Patriots Daily: Hall of Fame Class of 2025; Judon Selling Home

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class was announced during NFL Honors on Thursday night. This means it is already time to look ahead to players eligible for the Class of 2025. In addition to the players who fell short this year, several first-time candidates will receive serious consideration. Among them are Eli Manning, Luke Kuechly, Marshawn Lynch, Marshal Yanda, Terrell Suggs, and Earl Thomas. Also eligible for the first time is New England Patriots legend Adam Vinatieri.

‘Automatic Adam’ should be an easy choice for voters a year from now. There are only two full-time placekickers (Jan Stenerud, Morten Andersen) enshrined in Canton, but neither had the NFL career that Vinatieri did. He is the leading scorer in NFL history and was named to the National Football League’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019.

Before Adam Vinatieri, a Super Bowl had never been decided by a successful game-winning field goal. Vinatieri accomplished the feat twice in three years, knocking off the Rams in Super Bowl 36 and the Panthers two years later. Yet Vinatieri’s most famous and difficult kick may have occurred in the 2001 AFC Playoffs to force overtime in the snow against the Oakland Raiders. Bill Belichick called it the greatest kick in NFL history.

The three-time All-Pro played in six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, winning four.

Other Patriots who should receive serious consideration from the Modern Era Committee include Rodney Harrison and Vince Wilford, a finalist and semifinalist respectively this time around. The Veterans Committee should take a long look at the candidacies of Robert Kraft, Stanley Morgan, and Gino Cappelletti, to name a few.

Matthew Judon Lists House for Sale

Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon, the team’s lone Pro Bowl selection over the past two seasons, has listed his house for sale. Although several messages have been received about this, New England fans shouldn’t read too much into the listing. There might still be some nervousness after Tom Brady put his home up for sale before he departed from New England. However, it is important to note that Judon’s home, listed for $3.575,000, is located in Florida. He purchased it a year ago for $3.1 million.

Also in today’s Patriots Daily…

New England Patriots

Patriots Football Now – Rodney Harrison belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Patriots Football Now – Former Patriots OC Bill O’Brien is BC’s new head coach

New England Patriots Staff

Patriots Football Now – Patriots to hire Dont’a Hightower as linebackers coach

Patriots Football Now – Report: Robert Kugler coming to New England

NFL Draft

Patriots Football Now – Patriots Rumors: Wolf might want offensive tackle at three

Patriots Football Now – NFL Mock Draft 2.0

Super Bowl 58 News

NFL.com – Chiefs Joe Thuney ruled out for Super Bowl

Pro Football Network – Former Panthers coach says he wanted to draft 49ers QB Brock Purdy

Yardbarker –49ers Kyle Shanahan not worried about ongoing narrative

ESPN – Former players share stories about their Super Bowl touchdowns

Boston Bruins

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Football Fun Fact of the Day

Including the postseason, Adam Vinatieri scored 2,911 points during his NFL career. That is 290 more than Hall of Fame placekicker Morten Andersen, who is second with 2,621.

Tweet of the Day

Tweet of the Day comes from Rob, with a highlight clip of new Patriots linebacker coach Dont’a Hightower’s playing career…

Dont’a Hightower is calling it a career. Enjoy some highlights from the 3x super bowl champion and future patriots hall of famer @zeus30hightower pic.twitter.com/54mEZ5jjso

— Rob (@rob_thibeault) March 21, 2023