Adam Matthew Vinatieri (born December 28, 1972) is an American former
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter.
Spe ...
who played in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL) for 24 seasons with the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
and
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
. Considered one of the greatest kickers of all time, he is the NFL's
all-time leading scorer at 2,673 points. He also holds the NFL records for field goals made (599), postseason points (238), and overtime field goals made (12).
Vinatieri joined the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
as an
undrafted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in 1996, where he played for 10 seasons, and was a member of the Colts for 14 seasons. A four-time
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
winner—three with the Patriots and one with the Colts—he has the most Super Bowl wins for a kicker. He is also the only player to score 1,000 points for two different franchises. Retiring in 2021 after a year in free agency, Vinatieri was the last active player whose career began in the 1990s.
Celebrated for his kicking accuracy and success under pressure, Vinatieri completed several of the most crucial field goals in NFL history. During the
2001–02 NFL playoffs, he converted the game-tying and winning kicks of New England's
AFC Divisional Playoff game in blizzard conditions and the game-winning kick in the final seconds of
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
, earning the Patriots their first championship. He would again convert a final-second kick to win
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Carolina Panthers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) c ...
, establishing himself as a key contributor of the Patriots'
dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...
. In 2019, Vinatieri was named to the
National Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
The National Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team was voted on by a panel consisting of media members, former players and league personnel in 2019 to honor the greatest players of the first 100 years of the National Football League (NFL ...
.
Early years
Vinatieri was born in
Yankton, South Dakota
Yankton is a city in and the county seat of Yankton County, South Dakota, United States.
The population was 15,411 at the 2020 census, and it is the principal city of the Yankton Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the entirety of Y ...
on December 28, 1972, the second of Judy M. (Goeken) and Paul Vinatieri's four children. His great-great-grandfather was Italian, and his other ancestry includes German and English. His younger brother Beau was a placekicker at
Black Hills State University
Black Hills State University (BHSU) is a public university in Spearfish, South Dakota. Close to 4,000 students attend classes at its campus in Spearfish, at sites in Rapid City and Pierre, and through distance offerings. Enrollment comes from ...
before graduating in 2003.
When Vinatieri was five years old, his family moved to
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City ( lkt, link=no, Mni Lúzahaŋ Otȟúŋwahe; "Swift Water City") is the second most populous city in South Dakota and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek, where the settlement developed, it is in western So ...
. As a child, he struggled to read and enrolled in classes for children with learning disabilities. Vinatieri attended
Central High School in Rapid City and was a letterman in
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
,
wrestling
Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...
,
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
,
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
, and
track
Track or Tracks may refer to:
Routes or imprints
* Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity
* Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across
* Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...
. In football, he earned first-team All-State honors as a senior. He graduated from Central High School in 1991. Before starting as a kicker, Vinatieri was a
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
and middle
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
. When asked in 2005, several years into his NFL career, why he no longer played one of those positions once he reached college, he replied, "I'm 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, and unfortunately the linebackers aren't that small, and neither are the quarterbacks."
College career
Vinatieri received an appointment to the
United States Military Academy at West Point
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...
, but was only there for two weeks before deciding to return home,
where he then enrolled at
South Dakota State University
South Dakota State University is a public land-grant research university in Brookings, South Dakota. Founded in 1881, it is the state's largest and most comprehensive university and the oldest continually-operating university in South Dakota. The ...
. He was a four-year letterman there as a placekicker and punter and he finished his collegiate career as the school's all-time leading scorer with 185 career points as well as being awarded first-team all-conference honors in each of his seasons.
Professional career
Amsterdam Admirals
Vinatieri spent the summer of 1996 training to compete professionally. He received a tryout for the
World League of American Football
NFL Europe League (simply called NFL Europe and known in its final season as NFL Europa League) was a professional American football league that functioned as the developmental minor league of the National Football League (NFL). Originally f ...
(later rebranded as NFL Europe), and earned a roster position with the
Amsterdam Admirals
The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, playing in the NFL Europe.
History
The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to ...
as a placekicker and punter.
New England Patriots (1996–2005)
Vinatieri played in New England for the first 10 years of his
NFL career, during which he played in four
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
s, earning three titles.
1996 season
In 1996, Vinatieri was signed by the Patriots as an
undrafted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
to be a placekicker. In order to become their starter, he had to compete with 17-year veteran
Matt Bahr
Matthew David Bahr (born July 6, 1956) is a former professional American football placekicker in the National Football League, and professional soccer player in the North American Soccer League. He attended Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, ...
