NFL Network's Top 10 Patriots of All Time

[Deus Irae]

Why the heck should he be taken out considering all he did for the team in his decade+ with them?

Because of his position? His defection? His lack of "athleticism"?

Because there were every down players that I put above him.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Here's the link for those who haven't seen it: NFL Videos: Top 10 Patriots of all time

My big question is, where is BB?? If not #1, at worst he should be #2 on this list. This shouldn't be a player only list, I saw Papa Bear Halas was the #1 Chicago Bear the other day. BB belongs on this list, no doubt about it.

Coaches can go on the list? Yeah, then Belichick's #1.

 

[eagle eye]

So are we now saying that clutch kickers are a dime a dozen? Vinatieri deserves to on the list of top 10 patriots of all time.

 

[PYPER]

10. Ben Coates
9. Nick Buoniconti
8. Tedy Bruschi
7. Willie McGinest
6. Drew Bledsoe
5. Mike Haynes
4. Adam Vinatieri
3. Andre Tippet
2. John Hannah
1. Tom Brady

Here's mine.

10. Bruce Armstrong
9. John Hannah
8. Ty Law
7. Richard Seymour
6. Stanley Morgan
5. Mike Haynes
4. Troy Brown
3. Tedy Bruschi
2. Andre Tippet
1. Tom Brady

Although I recognize Hannah's greatness (best OG ever), I am biased against Olinemen being at the top of the list. Armstrong never gets the credit he deserves so I'm happy to recognize his amazing career. Love McGinest but there's no way I can put him ahead on the list over someone like Ty Law and Richard Seymour. Same thing with Ben Coates.

 

[muslimman]

I like the list they put, dont love it but I like it. I would actually take out Tom Brady from that list... no Im not crazy its just that since he is so obviously the #1 player that theres no need to put him on there since every one already knows that. The main reason behind that is so we can get some less recognized and just as worthy players from the Patriots on the Top 10 list.

So heres how my list would end up:
10. Troy Brown
9. Adam Vinatieri
8. Drew Beldsoe
7. Nick Buoniconti
6. Steve Grogan
5. Willie McGinest
4. Tedy Brushchi
3. Mike Haynes
2. John Hannah
1. Andre Tippet

 

[efin98]

Here's mine.
Although I recognize Hannah's greatness (best OG ever), I am biased against Olinemen being at the top of the list. Armstrong never gets the credit he deserves so I'm happy to recognize his amazing career. Love McGinest but there's no way I can put him ahead on the list over someone like Ty Law and Richard Seymour. Same thing with Ben Coates.

I'm surprised Armstrong wasn't on more lists...If he's not in the top 10 he's gotta be just outside of it.

 

[Patjew]

10. Ben Coates
9. Nick Buoniconti
8. Tedy Bruschi
7. Willie McGinest
6. Drew Bledsoe
5. Mike Haynes
4. Adam Vinatieri
3. Andre Tippet
2. John Hannah
1. Tom Brady


I agree with 1-3, but the rest I don't know about, where's Gino.

Where the hell is Ty Law?

And Seymour.

 

[BradyFTW!]

So are we now saying that clutch kickers are a dime a dozen? Vinatieri deserves to on the list of top 10 patriots of all time.

Not a dime a dozen at all; I just think that guys who contribute more. I get where you're coming from, and Vinatieri was certainly one of a kind, but in the average NFL game there are about 125 snaps. Realistically, the kicker is unlikely to contribute on more than a handful of them. Guys that are in there contributing for 40+ snaps per game are more important, IMO.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Where the hell is Ty Law?

And Seymour.

Agreed. IMO, both belong ahead of Bruschi, Bledsoe, Coates, and Vinatieri, to say the least.

 

[efin98]

Not a dime a dozen at all; I just think that guys who contribute more. I get where you're coming from, and Vinatieri was certainly one of a kind, but in the average NFL game there are about 125 snaps. Realistically, the kicker is unlikely to contribute on more than a handful of them. Guys that are in there contributing for 40+ snaps per game are more important, IMO.

Of those "handful of snaps" damn near all of them directly affect the outcome of the game either by scoring points for their team or nailing the opposition deep in their own territory. Quality over quantity.

 

[Pats Fanatic]

Here's the link for those who haven't seen it: NFL Videos: Top 10 Patriots of all time

My big question is, where is BB?? If not #1, at worst he should be #2 on this list. This shouldn't be a player only list, I saw Papa Bear Halas was the #1 Chicago Bear the other day. BB belongs on this list, no doubt about it.

You do know that Halas was a player in the 20's for the Bears right. He held the record for the longest fumble return for a TD in team history until Mike Brown broke it a few years ago.
It was an OK list but people aways forget about Raymond Clayborn and yes Gino deserves to be on the list.

 

[DarrylS]

1. Tom Brady
2. John Hannah
3. Andre Tippett
4. Stanley Morgan
5. Mike Haynes
6. Julius Adams
7. Ben Coates
8. Jim Nance
9. Nick Buoniconti
10. Sam Cunningham

Limiting the list to ten players is tough to do.

This is the "old school" list, Julius Adams is a very deserving player who played during the "lean years".. Steve Nelson??? A top ten is very difficult.. a top 25 might be easier..

