Adam Vinatieri blesses New England with retelling of one of the most iconic moments of his Patriots career
On January 19, 2002, the New England Patriots faced off against the Oakland Raiders at Foxborough Stadium, with a trip to the AFC Championship on the line. But, mother nature did not make it easy on the two teams, with this game becoming known as the Snow Bowl. While there were a few moments that […]
On January 19, 2002, the New England Patriots faced off against the Oakland Raiders at Foxborough Stadium, with a trip to the AFC Championship on the line.
But, mother nature did not make it easy on the two teams, with this game becoming known as the Snow Bowl.
While there were a few moments that defined the game (aka The Tuck Rule), it was Vinatieri's kick against the Raiders that sent the game to overtime and later handed the Patriots the win.
With 27 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Vinatieri nailed a 45-yard field goal in the snow to send the game to overtime. He then scored a 23-yard field goal in overtime to keep the Patriots' season alive.
And when speaking with ESPN's Mike Reiss recently, he relived this epic moment in franchise history.
"Anytime you're in a playoff game, down three points and having to make a kick to extend the game, it is pressure-packed in itself. Then with the blizzard we were having at the time, put it all together," Vinatieri recalled. "It came down to 'You're going to have to make the most difficult kick you've ever tried in your life.' You're not going to get great footing.
"I remember thinking 'Shorten your steps up a little bit, try to stay light-footed approaching the ball,' knowing that get-off time wasn't going to be as big of a deal because they couldn't rush as fast either. It was more 'don't fall down, get the ball above the line of scrimmage, get it on line and then hope and pray for the couple seconds it takes to get there that you hit it straight and has enough distance.'
"Honestly, I didn't really know until the referees in the end zone, who you couldn't really see, stepped forward and raised their hands."
Vinatieri was with the Patriots for 10 seasons, winning three Super Bowls during his time in New England. And because of that, it's a no-brainer that he was named a finalist for the Patriots Hall of Fame Class of 2025. His contributions have easily made him one of the most important pieces during the dynasty.