. Bahr at first seemed to be the favorite, as he had a long history with Patriots coach
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells (born August 22, 1941) is an American former football coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons. He rose to prominence as the head coach of the New York Giants from 1983 ...
, including a Super Bowl win under Parcells in the 1990 season. However, Parcells ultimately made the decision to cut Bahr during the preseason and go with Vinatieri, mainly because Bahr was no longer capable of efficiently performing kickoffs.
In his rookie season, he chased down and tackled Dallas Cowboys returner
Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker (born March 3, 1962) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He was also the Republican nominee in the 2022 United States Senate election in Georgia.
...
on a kickoff, leading Parcells to tell his rookie kicker "You're not a kicker—you're a football player." In Week 4, Vinatieri converted five of six field goal attempts against the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
, to earn AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. He converted the 40-yard game-winning field goal in overtime of the 28–25 victory. He finished his rookie season converting 39 of 42 extra point tries and 27 of 35 field goal attempts. His first Super Bowl appearance was in his rookie season of 1996 when he played with the Patriots in their 35–21 loss to the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
in
Super Bowl XXXI.
All-Pro
All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list th ...
and game MVP
Desmond Howard
Desmond Kevin Howard (born May 15, 1970) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football at Michigan, where he won the Heisman Trophy as a senior. Howard w ...
's Super Bowl-record 99 yard touchdown return ended the Patriots' bid for a comeback. The game would mark the only Super Bowl defeat of Vinatieri's career. Vinatieri was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team.
1997 season
In Week 7 of the 1997 season, Vinatieri won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after converting all three extra point tries and all four field goal attempts in the 33–6 victory over the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
. In the 1997 season, Vinatieri converted all 40 extra point attempts and 25 of 29 field goal attempts as the Patriots went 10–6 and earned a playoff berth. He was responsible for scoring all of the Patriots' points with two field goals in their 7–6 loss to the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
in the
Divisional Round.
1998 season
In Week 5 of the 1998 season, Vinatieri converted three extra point and three field goals tries in the 30–27 victory over the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
. His last field goal attempt was a 27-yarder with six seconds remaining to put the Patriots in position to win the game. He earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his game against New Orleans. The Saints game was the beginning of a month for Vinatieri where he won AFC Special Teams Player of the Month.
He finished the 1998 season converting all 32 extra point attempts and 31 of 39 field goal attempts.
1999 season
In the 1999 season, Vinatieri won AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September.
He converted 29 of 30 extra point attempts and 26 of 33 field goal attempts as the Patriots went 8–8. In the 2000 season, Vinatieri converted all 25 extra point attempts and 27 of 33 field goal attempts as the Patriots finished 5–11.
2000 season
In the 2000 season, Vinatieri converted all 25 extra point attempts and 27 of 33 field goal attempts in the Patriots' 5–11 season.
2001 season
In Week 14, Vinatieri converted all four field goal attempts in a 12–9 victory over the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
. The last of the four was the game-winner in overtime. He won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his game against Buffalo. In the 2001 regular season, Vinatieri converted 41 of 42 extra point attempts and 24 of 30 field goal attempts. In the 2001 playoffs, during a blizzard against the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
in the final game at
Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium, originally Schaefer Stadium and later Sullivan Stadium, was an outdoor stadium in the New England region of the United States, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts. It opened in 1971 and served as the home of the New England Pa ...
, Vinatieri kicked a 45-yard field goal into a swirling winter wind to tie
the game 13–13 and send it into overtime. The Patriots won the game on another field goal of 23 yards by Vinatieri. In
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
that season, Vinatieri kicked a 48-yard field goal on the final play to give the New England Patriots their first Super Bowl victory, a 20–17 upset win over the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994.
The arr ...
, who were 14-point favorites coming into the game.
2002 season
In Week 17, against the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
, Vinatieri converted all four field goal attempts in the 27–24 victory. The last of the four was the game-winner in overtime. He won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his game against Miami. In the 2002 season, Vinatieri converted all 36 extra point tries and 27 of 30 field goal tries as the Patriots went 9–7 and missed the playoffs in their title defense. He earned Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro honors.
2003 season
In the 2003 regular season, Vinatieri converted 37 of 38 extra point tries and 25 of 34 field goal attempts. In an almost identical situation to the Super Bowl two seasons prior, he kicked a 41-yard field goal with four seconds left in
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Carolina Panthers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) c ...
to boost the Patriots to another championship (after missing one field goal and having another attempt blocked in the first half). This time, the Patriots defeated the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
32–29, making Vinatieri the first player ever to be the deciding factor in two
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
games (Vinatieri kept the balls used on both of these kicks).
