On Wednesday, the New England Patriots announced that former defensive end Richard Seymour has been named the 30th inductee into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Seymour beat out linebacker Mike Vrabel and head coach Bill Parcells in a fan voting process that began April 21st.
New England Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft released the following statement about Seymour’s selection;
“Richard Seymour laid the foundation for a defense that helped propel the Patriots to three Super Bowl championships in his first four seasons in the NFL,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. “Richard was the consummate professional and leader, always accepting the roles he was assigned, putting team goals ahead of personal ones, and in turn, raising the game of everyone around him. Yet as great as he was as a player, he is a Hall of Fame-caliber person, as well. I couldn’t be happier for Richard and the Seymour family, and I am looking forward to celebrating with them as Richard takes his rightful place in the Patriots Hall of Fame and very soon the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.”
Seymour spent the first eight seasons of his 12-year NFL career with the Patriots and played an important defensive role in bringing three Super Bowl championships to New England. From 2002-2006, Seymour earned five straight Pro Bowl honors and earned three straight first-team All-Pro honors from 2003-05. Seymour’s five Pro Bowl selections are the most by any Patriots defensive lineman since the 1970 NFL merger.
In 2009, Seymour was traded to the Oakland Raiders where he earned two final Pro Bowl nods.
Seymour reacted to the news in a press conference with the media Monday afternoon, calling his selection a “tremendous honor” while praising head coach Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft.
Richard Seymour, on a videoconference with 40 participants today, discusses the “tremendous honor” of being inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame. When learning of his induction for the first time, he says he thought about the day he was drafted. pic.twitter.com/7vk7cZ7MZH
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) May 11, 2020
Richard Seymour calls it “appropriate” that he has a picture in his basement from 2001 of him holding the No. 1 jersey with Robert Kraft and the foundation of Gillette Stadium going up in background. #Patriots
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 11, 2020
"In terms of the numbers, you just wanted to be appreciative for what you brought to the table. Coach Belichick showed that he appreciated what I brought to the table" – Richard Seymour on his role in the #Patriots defense not leading to gaudy stats.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) May 11, 2020
A Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist each of the last two years, Seymour hopes his team Hall of Fame selection will boost his chances for a gold jacket in Canton next.
Richard Seymour said not being in the Patriots HOF "definitely made it difficult" for him in Pro Football HOF voting: "Some writers could easily say, 'Well, we can't put him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame until he's in the Patriots Hall of Fame.' "
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) May 11, 2020
In regards to his trade to the Oakland Raiders in 2009, Seymour explained there is no ill will from the decision.
“Well Al Davis said he traded for me… that’s just the business side of it. May have seemed like tension…but no hard feelings…all is well”. Richard Seymour on Bill Belichick dealing him to Raiders in 2009. Says Belichick would send gifts to family, exchange texts. #Patriots
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) May 11, 2020
The enshrinement of Seymour means seven three-time Super Bowl champions from the first era of the dynasty are now honored in the Patriots Hall of Fame. Seymour joins joins Troy Brown (2012), Tedy Bruschi (2013), Kevin Faulk (2016), Ty Law (2014), Matt Light (2018) and Willie McGinest (2015).
According to the Patriots, the date and time for the 2020 Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be announced at a later date.
From our first-round draft pick in 2001 to our 30th member of @TheHall.
Highlighting @BigSey93's career in Foxboro. pic.twitter.com/iYY9DqscIu
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) May 11, 2020
Some old Patriots teammates shared congratulatory messages over Twitter following the news.
https://twitter.com/BigSey93/status/1259858076896768001?s=20
https://twitter.com/BigSey93/status/1259860237156323330?s=20
https://twitter.com/BigSey93/status/1259860765948985344?s=20
big wood !! battling you in practice made the games easy
— Richard Seymour (@BigSey93) May 11, 2020
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