Three Patriots greats named semifinalists on Hall of Fame ballot

A trio of Patriots greats who received a number of Tremendous Bowls in Foxborough have once again advanced to the latest ballot for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Security Rodney Harrison, defensive deal with Vince Wilfork, and kicker Adam Vinatieri have been named as three of the 26 semifinalists within the operating to enter Canton as a part of the Corridor of Fame’s Class of 2026.

Harrison, Wilfork, and Vinatieri have been additionally tabbed as semifinalists final season, with Harrison advancing all the way in which to the ultimate spherical earlier than as soon as once more arising brief. The choice committee will subsequent scale back the checklist to fifteen finalists, who can be voted on earlier than the Tremendous Bowl in February.

Harrison performed in New England from 2003-2008, profitable two Tremendous Bowls with the Patriots in 2003 and 2004. He earned First Staff All-Professional honors in his first season in Foxborough earlier than following that up with a Second Staff All-Professional nod in 2004.

The hard-hitting security posted seven interceptions in 9 postseason video games with New England, together with a pair within the Tremendous Bowl XXXIX win over the Eagles.

Over his 14 years within the NFL, Harrison recorded 1,206 tackles, 34 interceptions, 30.5 sacks, 15 pressured fumbles, and 4 touchdowns. Harrison was named as a member of each the Patriots and Chargers’ fiftieth Anniversary Groups, and was inducted into the Patriots’ Corridor of Fame in 2019.

Talking in December 2023, then-Patriots head coach Invoice Belichick advocated closely for Harrison’s admission into Canton. 

“Greatest security I’ve coached,” Belichick said. “There’s a pair different ones that I’ve coached which might be within the Corridor of Fame. However implausible participant, individual, nice competitor, might do all of it, and was one of the versatile gamers I’ve ever coached. He might cowl, he actually might play nook. He was an awesome blitzer, an awesome tackler. He was actually, actually onerous to dam within the operating sport, as a blitzer, kickoff protection, and issues like that.

“He’s top-of-the-line I ever coached,” Belichick added. “He definitely can be on my all-time group, with out query … “Behind [Lawrence] Taylor, however he will surely be proper up there.”

Wilfork was one of the dominant nostril tackles of his era — incomes 5 complete All-Professional accolades whereas additionally profitable a pair of Tremendous Bowl titles in New England. 

Talking at “The Custom” awards program earlier this month, former Patriots security Devin McCourty additionally vouched for Wilfork’s Corridor-of-Fame candidacy.

“I’m hoping possibly this may be the start of him getting that nod for being within the Corridor of Fame. Corridor-of-Fame-caliber participant — led our group, yr in and yr out,” McCourty stated of Wilfork. “I nonetheless keep in mind in ’11 once we misplaced the Tremendous Bowl. Our protection wasn’t that good that yr. 

“And I keep in mind we began the playoffs, he stood in entrance of us with a chunk of paper, and he learn stats off the Colts protection after they received the Tremendous Bowl [in 2006] — how dangerous they have been within the common season, and he informed us what we would have liked to do within the playoffs to alter that. And that stretch was the perfect protection we had performed all yr. And that got here from him, interested by it, going dwelling, researching it, and bringing that to the protection, simply true management.”

Vinatieri, who booted the game-winning kicks in Tremendous Bowl XXXVI and Tremendous Bowl XXXVIII, spent ten of his 24 seasons with the Patriots — and holds the NFL information for factors (2,673) and made field-goals (599).

 

Conor Ryan is a employees author protecting the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Purple Sox for Boston.com, a job he has held since 2023.