2004 season
![Adam Vinatieri warms up prior to Super Bowl XXXIX](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Adam_Vinatieri_warms_up_prior_to_Super_Bowl_XXXIX.jpg)
Vinatieri was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November.
In 2004, Vinatieri led the NFL in scoring with 141 points (31-for-33 on field goals, and a perfect 48-for-48 on extra point attempts). In a Week 9 game against the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994.
The arr ...
, Vinatieri scored 16 points (four field goals and four extra points), and threw a four-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Troy Brown
Troy Fitzgerald Brown (born July 2, 1971) is an American football coach and former player who is the wide receivers and kick returners coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played as a wide receiver and ki ...
on a fake field goal attempt (that pass gives him a career
passer rating
Passer rating (also known as passing efficiency in college football) is a measure of the performance of passers, primarily quarterbacks, in gridiron football. There are two formulas currently in use: one used by both the National Football Leag ...
of 122.9). For his game against the Rams, he earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. In Week 10, against the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
, he scored a career-high 17 points on five field goals and two extra points. He was named to the Pro Bowl and earned First Team All-Pro honors.
Vinatieri scored a field goal and three extra points in the Patriots 24–21 win over the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
in
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles to decide the National Football League ( ...
.
2005 season
In Week 3, Vinatieri earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his game against the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
. He hit the game-winning field goal with one second remaining. In the 2005 season, Vinatieri converted 40 of 41 extra point attempts and 20 of 25 field goal attempts.
Legacy
By the time Vinatieri finished his final season with the Patriots in 2005, he had kicked 18 game-winning field goals with less than one minute remaining, including the postseason. At the conclusion of the 2005 season, he had a career field goal percentage of 81.9 percent (263/321), fifth-highest in NFL history. In his time in New England, his community involvement included helping Christian athletes, D.A.R.E., and the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau. He was a spokesperson for the
Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBS, BCBSA) is a federation, or supraorganization, of, in 2022, 34 independent and locally operated BCBSA companies that provide health insurance in the United States to more than 106 million people. It was ...
of
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
's teen anti-smoking contest, and also appeared in commercials for Boston-based pizza
Papa Gino's
Papa Gino's, Inc. is a restaurant chain based in Dedham, Massachusetts, specializing in traditional thin crust pizza along with pasta, subs, salads, and a variety of appetizers. As of 2022, there are 80 Papa Gino's locations in Connecticut, Mass ...
. Vinatieri finished his 10 seasons with the Patriots as the team's all-time leading scorer with 1,156 points (that record was surpassed by Vinatieri's replacement,
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American football former placekicker who played for 15 years in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots.
He was selected in the fourth round of th ...
, in 2014). His jersey number 4 was not reissued for the next 14 seasons until quarterback
Jarrett Stidham
Jarrett Ryan Stidham (born August 8, 1996) is an American football quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). After transferring from Baylor, he played college football at Auburn and was selected by the New E ...
wore it in 2019.
Indianapolis Colts (2006–2019)
2006 season: fourth Super Bowl
![Pro Football Hall of Fame Vinatieri jersey (23945456237)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Pro_Football_Hall_of_Fame_Vinatieri_jersey_%2823945456237%29.jpg)
After the 2005 season, the Patriots chose not to place their
franchise tag
In the National Football League (NFL), the franchise tag is a designation a team may apply to a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The tag binds the player to the team for one year if certain conditions are met. Each team has on ...
on Vinatieri as they had the year before, allowing him to become a free agent. He had met with the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
, but was set on signing in either a warm-weather climate or a team that played home games in a dome. On March 22, 2006, Vinatieri signed with the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
, replacing
Mike Vanderjagt
Michael John Vanderjagt ( ; born March 24, 1970) is a Canadian former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily with the Indianapolis Colts. He served as the Colts' placekicker from 1998 to ...
, who signed with the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
. Vinatieri was signed to a five-year contract and received a $3.5 million signing bonus.
"When the Colts called, I told my agent, 'Let's not screw around,' " said Vinatieri, in his first extensive comments regarding his departure from New England. "I told him, 'If Indy is interested, let's get this done.'" Vinatieri said he has no regrets about not giving the
Patriots a chance to counter the offer.
With the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
, Vinatieri had been a perfect 10-of-10 in kicks in the
RCA Dome
The RCA Dome (originally Hoosier Dome) was a domed stadium in Indianapolis. It was the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons (1984– 2007).
