PATRIOTS NEWS Patriots Announce 2026 HOF Finalists

[BennyBledsoe]

If Bill ****ING Parcells got in after failing his team during a SUPER BOWL, LEAVING TO COACH THE JETS, actively working to sabotage the negotiation with Curtis Martin... IF THAT GUY GOT IN, Vinatieri gets in, and I don't want to hear a goddamn word about him going to the Colts.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I don't think Belichick wanted Vinatieri any more. His kickoffs, especially in Foxborough, had become a problem. That said I don't think choosing another team removes players from consideration.

We seem to block out that Adam had a weak leg and his kickoffs were getting pretty bad. We also only remember the game winning kicks, but was very erratic during his career with the Pats. In real time, we didn't know what to expect when he trotted onto the field.

Most people forget Adam's most important contribution to the Pats. In 1999 Adam missed 3 FG's that season that would have tied or won games the Pats lost. If he had made those kicks the Pats might have been 11-5 instead of 8-8 and Pete Carroll would have been the HC of Pats as we entered the new century instead of BB.

Adam’s 3 missed kicks in two games would’ve been game winners making them 10-6. The first he missed was a last second 32 yarder against KC. The next 3 were against Buffalo at home. He missed a 33 yard FG at the end of regulation and again in overtime (44 yard FG) which would've won the game. He missed 3 kicks total in that game. It was so bad, it looked like he was shaving points. In real time, it was infuriating to watch.

So the Pats would've eliminated Miami from the playoffs. Depending on the tie breakers, Buffalo and the Pats would've been tied with head to head and conference. The Pats would've either been on the road to Seattle or Tennessee.

 

[Huckleberry1]

The Pats don't get passed Oakland had Adam not bailed them out, but Gronk is the best TE we've seen in the last 25 years. Tony Gonzalez has the stats, but Gronk was the most physically dominating TE than Gonzalez ever was. Defenders had to resort to dirty tactics to get Gronk injured to stop him from running their asses over. The 2nd dynasty doesn't happen without Gronk and I believe Tom would've have left by the 2016 season.

I see Gronk the way I see Randy Moss. Jerry Rice may have the numbers on him, but Moss is the Most dominant receiver the game has ever seen. Same for Gronk, Gonzalez and Kelce have numbers on him, but neither was as dominant. Both Moss and Gronk were unstoppable.

 

[Huckleberry1]

We seem to block out that Adam had a weak leg and his kickoffs were getting pretty bad. We also only remember the game winning kicks, but was very erratic during his career with the Pats. In real time, we didn't know what to expect when he trotted onto the field.

Adam actually missed 4 kicks in two games that resulted in losses. The first he missed was a last second 32 yarder against KC. The next 3 were against Buffalo at home. He missed a 33 yard FG at the end of regulation and again in overtime (44 yard FG) which would've won the game. It was so bad, it looked like he was shaving points. He was pretty bad in 1999.

Yep. Like most I loved Vinatieri, but Gostkowski was actually a better kicker.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Yep. Like most I loved Vinatieri, but Gostkowski was actually a better kicker.

You and I are in the minority on that one.

 

[bresna]

Had Mankins managed to stop the Giants bull rushing Brady right up the middle during either Super Bowl - especially 2007 - he'd get my vote. But he didn't. Gronk gets my vote.

As for Vinatraitor... nah.

 

[rkarp1]

change the voting rules.
Gronk, Adam V, Mankins, Welker, Edelman all deserving of a red jacket
Gronk, AdamV, Mankins, Welker of a gold jacket
Put them all in red...
If next year there are no deserving candidates, then so be it

 

[Huckleberry1]

Had Mankins managed to stop the Giants bull rushing Brady right up the middle during either Super Bowl - especially 2007 - he'd get my vote. But he didn't. Gronk gets my vote.

As for Vinatraitor... nah.

You do realize Mankins played that entire Super Bowl with a torn ACL, right?

 

[Huckleberry1]

change the voting rules.
Gronk, Adam V, Mankins, Welker, Edelman all deserving of a red jacket
Gronk, AdamV, Mankins, Welker of a gold jacket
Put them all in red...
If next year there are no deserving candidates, then so be it

The problem they have is too many deserving candidates, but I agree, put all 3 in.

 

[rkarp1]

The problem they have is too many deserving candidates, but I agree, put all 3 in.

I believe the committee has said that they want to have a deserving candidate every season, therefore, they will only vote 1 in per year.
I say change that rule.
Vote whomever is deserving in. if some years there are none voted in, so be it

 

[Huckleberry1]

I believe the committee has said that they want to have a deserving candidate every season, therefore, they will only vote 1 in per year.
I say change that rule.
Vote whomever is deserving in. if some years there are none voted in, so be it

I don't think there is any shortage of candidates, but I agree.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

My memory is the absolute opposite, that he wasn't going to be franchised again.

No, he wasn't. That was Belichick's decision. Not Adam's.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Had Mankins managed to stop the Giants bull rushing Brady right up the middle during either Super Bowl - especially 2007 - he'd get my vote. But he didn't. Gronk gets my vote.

As for Vinatraitor... nah.

Mankins takes too much crap and the entire OL is at fault. As bad as the entire OL was in 2007, they looked like All Pro's to the 2025 line. In 2007, McDaniels got outcoached by Spags who took a risk changing their philosophy at the last minute. With that said, the Pats offense still took the lead with just over 2 minutes remaining and the defense had multiple chances to close that game out.

The OL was better in 2011, but Brady was still in a PTSD phase from 2007. Jets, Ravens and Giants were the main teams that got into Brady's head. There were times where Brady would start ducking or falling to the ground when nobody was around. It was pre Darnold Ghosts. 2014 is when he stopped that weird behavior.

Pats had no business losing either Giants games.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Brady also had weird issues playing at Miami for awhile. I think that was where he lost his first full game as a starter.

UPDATE: It was indeed. They lost 30-10 and Brady played like crap. This was after trouncing the Colts 44-13.

FURTHER UPDATE: My memory is validated. Overall, he went 8-10 in Miami, his worst road record.

 

[bresna]

Mankins takes too much crap and the entire OL is at fault. As bad as the entire OL was in 2007, they looked like All Pro's to the 2025 line. In 2007, McDaniels got outcoached by Spags who took a risk changing their philosophy at the last minute. With that said, the Pats offense still took the lead with just over 2 minutes remaining and the defense had multiple chances to close that game out.

The OL was better in 2011, but Brady was still in a PTSD phase from 2007. Jets, Ravens and Giants were the main teams that got into Brady's head. There were times where Brady would start ducking or falling to the ground when nobody was around. It was pre Darnold Ghosts. 2014 is when he stopped that weird behavior.

Pats had no business losing either Giants games.

That's a valid argument. But if you want to give Mankins the defense of, "the whole line stunk", then we should be talking about Dan Koppen getting into the Pats hall of fame before Mankins. After all, he actually won two Super Bowls before losing those two with Mankins by his side. Or even Stephen Neal - he won one before Mankins joined the team and he lost two with Mankins at the other guard spot.

Look, I really liked Mankins when he was here. He was a great guard and he contributed to several years of incredible success. But I do fault him, blown ACL and all, as well as the rest of the offensive line, for contributing to those two Super Bowl losses to the Giants.

I just think more of the players who came through during the Super Bowl wins deserve to get in before guys like Mankins & Welker, who were great players but didn't get us over the final hurdle.

And no, I don't think Parcells should be in there. I still don't know why he got in after what he did to the Pats - twice (bailing before the Super Bowl & signing Martin with that poison pill contract).