Adam Vinatieri is still in the NFL. Did you forget that? I know I sometimes forget about him. Adam is 44, and he is the oldest player in the league. He is still with the Colts after those magical early years in New England, and he is still kicking like he just got drafted. He is also one of the most controversial players in the sport when you consider that he left the Patriots and went to their hated rival in the Colts at a time when they were playing each other in the playoffs nearly every year. This man is the lone bright spot for the Colts, and he provides them with a level of consistency that might be the only good thing they get all season.
The famous kicks
Adam Vinatieri has won a Super Bowl for his team, and it is one that we all were rooting for as long as we were not fans of the Rams. He capped off that Patriotic Super Bowl run for New England, and he won two more Super Bowls for that team before he went off to the Colts. It was a big deal at the time because the Colts and Patriots hated each other. He has stayed in Indy for such a long time that he is easy to forget about, but he has created a hall of fame profile that must be considered when he finally retires.
Playing until he is 50
If anyone can play until they are 50, it is Adam Vinatieri. He has been so consistent that we never hear about him, and he does not get hurt. Kickers do not take the hits that other football players take, and he has been so good for so long that the Colts will hold onto him.
Adam will remain a long tenured player in the NFL until he wants to retire, and it would be fascinating to see him play until he is 50. Tom Brady wants to get to 45, but Vinatieri could easily eclipse that number by reaching 50 years of age.
Records
Adam could close his career with all the records for kickers that could be had, and it would be interesting for his success to bring up the names of other players we forget about such as George Blanda.
This writer is not old enough to have watched Blanda play, but my dad was a very big football fan who remembers guys like Ray Guy and George Blanda. Modern players who give a little bit of attention to classic players is a great thing for the sport, and it will help us remember that we played football before 1980.
Keep on kicking
We likely will not hear a word from Adam Vinatieri this year because his team is terrible. However, he will have another consistent season that showcases how good he is at a position that we often take for granted on Sunday.