It was completed at a cost of $77.5 million, as part of the Indiana Convention Ce ...
. He finished the 2006 season converting all 38 extra point attempts and 25 of 28 field goal attempts. He won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performances in Week 1 against the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
and Week 8 against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
. In the
Divisional Round, Vinatieri kicked five field goals in the
Colts' 15–6 upset of the favored
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
.
The Colts reached
Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League (NFL) champio ...
after defeating the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
in the
AFC Championship
The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semi-final playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football league in the world. ...
. It was Vinatieri's fifth Super Bowl appearance, and his first with the Colts. The Colts defeated the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
29–17. Vinatieri converted three of four field goal attempts and one of two extra point attempts, the miss when punter/holder
Hunter Smith
Hunter Dwight Smith (born August 9, 1977) is a former American football punter. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.
Smith earned a Super Bowl ring ...
fumbled the snap on the extra-point attempt after the Colts' first offensive touchdown. He missed a 36-yard kick wide left at the end of the first half—the third time he had missed a kick in the Super Bowl. Super Bowl XLI was Vinatieri's fourth Super Bowl victory. Vinatieri finished the 2006–07 postseason with 49 total points and 14 field goals, both NFL records. He is the only player to have three or more field goals in four consecutive postseason games.
2007 season
During the
2007 season, Vinatieri appeared in all 16 games and was 23 of 29 on field goal attempts and 49 of 51 on extra point attempts for 118 points (both missed PATs were blocked).
This season marked his 12th consecutive 100+ point season. He kicked his 20th career game-winning FG in the final minute of a fourth quarter or overtime, this time with three seconds remaining against the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
on November 18, 2007. In the postseason that year, Vinatieri extended his NFL career postseason records in field goals (41), attempts (50), points (172) and consecutive games scoring (22).
2008 season
Vinatieri made a 47-yard game-winner with three seconds remaining against
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
in Week 2. He made a 52-yard FG against
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
in Week 9 with 8:05 remaining for the deciding points in 18–15 victory and was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Later that month, in Week 12, Vinatieri hit a game-winner with no time remaining at
San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
. In the
2008 season, Vinatieri appeared in 16 games and converted all 43 extra point attempts and 20 of 25 field goal attempts for 103 points.
2009 season
In July 2009, Vinatieri had surgery on his right hip to alleviate a nagging injury, but the Colts expected that he would be ready for the season. Also, Vinatieri was placed on the injured reserve list for the rest of the season. However, Vinatieri struggled early in the season and complained of soreness in his knee. Doctors found loose cartilage in an MRI, and Vinatieri underwent
arthroscopic surgery
Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic or keyhole surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage is performed using an arthroscope, an endoscope that is inserted into the jo ...
during the Colts'
bye week
In sport, a bye is the preferential status of a player or team that is automatically advanced to the next round of a tournament, without having to play an opponent in an early round.
In knockout (elimination) tournaments they can be granted eit ...
. Vinatieri was expected to miss four to eight weeks while recovering. During the season,
punter Pat McAfee assumed Vinatieri's kickoff duties, something he would continue to do until his retirement after the 2016 season. The Colts signed former
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
kicker
Matt Stover
John Matthew Stover (born January 27, 1968) is a former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Baltimore Ravens. After five seasons for the Cleveland Browns, he was amon ...
to replace him. There was speculation over whether the Colts could cut Vinatieri, but Colts president
Bill Polian
William Patrick Polian Jr. (born December 8, 1942) is an American football executive. He rose to league prominence as the General Manager of the Buffalo Bills, building a team that participated in four straight Super Bowls—the most consecutive ...
stated that Vinatieri would return when he was 100% healthy. Due to the injury, Vinatieri appeared in only six games for the Colts in
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
. He returned to the lineup and kicked a field goal but missed an extra point attempt in a Week 15 loss to the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
, but then was inactive for the final game of the regular season as well as throughout the Colts' postseason run. Vinatieri did not play in
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champions New Orleans Saints and the American Football Conference (AFC) champions Indianapolis Colts to decide the National Football League (NFL) champ ...
, which the Colts lost to the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
. He was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame First Team All-2000s Team.
2010 season
![Viniteri in 2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Viniteri_in_2010.jpg)
The
2010 season showed a return to form after Vinatieri's injury-plagued 2009 season. Vinatieri appeared in 15 games that season. He converted all 51 extra point attempts and 26 of 28 field goal attempts. In the final game of the regular season, in which the Colts claimed the
AFC South
The American Football Conference – Southern Division or AFC South is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It was created before the 2002 NFL season, 2002 s ...
title, Vinatieri recorded his 23rd career game-winning kick in the final minute of regulation or in overtime.
