FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 9, 2023
PATRIOTS 2023 HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONIES TO BE HELD AT NOON ON SATURDAY, OCT. 21
Induction ceremonies for Mike Vrabel and Dante Scarnecchia are free and open to the public.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Save the date. Patriots fans can begin preparing to celebrate when the team hosts their 2023 Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremonies for Mike Vrabel and Dante Scarnecchia on Saturday, Oct. 21. The ceremonies will begin at noon ET. The annual ceremony will be held on the Enel Plaza just outside the Patriots Hall of Fame presented by Raytheon Technologies. The outdoor ceremony is free and open to the public. Fans of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Vrabel was voted into the Patriots Hall of Fame by the fans as the 34th inductee. During his eight-year tenure in New England, Vrabel appeared in 142 of 145 possible games, starting 127, including all 17 playoff games. He played a major role in the Patriots dynastic run that included three Super Bowl championships in four years (2001, 2003 and 2004). He exemplified positional versatility during his Patriots tenure by starting at both inside and outside linebacker, regularly lining up on offense in short-yardage and goal-line situations, and continually making valuable contributions on various special teams units. As a Patriot, he caught eight regular season passes and two more in the playoffs. All 10 of his receptions were for touchdowns, including receptions in back-to-back Super Bowl wins over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII and Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX. He earned Pro Bowl and first-team Associated Press All-Pro honors following the 2007 season, the year the Patriots became the first team in NFL history to win 18 consecutive games in one season. During his Patriots career, Vrabel helped propel the Patriots to multiple NFL and franchise-record win streaks, including 21 consecutive wins (2003-04), 21 consecutive regular season wins (2006-08), 21 consecutive wins at home (2002-05) and 10 straight playoff victories (2001-05). During the 2006 season, the Patriots defense set a then-franchise record by allowing just 14.8 points per game. Vrabel joins Troy Brown (2012), Tedy Bruschi (2013), Kevin Faulk (2016), Ty Law (2014), Matt Light (2018), Willie McGinest (2015) and Richard Seymour (2022) as the eighth player to enter the Patriots Hall of Fame as a three-time Super Bowl Champion with the team.
Vrabel will be joined at this year’s ceremony by long-time assistant coach Dante Scarnecchia, who was named as a contributor to the Patriots Hall of Fame by Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft when the Patriots Hall of Fame nomination committee held their annual meeting in April. Scarnecchia spent 36 years in the NFL, including 34 seasons with the Patriots (1982-88, 1991-2013, 2016-19). He was the longest tenured NFL coach when he retired following the 2019 season. The last NFL coach to garner at least 30 seasons with one team was Dick Hoak, who spent an NFL-record 35 seasons as an assistant with Pittsburgh. Scarnecchia, who will receive the Award of Excellence from the Pro Football Hall of Fame later this month, becomes the fourth person to be selected to the Patriots Hall of Fame as a contributor, joining Billy Sullivan (2009), Gil Santos (2013) and Tracy Sormanti (2021).
About The Patriots Hall of Fame presented by Raytheon Technologies
The Patriots Hall of Fame presented by Raytheon Technologies is the crown jewel of Patriot Place and one of the only sports and education experiences of its kind. Through a dazzling array of interactive multimedia exhibits and historical artifacts, the Patriots Hall of Fame presented by Raytheon Technologies showcases the tradition of the New England Patriots, explores the history of football in New England and promotes math and science education for the thousands of schoolchildren who visit each year. It is also home to the Patriots’ six Lombardi Trophies. For more information, please visit www.patriotshalloffame.com.
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