Adam Vinatieri's Hall of Fame induction ceremony was special. However, the people he supported in his stint with the New England Patriots
—Robert Kraft, Tom Brady
, and Bill Belichick— did not attend the ceremony
. Vinatieri played it cool by joking about his former head coach. However, according to former Patriot Ty Law, humor might not have been all that Vinatieri was expressing.
"Because I think it bothered, you know Adam a little bit. Yeah, and that's why it bothered me," Law said on WEEI 93.7 FM
on August 11. "I'm sure you know, everyone has their own reasons and I can't answer for him. But I just felt like more of us should have been there because we all benefited from Adam."
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Belichick might not have had eight Super Bowl wins on his resume had it not been for Adam Vinatieri's game-changing kicks. His field goal in the famous Tuck Rule Game of the 2001 season made him a hero in New England
's books, eventually giving Belichick his first Super Bowl victory as the franchise's head coach. Vinatieri was part of two more Super Bowl-winning campaigns at New England.
During Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, Vinatieri hit another game-winning field goal, this one from 41 yards with just four seconds on the clock. It helped the Patriots secure a 32-29 win over Carolina, leading New England to its second Super Bowl crown in three seasons.
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The legendary kicker also landed some harmless jabs on Belichick for skipping the ceremony.
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"There's a lot going on at UNC right now," he said.
The people he had crossed paths with during his time in New England were not in attendance, but former Indianapolis Colts
teammates such as Peyton Manning
and Pat McAfee were present.
There is also the case of Bill Belichick himself being snubbed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. To be enshrined, nominees must receive 40 votes from a panel of 50 selectors, and the present North Carolina Tar Heels head coach might have fallen short of the votes. As reported by USA Today, Belichick received 39 or fewer votes during his maiden voyage on the ballot.
However, the absence does not mean that Belichick has no regard for Vinatieri. In 2024, the Tar Heels head coach said, "There's no player I'd rather have out there kicking a game-winning field goal than Adam Vinatieri. Probably even today."
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It was a bad look for the New England figureheads to not be in attendance for this special moment. But given the situation Belichick is in North Carolina, it is also understandable why he chose to give this one a miss. There's no Adam Vinatieri to help him out there, after all.
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