Adam Vinatieri, New England Patriots (Mandatory Credit: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images)
During the last 20 years, the New England Patriots have been the most successful team in all of the key major sports. Here is their Mount Rushmore.
Honorable Mention: Adam Vinatieri
There isn’t a more clutch kicker in NFL history than Adam Vinatieri.
Vinatieri has the most points in NFL history with 2,673, and has hit 599 field goals throughout his 24-year career. Most importantly, he’s won four Super Bowls, three with the Patriots.
Vinatieri is a big reason why Tom Brady won his first three Super Bowls. A few of his career highlights include his kick through the snow against the Oakland Raiders in the 2001 AFC Divisionals, and then winning Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII as time expired.
If there’s someone other than Brady that’s kick-started the Patriots 20-year dynasty, it’s Vinatieri.
He will go down as the greatest kicker in league history. At 47 years old, he is one year away of being the oldest player to ever play. The oldest is George Blanda at 48 years old, who wrapped up his Hall of Fame career with the Raiders in the 1975.