He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time after the game. He led the league in extra points attempted and made. He finished third in total scoring.
Some other noteworthy accomplishments for Vinatieri during 2010 include:
* He became the 12th kicker in NFL history to score 1,600 points in his career.
* He became the seventh kicker in NFL history to score 500-plus points with two teams (850 with Colts; 1,156 with Patriots)
* He connected on 26 of 28 field goals (92.9 percent) this season, the best percentage among NFL kickers that season with at least 20 attempts
* On November 14 against
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
, he surpassed
Eddie Murray
Eddie Clarence Murray (born February 24, 1956), nicknamed "Steady Eddie," is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman, designated hitter, and coach. Spending most of his MLB career with the Baltimore Orioles, he ranks fourth ...
(who had 352 career FGs) for 11th-most FGs made in NFL history
* His 129 points marked the second-most of his career. It marked the 14th time he surpassed 100 points in a season
* He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week two times during 2010 (Weeks 10 and 17). It marked twelve times during his career (including 8 times with the New England Patriots)
With 53 seconds left in the Colts'
Wild Card playoff game against the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
, Vinatieri kicked a 50-yard field goal, his third field goal of the game, to put the Colts ahead 16–14. However, the Jets later won the game on a 32-yard field goal by
Nick Folk
Nicholas Alexander Folk (born Niklaus Aleksandre Faulke, November 5, 1984) is an American football placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arizona, where he received first-tea ...
as time expired.
2011 season
With Colts' quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
being out for the season due to injury, the Colts offense sputtered and had a noticeable effect on Vinatieri's production. In the 2011 season, Vinatieri converted all 24 extra point attempts and 23 of 27 field goal attempts.
2012 season
In the 2012 season, Vinatieri converted all 37 extra point attempts and 26 of 33 field goal attempts.
2013 season
In Week 11, against the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
, he converted all three extra point tries and all three field goal tries in the 30–27 victory to earn AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. In Week 13, against the Titans, he converted all five field goal attempts in the 22–14 victory. In Week 17, Vinatieri converted all three extra point attempts and all three field goal attempts in the 30–10 victory over the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
to earn AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. In the 2013 season, Vinatieri converted 34 extra point attempts and 35 of 40 field goal attempts. In the
Wild Card Round of the playoffs, Vinatieri converted all six extra point attempts and two field goal attempts in the 45–44 comeback victory over the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
. Against the Patriots in the
Divisional Round, Vinatieri became the first player in NFL history to convert 50 field goals in the postseason. On March 11, 2014, Vinatieri signed a two-year extension with the Colts.
2014 season
In Week 13 of the
2014 season, against the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
, Vinatieri converted a career-high seven extra-point attempts in the 49–27 win. Through Week 16, Vinatieri was 28-of-28 in field goals, and was selected to his third career
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
in December. In the regular season finale against the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
, Vinatieri converted his first field goal but missed on his second attempt, ending his run at a perfect season. He finished the season 30-of-31 in field goal attempts, and did not miss a extra point try in 50 attempts. He was named to his third career Pro Bowl. On January 2, 2015, Vinatieri was selected by the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
as the First-team
All-Pro
All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list th ...
kicker, his third such selection.
On May 6, Vinatieri was ranked on the
NFL Network
NFL Network (occasionally abbreviated on-air as NFLN) is an American sports-oriented pay television network owned by the National Football League (NFL) and is part of NFL Media, which also includes NFL.com, NFL Films, NFL Mobile, NFL Now and NFL ...
's
NFL Top 100 Players of 2015 list as the 98th best player heading into the 2015 season, becoming the first specialist (kicker or punter) ever to be ranked in the Top 100 Players List, as well as the oldest player to be ranked at the time.
2015 season
In Week 4 of the
2015 season, Vinatieri became the Colts' all-time leading scorer and the first player in NFL history to score 1,000 points with two teams. In Week 8, against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
, he set the NFL's all-time record for overtime field goals made in a career with 10. In Week 11, Vinatieri converted three extra points and a game-winning field goal to give the Colts a come-from-behind win in Vinatieri's 300th NFL game. He was named AFC Special Teams player of the Month for November. In the 2015 season, Vinatieri converted 32 of 35 extra point attempts and 25 of 27 field goal tries.
