"Here I stand at the top of the mountain, the pinnacle of greatness, the highest achievement. I can officially say my biggest dreams have come true."
CANTON, Ohio – South Dakota native and legendary kicker Adam Vinatieri stressed the importance of family, hard work and his love for the game of football while speaking during Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremonies on Saturday afternoon in Canton, Ohio. He also punctuated his 19-minute speech with some humor and good-natured ribbings directed at a few former teammates and coaches.
Vinatieri joined fellow 2026 Hall of Fame inductees Drew Brees, Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald and Luke Kuechly in having bronze busts of themselves unveiled in front of several thousand fans during a nationally televised ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on the Pro Football Hall of Fame campus.
Vinatieri, who grew up in Rapid City and played football at South Dakota State University, spent 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 began his speech by acknowledging the significance of the moment.
"Here I stand at the top of the mountain, the pinnacle of greatness, the highest achievement. I can officially say my biggest dreams have come true," Vinatieri said. "To be included among these legends whose busts fill these halls is one of the greatest honors of my life."
A good portion of his speech was dedicated to thanking his parents, siblings, wife and children for their support and understanding while he pursued and lived his dream as a professional football player.
"To my parents, Paul and Judy, you gave me far more than opportunities. You gave me values. You taught me hard work, humility, accountability, perseverance and faith. You taught me that if something was worth doing, it's worth doing it right. That character matters more than recognition.
"I've realized that some of my great accomplishments stand far beyond football. Those being a loving father and husband. Football is temporary; family is forever.
"People see the game-winning kicks, the championships, the celebrations. What they don't see are the sacrifices, the missed holidays, the uncertainty, the pressure, the countless moments where football demanded all of my time."
Vinatieri delivered more jokes and zingers in his speech than the other four enshrinees did and the crowd responded heartily.
He poked fun at his former New England Patriots coach, Bill Belichick.
“Unfortunately, Bill couldn’t make it here today. There’s a lot going on at UNC (University of North Carolina, where Belichick coaches) right now. He might be on a recruiting trip right now looking for the next Lawrence Taylor. I thought it was because training camp had already started. But in truth, it’s because he’s judging his girlfriend’s cheerleading competition.”
However, Vinatieri wanted the crowd to know he was just kidding. "All jokes aside, Bill is the greatest coach of all time," he added.
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Another jab was directed at former Indianapolis Colts teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Peyton Manning.
"Peyton – thank you for generously donating your forehead for today's teleprompter. A gigantic forehead means a big brain and your football IQ is unmatched, buddy."
He touched on his South Dakota roots a few times as well. "No matter where football took me, South Dakota would always be home.
"I don't want to be remembered for kicking footballs through uprights. I want to be remembered as that kid from South Dakota who never gave up on his dreams. A God-fearing man who loved his family unconditionally, a teammate people could count on, a husband who adored his wife and a father whose greatest joy was simply being dad.
"In closing, I want to thank the game of football. You gave me purpose. You gave me direction. The more I devoted myself to you, the more you rewarded me. I gave you everything and somehow you gave me even more in return."
There are now 387 players, coaches and others in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which began in 1963.
David Bordewyk
David Bordewyk
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