Future Hall of Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri announced Wednesday that he is retiring from the NFL.
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Vinatieri said, “By Friday, if paperwork goes in, you heard it here first.”
Vinatieri, 48, was unsigned last season. He underwent knee surgery before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and has not kicked in a game since December 2019.
In 2019 with the Colts, the three-time Pro Bowl selection Vinatieri had arguably his worst season in the NFL. He made just 17 of his 25 field goal attempts. He was placed on injured reserve midway through the season while battling a left knee injury. His injuries went on to require surgery on his meniscus and patellar tendon.
“Every time I try to go out and push it, it pushes back a little bit, which in a weird way, puts the writing on the wall,” he said on an upcoming episode of Morten Andersen’s podcast, Great Dane Nation.
From the SI Vault: Appreciating Adam Vinatieri’s Career as He Approaches NFL History
Vinatieri has been on four Super Bowl–winning teams and established himself as the greatest clutch kicker in NFL history, having made 29 game-winning kicks.
Despite having gone undrafted in the 1996 NFL draft, Vinatieri, who spent his entire career with the Patriots and Colts, recorded an NFL all-time record of 2,673 points. He has also been part of 231 regular-season victories, the most in league history.
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