Adam Vinatieri Named The NFL's By ESPN

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Vinatieri was one of just three active members named to this team, joining current New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his head coach, Bill Belichick. Vinatieri of course was with the Patriots himself from 1996-2005 before joining the Colts in the 2006 offseason.


Since joining the Colts, Vinatieri has converted 319-of-369 field goal attempts (86.4 percent) and 485-of-496 PATs (97.8 percent) for 1,442 points. He owns the Colts' franchise record for points scored, and both field goals and extra points made. Vinatieri won Super Bowl XLI with the team in 2007, has played in the second-most playoff games (32) in NFL history and holds multiple career NFL regular and postseason records, including points scored (238) and field goals made (56).


Vinatieri has been named to three Pro Bowls (most recently in 2014) and three First-Team All-Pro teams. With 23 NFL seasons in his rear-view mirror, he has converted 582-of-690 field goal attempts (84.3 percent), 852-of-870 point-after attempts (97.9 percent) and scored one two-point conversion for 2,600 career points. Vinatieri is the only player in league history to make at least 250 field goals and to record 1,000 points with two franchises. His 84.3 career field goal percentage ranks 12th all-time. Vinatieri has 28 game-winning field goals in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime. He has earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors 18 times (most by any kicker), NFL Player of the Week honors one time (playoffs) and has been named AFC Special Teams Player of Month five times (tied for NFL record). From 2015-16, Vinatieri set a new NFL record and franchise record for the most consecutive field goals converted with 44. One of his most important records is having the most career regular season wins (215) by a single player in league history.


In 2018, Vinatieri converted 23-of-27 field goals (85.2 percent) and 44-of-47 extra point attempts (93.6 percent) for 113 points. It marked his 21st 100-point season of his career, which extended his NFL record. He became the fourth player ever to play in an NFL game at 46 years or older and was just the second player to appear in a playoff game at 46 years or older.


Whenever Vinatieri calls it a career, he is likely to become just the third pure kicker to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and perhaps the first to enter in his first year of eligibility.