2016 season
On March 8, 2016, Vinatieri signed a two-year, $6 million extension with the Colts. On October 12, Vinatieri was awarded the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week Award for the 16th time in his career, establishing a new NFL record. In Week 5, against the
Chicago Bears, he tied his career-high with 17 points (five field goals and two extra points) scored in the 29–23 victory. In a game against the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
on October 23, Vinatieri kicked his 43rd successful field goal in a row to break the NFL record set by
Mike Vanderjagt
Michael John Vanderjagt ( ; born March 24, 1970) is a Canadian former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily with the Indianapolis Colts. He served as the Colts' placekicker from 1998 to ...
. Vinatieri was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October. His streak of consecutive successful field goals ended at 44, when he missed a 42-yard kick in the Colts' Week 11 game against the Tennessee Titans.
On January 1, 2017, a missed field goal in the season's final game against the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
cost Vinatieri a $500,000 bonus. The bonus depended on Vinatieri finishing the 2016 campaign with a 90% or higher field goal rate. In the 2016 season, Vinatieri converted all 44 extra point attempts and 27 of 31 field goal attempts.
2017 season
On September 10, 2017, Vinatieri started his 22nd season in the NFL in a game against the
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...
. In Week 5, Vinatieri went 4-for-4, hitting field goals of 23, 38, and 52 yards, followed by a 51-yard game-winner, in a 26–23 overtime win over the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
, earning him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He finished the 2017 season converting 22 of 24 extra point attempts and 29 of 34 field goal attempts as the Colts finished 4–12.
2018: record-setting season
The 2018 season was one that featured several major milestones and NFL records for Vinatieri. On February 22, Vinatieri signed a one-year contract extension with the Colts through the 2018 season. In the Colts' 2018 regular season opener against the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
, Vinatieri hit a 51-yard field goal and became the oldest player to hit a field goal of 50 yards or more. In Week 2, against
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, Vinatieri hit three extra-point attempts to score 2,501 points in his career and became only the second player in NFL history to score over 2,500 points; he also moved into fourth place all-time in extra-point attempts with 828. In Week 3, against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
, Vinatieri connected on an extra point and 3-of-3 field goals, allowing him to tie the NFL record of 565 field goals made by
Morten Andersen
Morten Andersen (born 19 August 1960), nicknamed the "Great Dane", is a Danish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 25 seasons, most notably with the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons. ...
. In Week 4, Vinatieri hit 4-of-4 extra points and 2-of-2 field goals in a losing effort to the
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
to make him the all-time leader in field goals made. He also surpassed
George Blanda
George Frederick Blanda (September 17, 1927 – September 27, 2010) was an American football placekicker and quarterback who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). Blanda played 26 seasons ...
, moving him into fourth place all-time in career games played with 341. On October 4, 2018, Vinatieri kicked a 54-yard field goal to break his own record of the oldest player to hit a 50+ yard field goal. He also surpassed
Gary Anderson, moving him into second place all-time in field goal attempts with 674. In Week 6, against the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
, Vinatieri scored 10 points, hitting 2-for-2 in field goals and 4-for-4 in extra points, surpassing Anderson and moving into third place all-time in extra-point attempts. In Week 8, against the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
, Vinatieri scored 10 points and became the all-time NFL leader in points scored with 2,550. He earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his game against the Raiders. In Week 14, in a win over the Texans, Vinatieri made 3-for-3 extra points to move into second place all-time with 860 and he also connected on a 54-yard field goal to break his own record of oldest player to connect on a 50+ yard field goal. He also became the fourth player in NFL history to play in 350 games. In a Week 17 game against the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
, at age 46, Vinatieri broke his own record with a 53-yard field goal to become the oldest player to kick a 50+ yard field goal and moved into second place for most extra point attempts with 852. He also became the fourth oldest player to play in a game. He finished the 2018 season converting 44 of 47 field goal attempts and 23 of 27 field goal attempts.
2019 season
![Adam Vinatieri](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Adam_Vinatieri.png)
On September 8, 2019, Vinatieri started his 24th season in the NFL in a game against the
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division, and ...
. He had one of the worst games of his career, as he went 1–3 on field-goal attempts and 1–2 on extra points. In that game he became the third-oldest player in NFL history to play in a game and surpassed
Gary Anderson for the second-most games played in NFL history. In the following game against the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
, he missed two more extra points. In Week 3 against the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
, Vinatieri rebounded and went a perfect 3 for 3 on extra points and a perfect 2 for 2 on field goals, including a 49 yarder which hit the lower crossbar and barely went over. The 49-yarder also marked the longest field goal ever made by someone his age in an NFL game. In Week 5, Vinatieri made all four field-goal attempts and an extra point in a win over the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
. With his 701st field goal attempt, he became only the second player to attempt 700 or more field goals, joining
Morten Andersen
Morten Andersen (born 19 August 1960), nicknamed the "Great Dane", is a Danish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 25 seasons, most notably with the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons. ...