 

[BradyFTW!]

Of those "handful of snaps" damn near all of them directly affect the outcome of the game either by scoring points for their team or nailing the opposition deep in their own territory. Quality over quantity.

For the latter point, Vinatieri wasn't particularly great at kickoffs. A friend of the family is a scout in the Pats organization, and he said that one of the factors in letting Vinatieri walk was exactly that. Not a decisive point or anything, I wouldn't think, but it did factor in. Even when Vinatieri was doing kickoffs, he wasn't pinning the opposition down deep in its own territory. There were 10 other guys out there making the tackle, who certainly deserve some share of the credit.

For the first point, I'd just say that the NT that's dominating the LOS, or the LT who's keeping the heat off of Brady's blind side, or the pass rusher who's bringing the heat and keeping the opposing offense from getting in rhythm... I don't see how you could argue that a kicker has a stronger impact on the game than those factors. A good player in these positions will directly affect the outcome of the game, to use your words, on at least as many plays as the kicker did. And for the rest of the plays where he's on the field... well, he's out on the field contributing, which the kicker, through no fault of his own, isn't.

It's fine, I expect my opinion is in the minority here, and it's a difficult one because I'm not sure how to argue it factually outside of snap count. It's more a principle thing, which is why I don't intend to argue it too hard and admit I may be totally off base on this one.

 

[efin98]

For the latter point, Vinatieri wasn't particularly great at kickoffs. A friend of the family is a scout in the Pats organization, and he said that one of the factors in letting Vinatieri walk was exactly that. Not a decisive point or anything, I wouldn't think, but it did factor in.

For the first point, I'd just say that the NT that's dominating the LOS, or the LT who's keeping the heat off of Brady's blind side, or the pass rusher who's bringing the heat and keeping the opposing offense from getting in rhythm... I don't see how you could argue that a kicker has a stronger impact on the game than those factors. A good player in these positions will directly affect the outcome of the game, to use your words, on at least as many plays as the kicker did. And for the rest of the plays where he's on the field... well, he's out on the field contributing, which the kicker, through no fault of his own, isn't.

It's fine, I expect my opinion is in the minority here, and it's a difficult one because I'm not sure how to argue it factually outside of snap count. It's more a principle thing, which is why I don't intend to argue it too hard and admit I may be totally off base on this one.

Then we will have to agree to disagree on the value then. I value his leg's ability to score highly so much that to me he's in the top 10 at around 9 or 10 but he's still in there.

 

[Fencer]

Vinateri is not one of the top 10 most valuable players in Patriots history.

But he did make 4 of the most important plays in team history. (Snow Bowl x 2, Super Bowl x 2), 2-3 of which are pretty iconic.

By some sets of criteria, that -- plus some general stellar play -- earns him a high ranking.

 

[State]

Stanley Morgan needs to go #7. Period. The man was a deep threat. His movement was poetry. Great WR.

 

[Batman]

Because he's a kicker.

I'm sorry his leg didn't win two super bowls for us?

Nor did his 140 points in the 04 season help us get to that superbowl

 

[signbabybrady]

my top ten

1 Brady (duh)
2 Gino (face of the franchise for 50 years and yes his time in the booth gets him 2 unfair maybe but true IMO)
3 Andre Tippett (maybe he is so high because he was my first favorite player but deserving)
4 Drew Bledsoe (his stardom was part of a triumbrate that brought the Patriot team from obscurity to what it is now)
5 Hannah ( outside of Brady probably the most talented Patriot ever)
6 Grogan (QBs are the face of a franchise and he was ours for over a decade)
7 Troy Brown ( did it all and worked his way up from no where to be a 3 time SB hero and yes his INTs seal it for me)

Now it gets tough IMO no one above should have been left off but there is at least another 10 deserving of being included.
8 Morgan (most dynamic Patriot ever outside Moss who hasnt been here enough to be here)
9 Bruschi (involved in all but one of our SBs)
10 Vinatieri (the kicks are the Patriots most shining moments)


To me when it breaks down these may not have been the 10 best players in patriot history but they seem to stand out a little more than the few off the list who may have had more talent...I think Willie Mac is my biggest snub.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Because he's a kicker.

Exactly. I mean, if he had made some clutch kicks along the way - maybe even one or two that meant the difference in a Championship, I might see my way in adding him to the Top Ten list.

But he's just a kicker. They really don't do that much.

 

[brabirschorr]

If your Top 10 list includes Bledsoe you’ve automatically lost all credibility so there’s no point in reading the rest of your list. So that opens up one slot.

Looking at the rest of the list versus who’s been left off, I’d have to remove Coates even though I thought he was a great player. With those 2 slots open, the 2 most glaring omissions are Stanley Morgan and Ty Law. A case can be made for Gino, Troy, Seymour, Armstrong, etc. and we can argue all day but I’ll put them in the next 10. No shame there.

Gotta laugh at those who say AV doesn’t deserve to be on the list because he’s a kicker. In case you haven’t been paying attention, kicking is an integral part of football (just ask the Bills and countless other teams who have lost big games as a result). The indisputable fact of the matter is that without Adam we wouldn’t be sitting here with 3 Lombardis and that’s good enough for me. BB calls him a football player and, um, he knows a little more than we do.