 McGinest becomes the newest addition to the Patriots Hall of Fame. (USA TODAY Images) |
There have been a lot of great players over the years here in New England, and the Patriots are about to induct a couple of terrific ones into an elite group later this year.
The team announced on Tuesday that former defensive end Willie McGinest along with defensive lineman Houston Antwine will be the newest additions to The Hall at Patriots Place presented by Raytheon later this summer, although no date has been confirmed.
McGinest spent 12-seasons in New England after being drafted in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft, just one year after the Patriots selected Drew Bledsoe with the first overall selection in 1993. The two were key parts of helping put New England back on the map as an elite franchise, with McGinest later also becoming a key part of a defensive group that helped win three titles in 2001, 2003 and 2004.
Bledsoe was inducted back in 2011, and now McGinest will don a red jacket of his own.
Antwine was with the team from 1961 through 1971, although he'll be honored posthumously after having passed away in December of 2011 at the age of 72. He was selected back in April by the senior selection committee.
The induction of McGinest is significant because he was the first player taken after Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994.
"Just a few months after I bought the Patriots, we drafted Willie McGinest in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft," said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft in a statement on Tuesday. "We came into the NFL together and will always share a special bond. During his 12-year Patriots career, Willie played a critical role in transforming us from a cellar dweller into a championship-caliber team.
"He was a leader of a defensive unit that propelled the Patriots to our first Super Bowl Championship in 2001. His leadership during the season and dominance in the postseason proved principal to our success in winning back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004. Willie was a part of so many memorable moments for Patriots fans during his career. Now, I am looking forward to Patriots fans giving Willie a memorable moment as we celebrate his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame."
When a date is announced, the event, as it is every year, will be free to the public to attend. McGinest also will reportedly be honored during a halftime ceremony this year.
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