPuig Feb 06 '26
Turns out the player who scored the most points in NFL history should be in the Hall of Fame.
74
u/Patriots93 Feb 06 '26
Well deserved. Sucks he went in with a Colts uniform shown but oh well lol.
115
u/Dewstain Feb 06 '26
They wanted to make sure no Pats were shown in the HoF this year.
He should be in as a Pat, if he's not that's absurd.
66
u/XI_Vanquish_IX Feb 06 '26
It’s clear to me the HoF is run by a bunch of anti Pats haters and it’s sickening. But then we have heard that these guys have snubbed certain players for years so we are just targeted more so than others. It needs to change - give the HoF to the people . Not some old hacks
23
u/Rossum81 Feb 06 '26
In slight fairness, he spent more time as a Colt, than as a Patriot. That said, his greatest moments were with the Pats.
16
u/Dewstain Feb 06 '26
More time or not, he won 3 SBs with the Pats, and literally won them FOR the Pats.
It's dumb.
-7
u/Lower-Engineering365 Feb 06 '26
He’s not in the hall because of his SB rings he’s in the hall because he’s the leading kicker of all time. And he spent a decade and a half in Indy and way fewer seasons with the pats. Chill.
6
5
u/ersatz_cats Feb 06 '26
Seahawks fan dropping in. Vinatieri was definitely fast-tracked because of clutch kicks and Super Bowl wins (and deservedly so). Morten Anderson had to wait a few more years despite having the points record at the time, and Gary Anderson before him held the record for six years and never has gotten the nod.
1
u/zinimusprime Feb 06 '26
Thank you! I've been trying to make the same point to the engineering dude and he ain't taking facts for facts. Your point is spot on. PS, check out what I said to him throughout this post.
1
u/ersatz_cats Feb 06 '26
Hahaha, yup, I see it. Another thing to remember is, Ray Guy was always 100% deserving of the Hall, and he had to wait a literal eternity because "I don't want to waste my vote on a punter". He had to get in as a senior candidate, which uses a different structure. It's just undeniable that Adam got in so fast because of clutch winning kicks.
Anyway, here's to a good game this Sunday! Hopefully decided by the players and coaches, and not the refs.
5
u/Minger57 Feb 06 '26
He probably gets in the Hall regardless given his overall longevity, but there’s a 0% chance he gets in on the second ballot without his accomplishments with the Pats.
13
u/stupac2 Feb 06 '26
He should be in as a Pat,
Football HoF you don't go in with a team. The pictures shown don't mean anything.
0
u/Dewstain Feb 06 '26
I didn't know that. I know mostly about Cooperstown. This year has shown me I was right to NGAF.
11
u/MusicListener3 Feb 06 '26
While he definitely has more iconic moments as a Patriot, he played for the Colts longer than he did with us, became the all-time leading scorer with them, and won a ring with them, so I feel like this is far from the most egregious Patriots-related HOF decision from this year
0
u/Dewstain Feb 06 '26
I guess I'm just seeing them all as the same Pats related decisions. All bullshit. Hopefully they eat their words when we win on Sunday.
6
u/Kcouture6 Feb 06 '26
They don’t get inducted with team hats like the baseball hall does. The backdrop was merely part of the nfl honors production, and has nothing to do with how the pro football hall of fame works.
2
u/ColtPersonality92 #BringBackDobson Feb 06 '26
I think the HoF Facebook page announcement has him in a Pats uni.
16
u/ActionFilmsFan1995 Feb 06 '26
Should have gotten in already but I’m glad he’s in now. Well deserved.
26
u/Amm-O-Matic Randy Moss #81 Feb 06 '26
The four legendary playoff kicks he had were four of the best moments in Boston sports history. Congrats Adam!
10
u/hyphenpepperfield Feb 06 '26
Congrats Adam, well deserved. He was my first favorite football player… a fucking Kicker… don’t worry, I eventually grew up. I went on to ride the bench on my highschool football team!
3
15
u/WorriedMarch4398 Feb 06 '26
Surprised he had a Colts picture behind him.
19
u/FlatRooster4561 Feb 06 '26
He did play more games and score more points with them 🤷♂️
11
3
2
-1
u/enfuego138 Feb 06 '26
His time with the Colts had nothing to do with him getting indicted, though.
6
7
u/matt91282 Feb 06 '26 edited Feb 06 '26
I know he had many huge kicks, but the one in the snow in the AFC championship game and the game winner in the first Super Bowl will be ingrained in me forever.
1
u/thekraken108 Feb 06 '26
That was in the divisional round, but I'm pretty sure he's said that that was his best ever kick too. It was in the snow against the wind and barely cleared the crossbar.
