NFL kicker was born in Yankton, grew up in Rapid City and played at South Dakota State University in Brookings. Becomes only the second South Dakotan to be enshrined in Canton, Ohio.
CANTON, Ohio – When you’re going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, there are plenty of congratulatory handshakes, slaps on the back, photos to take and no time for yourself. That was true for Adam Vinatieri on Thursday in Canton, Ohio.
It was a busy day for Vinatieri to meet with the press, sign autographs, catch up with former football colleagues and be introduced on the football field before kickoff of the first exhibition game of the 2026-27 NFL season between the Arizona Cardinals and the Carolina Panthers.
Vinatieri, who was born in Yankton, grew up in Rapid City and played football at South Dakota State University in Brookings, becomes only the second South Dakotan to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton during ceremonies to be held on Saturday, Aug. 8. He also becomes only the second SDSU player to join the elite club.
Jim Langer, a standout football and baseball player at SDSU, joined the Hall of Fame in 1987. Langer, a Minnesota native, played for the powerhouse Miami Dolphins during the 1970s before finishing his career with the Minnesota Vikings in 1980-81.
Norm Van Brocklin, who was born in Dewey County in 1926, was the first South Dakotan to be inducted. He played quarterback for 12 years in the National Football League and later coached in the NFL for 13 years.
Other 2026 Hall of Fame inductees are quarterback Drew Brees, running back Roger Craig, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and linebacker Luke Kuechly.
“This is obviously a dream come true,” Vinatieri said during a press conference on Thursday afternoon. “I always dreamt as a kid of just playing in the NFL and trying to help your team win games. Getting that knock on the door and thinking that 387 of us get the honor to put on this jacket. Man, I can’t wait. I’m excited. I’m nervous for my speech a little bit, but it’s going to be a great time.”
Besides his family, Vinatieri gives credit to his teacher Marcy Farrand at Wilson Elementary School in Rapid City and the late coach and kicking guru Doug Blevins as two individuals who made big differences in his life.
“(Farrand) taught me you can achieve anything that you want as long as you work hard. If you put the effort in, you can succeed,” Vinatieri said.
He attributed Blevins in helping him get to the next level with his kicking game after graduation from SDSU.
Vinatieri's journey to the Hall
Vinatieri was a multi-sport standout at Rapid City Central High School before being recruited by then-assistant coach John Stiegelmeier as a kicker and a punter for SDSU. He played for the Jackrabbits from 1991 to 1994, earning first-team all-conference honors as a punter for three consecutive years and second-team all-conference as a placekicker in 1992. He was a first-team selection on two All-America teams his senior year in 1994.
“You can really get anywhere from South Dakota if you work your butt off,” Vinatieri said about his formative years in football. “I have great memories from growing up there, great memories from South Dakota State University. It means the world that I came from a small town in South Dakota and I’m standing here this weekend. It’s wonderful.”
Vinatieri played 24 seasons in the National Football League – 10 with the New England Patriots (1996-2005) and 14 with the Indianapolis Colts (2006-2019). He is the NFL’s all-time leading scorer with 2,673 points. No player in NFL history has made more regular season field goals than Vinatieri’s 599.
Vinatieri built a reputation delivering kicks through the uprights during some of the biggest games in NFL history, including playoffs and Super Bowls. He won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and one with the Indianapolis Colts.
He joins Jan Stenerud and Morten Andersen as the only true kickers to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
David Bordewyk
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