Greatest Kicker of All Time, Adam Vinatieri, Assumes his Spot Among NFL Legends

You had to be at Gillette Stadium on that snowbound Saturday night in January of 2002 to appreciate the magnitude of the kicks. The snow, which made for such great television all night long and had to frustrate the Raiders as much as Walt Coleman and the Tuck Rule, enveloped Foxboro Stadium -- ...

by Hector Longo

Aug 9, 2026

Feb 3, 2002; New Orleans, LA, USA; New England Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri (4) kicks the ball against the St. Louis Rams during Super Bowl XXXVI at the Louisiana Superdome. The Patriots defeated the Rams 20-17.

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You had to be at Gillette Stadium on that snowbound Saturday night in January of 2002 to appreciate the magnitude of the kicks.

The snow, which made for such great television all night long and had to frustrate the Raiders as much as Walt Coleman and the “Tuck Rule,” enveloped Foxboro Stadium -- falling in waves.

Hall of Fame journey starter

It was that night that New England Patriot Adam Vinatieri kicked off his march to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and launched a dynasty.

Two weeks later in a much more kicker-friendly environment at the New Orleans Superdome, Vinatieri finished the job with the Super Bowl XXXVI game winner.

On Saturday in Canton, Ohio, the third kicker ever and the greatest of all time, Vinatieri, ended that journey with his stirring induction.

“I can officially say my biggest dreams have come true,” said Vinatieri in his opening remarks.

Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri before a game against the Texans in 2019.

Jenna Watson, Imagn Images

Greatest ever to do it

A four-time Super Bowl champion – three in New England and one in Indianapolis – Vinatieri joins Chiefs great Jan Stenerud and Saints legend Morten Andersen as the only place-kickers to reach Canton.

Vinatieri’s role in the Patriots dynasty can be argued to be as great as anyone in history, not named Tom Brady.

Utmost respect for a legend

After a couple good-hearted shots at Brady, Vinatieri summed up the next Patriots player who will be joining him in Canton.

“Tom, you changed the game forever. What I will remember most is the teammate that you were,” Vinatieri said to the seven-time Super Bowl champ in the crowd. “Your belief in the people around you inspired all of us to raise our standards, and I’m honored our careers became part of the same path.”

Former Patriots and Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri shares a laugh with former Colts punter Pat McAfee.

Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Amazing legacy realized

Vinatieri is the third Patriot from those early Super Bowl champion teams to be enshrined, following Richard Seymour and Ty Law.

“I don’t want to just be remembered for kicking footballs through uprights,” said Vinatieri, who played 24 NFL seasons, 10 in New England and then 14 in Indianapolis. “I want to be remembered as that kid from South Dakota, who never gave up on his dream.”