. In Week 8 against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
, Vinatieri made three field goals, two of which were from 50+ yards away, one of which was 55 yards, thus making him the oldest player to make two or more from that distance in a single game, as well as making him the oldest player to kick a field goal of 55 yards or more, in the 15–13 win. He was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance despite having missed a field goal and an extra point within the game. In the following week's game against the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
, Vinatieri missed a potential game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter in the 26–24 loss; this unsuccessful field goal attempt tied him with Andersen for the most field goal attempts in a career. In the next game, Vinatieri became the all-time leader in field goal attempts in a career. On December 9, 2019, the Colts placed Vinatieri on injured reserve after he underwent season-ending knee surgery. Vinatieri finished the year with career-lows in field goal and extra point completion percentage at 68% and 78.6%, respectively. He finished 17 of 25 on field goal attempts and 22 of 28 on extra point attempts.
Retirement
On May 26, 2021, Vinatieri announced his retirement from the NFL after 24 seasons on former Colts teammate and punter
Pat McAfee’s podcast, ''The Pat McAfee Show''. He retired as the
NFL's all-time leading scorer, as well as the last active player to have played in the 1990s, and the last to play before Tom Brady. His 365 games were the second most by an NFL player all-time, behind
Morten Andersen
Morten Andersen (born 19 August 1960), nicknamed the "Great Dane", is a Danish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 25 seasons, most notably with the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons. ...
's 382.
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Postseason
Honors and awards
* 4×
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
Champion (2001, 2003, and 2004 New England Patriots, 2006 Indianapolis Colts)
* 6×
AFC Champion (1996, 2001, 2003, and 2004 New England Patriots, 2006 and 2009 Indianapolis Colts)
*
2005 Pro Bowl
The 2005 Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2004 season. The game was played February 13, 2005, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38 – NFC 27. The most valuable player was Peyton Manning of the Colts ...
starter
*
2003 Pro Bowl
The 2003 Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2002 season. The game was played on February 2, 2003, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 45, NFC 20. Ricky Williams of the Miami Dolphins was the game's MVP.
AF ...
starter
*
2004 All-Pro Team
The 2004 All-Pro Team was composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, and ''The Sporting News
The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication ow ...
selection
*
2002 All-Pro Team selection
*
NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
The NFL 2000s All-Decade Team is composed of outstanding performers in the National Football League in the ten years spanning 2000– 2009. Only a player or coach's performance in the 2000s is used as criteria for voting.
The full team was an ...
*
NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
The National Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team was voted on by a panel consisting of media members, former players and league personnel in 2019 to honor the greatest players of the first 100 years of the National Football League (NFL ...
*
New England Patriots All-1990s Team
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
*
New England Patriots All-2000s Team
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The Pa ...
*
New England Patriots 50th Anniversary Team
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
*
New England Patriots All-Dynasty Team
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The Pa ...
* 1994 All-Conference selection
* 1993 All-Conference selection
* 1992 All-Conference selection
* 1991 All-State selection
* First kicker on NFL Top 100 list
NFL records
* Most points scored: 2,673
* Most field goals made: 599
* Most field goals attempts: 715
* Most consecutive seasons scoring: 24 (1996–2019)
* Most regular-season wins by a kicker: 226
* Second most regular-season wins by a single player in any position: 226 (behind
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
)
* Most seasons with 100+ points: 21 (1996–2008, 2010, 2012–2018)
* Most postseason field goals in a career: 56
* Most consecutive games in a single postseason with 3+ field goals: 4
* Most points in postseason, career: 238
* Oldest player to make a 50+ yard field goal: (55 yards) – 46 Years, 303 days.
* Oldest player to make 2 or more 50+ yard field goals in a single game: (2) – 46 Years, 303 days.
* Oldest player to make a 55+ yard field goal: (55 yards) – 46 Years, 303 days.
* Most points in a single postseason: 49
* Most field goals in a single postseason: 14 (shared with
Evan McPherson
Evan McPherson (born July 21, 1999) is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida before being drafted by the Bengals in the fifth round of the 2021 N ...
)
* Most field goals in Super Bowls: 7 (shared with
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American football former placekicker who played for 15 years in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots.
He was selected in the fourth round of th ...
