For the first time in almost 18 years, a Vinatieri will be back making kicks in New England this fall.
On Monday night, A.J. Vinatieri, the son of future Hall of Fame Patriots and Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri announced his commitment to play for the University of Massachusetts Amherst football program this fall.
Vinatieri revealed his decision via an internet live stream and later shared a tweet with a statement thanking his family and UMass for the opportunity.
“To my dad for being my biggest role model and helping me become the man I am today,” Vinatieri wrote. “To my mother for being the greatest woman and my biggest fan. Words can’t describe the amount of love and appreciation I have for them, and I couldn’t have done any of this without them.”
“To coach Brown and all the UMass coaching staff for trusting me and providing this amazing opportunity!” Vinatieri continued. “Thank you to everyone that has made a positive impact on my life and helped me get to this point. God has a plan for me, and this is the beginning of a new chapter! 100% committed!”
https://twitter.com/AjVinatieri/status/1488304648599580677?s=20&t=87zFtFCEGifhbLIgn4nxPQ
According to a story by Matt Vautour of MassLive, Vinatieri chose a scholarship at UMass over preferred walk-on offers at several, Power Five schools including LSU, Florida, Miami, and Michigan.
During his high school tenure in Zionsville, Indiana, Vinatieri became one of the top kicker recruits in the nation, reaching five-star status following his senior season this past fall.
In 2021, Vinatieri averaged 40.3 yards per punt and downed 10 of them inside the 20-yard line. As a placekicker, Vinatieri connected on 54 of 57 extra-point attempts according to MaxPreps. He also went 7 of 12 on field-goal attempts with a season-high of 42 yards.
Congratulations to A.J. and his family on their next football chapter!
Senior year highlights. Thank you Zionsville! Made many great memories on the field with my teammates! #40out https://t.co/GujBXrVm9t
— Aj Vinatieri (@AjVinatieri) November 30, 2021
https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1488330016341516291?s=20&t=Jhhv2lin3nIbnqxwD2KNlg
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