After 24 professional seasons in the NFL, longtime placekicker Adam Vinatieri formally announced his retirement from the NFL during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show”.
“By Friday, if paperwork goes in, you heard it here first,” Vinatieri told his former Indianapolis Colts teammate.
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1397631270234951680?s=20
Over those 24 seasons across both sides of the New England Patriots (1996-2005) and Indianapolis Colts (2006-2019) rivalry, Vinatieri won four Super Bowl championships, earned three Pro Bowl honors, three first team All-Pro awards, and was named to both the NFL All-Decade Team and NFL 100 All-Time Team.
Additionally, Vinatieri walks away from the NFL as its all time kicking leader in career points made and postseason points with a likely spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame up next.
Despite Vinatieri winding up playing more seasons in Indianapolis as opposed to New England, his clutch performances as a Patriot will always be remembered as one of the key parts to the early success of the dynasty.
Vinatieri made 29 game winning kicks over his career, two of which won the Patriots its first two Super Bowl’s while the third came in blizzard-like conditions during the unforgettable “Snow Bowl” or “Tuck Rule Game” to Raiders fans.
With Vinatieri retiring, Tom Brady now becomes the longest tenured active player in the NFL.
Check out some of the best social media posts and teammate reactions to the news below.
With Adam Vinatieri retiring, a reminder that this is the greatest kick in NFL history. #Patriots pic.twitter.com/5rWGORXJ6i
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) May 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/TedyBruschi/status/1397638905726386177?s=20
https://twitter.com/BenjaminSWatson/status/1397639318634631173?s=20
Congratulations on an incredible career, @adamvinatieri! pic.twitter.com/AWAlQ2bZFE
— The Hall presented by RTX (@TheHall) May 26, 2021
One of the best to ever do it!
Congrats on an amazing hall of fame career @adamvinatieri! pic.twitter.com/Yjm9ceqxAt
— Joe Andruzzi (@Andruzzi63) May 26, 2021
See you at the old folks home bubs. Congrats on the career @adamvinatieri #MrClutch https://t.co/eokaqPCPCK
— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) May 26, 2021
Adam Vinatieri played for a long time. pic.twitter.com/VeRxgxvKqu
— Steve Perrault (@Steve_Perrault) May 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1397651909197058051?s=20
A career full of legendary kicks for @adamvinatieri. (via @nflthrowback) pic.twitter.com/fdoATa3fho
— NFL (@NFL) May 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/patspulpit/status/1397661403817955334?s=20
24 seasons.
599 regular-season field goals, the most of all-time.
2,673 career points, the most of all-time.
An 83.8% field goal percentage.
Two Super Bowl-winning kicks.What a career. What a legend. Adam Vinatieri goes into history as one of the best ever. pic.twitter.com/lTnWMExywM
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) May 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/BobtheStatMan/status/1397685014444269572?s=20
Tom Brady shares some thoughts regarding Vinatieri's retirement pic.twitter.com/0bulhMmfzA
— Robert Alvarez (@ralvarez617) May 27, 2021
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