Adam Vinatieri

Adam Vinatieri was signed as a rookie free agent kicker out of South Dakota State by the New England Patriots prior to the 1996 season. Patriot head coach Bill Parcells made the bold move in bringing in Vinatieri to replace veteran kicker Matt Bahr, a favorite of Parcells. Vinatieri vindicated the coach's decision and has held the Patriot kicking job for the past eight years. He has a career 80.6 field goal percentage, and is perfect in every NFL indoor facility except Houston. Vinatieri is best known, however, for his clutch kicks under incredible pressure. Twice in his career he has kicked field goals to win Super Bowls in the final seconds; in Super Bowl XXXVI against the St. Louis Rams (with no time left), and in Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Carolina Panthers (with four seconds left). In the 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff game at Foxborough, Mass. against the Oakland Raiders, he kicked a game-tying 45-yard field goal and an overtime game-winning 23-yard field goal amidst blizzard conditions at Foxborough Stadium. NFL Films broadcaster Harry Kalas proclaimed Vinatieri as "the best clutch field goal kicker in NFL history". Show less «