)
* Most extra points in Super Bowls: 13
* Most
field goals
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
in overtime: 12
* Most consecutive field goals in NFL history: 44
* Most Super Bowl wins by a
placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter.
Spe ...
: 4
* Only player to score 1,000+ points for two teams.
* Most playoff games by a
placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter.
Spe ...
: 32
* Most Player of the Week Awards by a
placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter.
Spe ...
: 18
* Most Special Teams Player of the Month Awards: 5, tied with
Jason Hanson
Jason Hanson (born June 17, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a kicker who spent his entire 21-year career with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football with the Washi ...
,
David Akers
David Roy Akers (; born December 9, 1974) is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He began his career in 1998 with the Washington Reds ...
, and
John Carney
Personal life
Vinatieri grew up in the
Black Hills
The Black Hills ( lkt, Ȟe Sápa; chy, Moʼȯhta-voʼhonáaeva; hid, awaxaawi shiibisha) is an isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, United States. Black Elk P ...
of western South Dakota. His great-great grandfather was Felix Vinatieri, an Italian immigrant who served as Lt Col
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars.
Custer graduated from West Point in 1861 at the bottom of his class, b ...
's bandmaster.
Vinatieri stated that
Lt Col Custer told Felix Vinatieri to head back to camp instead of going ahead with the regiment to
Little Big Horn, a decision that saved his great-great grandfather's life. He is also a third cousin to the daredevil
Evel Knievel
Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel (; October 17, 1938 – November 30, 2007) was an American stunt performer and entertainer. Over the course of his career, he attempted more than 75 ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps. Knievel was inducted into the Motor ...
and second cousin to scientist and author
Tim Foecke (whose mothers are first cousins).
[Phillips, J.D. . North Michigan University. Retrieved January 9, 2014.]
Vinatieri's sister is South Dakota politician
Christine Erickson. Vinatieri's nephew, Chase, followed in his footsteps as a kicker at
South Dakota State
South Dakota State University is a public land-grant research university in Brookings, South Dakota. Founded in 1881, it is the state's largest and most comprehensive university and the oldest continually-operating university in South Dakota. The ...
.
Vinatieri took an interest in motor racing, and co-owns Miller Vinatieri Motorsports with former racing driver
Dr. Jack Miller
Jack Miller (born June 14, 1961, in Indianapolis), usually known as Dr. Jack Miller, is an American retired racing driver. He drove in the Indy Racing League from 1997 to 2001 and the Indianapolis 500 from 1997 to 1999. Miller is a practicing ...
, which competes in multiple series in the
Road to Indy
A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation.
There are many types of ...
.
Vinatieri's son, AJ, is a kicker/punter.
Vinatieri once starred in a television commercial for the
Snickers
Snickers is a chocolate bar made by the American company Mars, Incorporated, consisting of nougat topped with caramel and peanuts that is encased in milk chocolate. The annual global sales of Snickers was over $3 billion .
In the United ...
candy bar
A candy bar is a type of candy that is in the shape of a bar. The most common type of candy bar is the chocolate bar, including both bars made of solid chocolate and combination candy bars, which are candy bars that combine chocolate with other ...
with the
tagline
In entertainment, a tagline (alternatively spelled tag line) is a short text which serves to clarify a thought for, or is designed with a form of, dramatic effect. Many tagline slogans are reiterated phrases associated with an individual, so ...
, "Split the Uprights with Adam Nougatieri."
See also
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List of National Football League annual scoring leaders
This is a list of National Football League players who have led the regular season in scoring each year.
The NFL did not begin keeping official records until the 1932 season.
NFL annual scoring leaders
''Through season per Pro-Footbal ...
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List of NFL players by games played All-time most appearances (minimum 200 games played)
''Regular season only:''
(includes AAFC and AFL games)
If more than one position is listed for a player, the BOLD listing is his primary position. This list is sorted by 1) games played, ...
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Vinatieri, Adam
1972 births
Living people
American Conference Pro Bowl players
American football placekickers
American people of English descent
American people of German descent
American people of Italian descent
American sportspeople of Italian descent
Amsterdam Admirals players
Indianapolis Colts players
New England Patriots players
People from Carmel, Indiana
People from Foxborough, Massachusetts
People from Yankton, South Dakota
Players of American football from Boston
Players of American football from Indianapolis
Players of American football from South Dakota
South Dakota State Jackrabbits football players
South Dakota State University alumni
Sportspeople from Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Sportspeople from Rapid City, South Dakota
Unconferenced Pro Bowl players
United States Military Academy alumni