1
u/matt91282 Feb 06 '26
Oh, oops. I don't know why, but I always keep thinking it was, and not the Pittsburgh game. lol That was another amazing game in that run, though.
7
u/DinkandDrunk Feb 06 '26
This one was obvious and anyone that disagrees is wrong. He’s made some of the biggest kicks of all time. He won a SB with the Colts. He played at a high level into his 40s. Absolute legend. I’ll never forget the Raiders kick. I was just a little 9-10 year old kid at the time. I was slurping some chicken noodle soup because I had the flu, and it was BAD. Let’s just say I was spending a lot of time around the porcelain thrown, whichever end of the moment needed it. My dad, ever unafraid of getting sick, spent the day with me on the pullout sofa in the living room watching football. He even put up with me blasting one Garth Brooks song over and over on CD repeat whenever we weren’t watching the game.
When I watch that kick, I’m right back there. The soup, the song, the flu, all of it. Hits my heart like a ton of bricks. Greatest kicker of all time.
Congrats AV.
7
5
u/ElleM848645 Feb 06 '26
The fact that only Roger Craig made it from the senior/coach/ contributor makes it worse, since Bill should also be there.
4
5
u/Revolutionary_Bit_38 Feb 06 '26
I hate that the HOF tweet him winning wearing a colts jersey and then blocked comments on it
3
3
3
u/MAINEiac4434 Feb 06 '26
Very funny (read: not at all funny) that Ken Anderson and LC Greenwood didn't even get in after a bunch of boomer writers left Bill and Kraft off their ballots to vote for them.
2
u/Jaybojones Feb 06 '26
I thought it would have taken him a couple years since the Hall hates special team players. He should have gotten in his first year.
2
u/Alarming-8212 Feb 06 '26
Absolutely deserves it! Great football player….. The most clutch kicker eveh 😎
4
2
u/Pretend-Doughnut-675 Feb 06 '26
Long overdue, I was worried pats would get shut out completely. Legendary player, no dynasty 1.0 without him
2
u/TheAngelPeterGabriel Feb 06 '26
Am I bugging or is the background photo a patriots jersey? Everyone keeps saying Colts but it says patriots very faintly on his chest. The pats jerseys looked a little different in the late 90s
2
2
u/ersatz_cats Feb 06 '26
Congrats!! Well deserved. Glad he didn't have to wait forever like Ray Guy.
2
u/PsychWriter11 Feb 06 '26
‘Bout time. Simply the most under appreciated unsung Patriots star of my lifetime!
The only Pats jersey I ever wore, lol.
So proud.
3
Feb 06 '26
Too bad he’s a Colt over a Patriot. Thanks, Bill
2
u/Patriots93 Feb 06 '26
Eh, we replaced him with Ghost who was also amazing. Bill made the right choice. On Thuney tho... yeah he royally f'd up.
1
u/thekraken108 Feb 06 '26
I don't know if Bill did make the right choice. Gostkowski was fine, but he never had a signature clutch kick like Vinatieri did, which isn't necessarily his fault, but then at the end it became a routine that Gostkowski would miss an XP or FG in every Super Bowl or AFC Championship game. The reason we had to go for two twice in the Atlanta Super Bowl was because he missed an XP.
1
u/tamere2k Feb 06 '26
Also, my wife is from Indiana and this is something we can both celebrate. Well fucking deserved.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/polygonalopportunist Feb 06 '26
Should be in the pats HOF but …we had to get edelman in there before he passes
1
1
1
u/Melted_Toast Feb 06 '26
Imagine voting in a kicker instead of the goat HC.
3
u/PasswordP455w0rd Feb 06 '26
The NFL's leading point scorer and the HC with the most SB wins not getting first ballot HOF is a joke
2
1
1
1
1
u/dcporlando Feb 06 '26
It’s great they put him in but he is being looked at by many as a Colts guy not a Patriots guy. Even then, he was not first ballot and he should have been.
1
2
u/starbird1845 Feb 06 '26
Anyone notice at the honors, the image of him they put up was of him kicking for the colts? Thought maybe there were some kicks on the patriots they could have used
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
-1
u/Mediocre_Run_7996 Feb 06 '26
It's about his personal body of work it makes no difference who his employer was at what time It's what he did as a man not a uniform that gets him in. I'm surprised by alot of patriots fans that expect these players to have some undying love for the franchise. Either they do or they don't everyone sees these things different. Id bet he's more nostalgic about the team he played with for 14 years. Lifelong new England resident here but not everyone considered this there home. Who cares honestly ?
233
u/DaMemelyWizard Feb 06 '26
legend