The New England Patriots have many players in their history that are worthy of a Hall of Fame nomination. Here are four players that should get the call.
The New England Patriots‘ 20-year dynasty is one of the most successful not only in professional football, but in all of sports history.
The team has won six Super Bowl titles, numerous conference and division titles, as well as countless personal awards for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. This run of success probably will never be duplicated by any sports team for years to come — if ever.
The early 2000s Patriots team is the team that started this dynasty, and many players were responsible for the early success of the Patriots dynasty. A lot of these players have been recognized by the Patriots organization and by landing analyst jobs with ESPN, NBC, and the NFL Network to share their knowledge of football with fans.
While that is cool that they have been recognized for their success on the field by these stations and the team they once played for, it is time that the Pro Football Hall of Fame recognizes them as well.
The Hall of Fame is one of the highest honors for a player besides winning the Super Bowl, because you are recognized by a variety of people who think you played well enough to be immortalized in the Hall.
It was tough to narrow this list down to four players, but everyone who reads this will most likely agree that these four players deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.
Here are the four former New England Patriots players from the early 2000s that should find themselves in the Hall of Fame.
1st Down: Tedy Bruschi
Tedy Bruschi was one of the most popular players on the Patriots during his 13-year career in New England. Not only was he popular among the fans, but he was also a really good football player for the Patriots. He was a staple of the Patriots defense for over a decade and a primary reason why the team won three Super Bowls.
In his career, Bruschi recorded 680 tackles, 30.5 sacks, and 12 interceptions in 189 games. During the playoffs, he made 83 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and two interceptions in 22 career playoff games.
The only thing that could keep him out of the Hall of Fame is that he made one Pro Bowl appearance and earned no All-Pro nominations. He just happened to play during a time that the linebacker position was dominated by the likes of Ray Lewis, Junior Seau, and Brian Urlacher. So he wasn’t considered to be the best linebacker in football, but his heart and toughness made him a desirable teammate.
I think he should go in the Hall because if the Patriots dynasty is so legendary, then more players from that team should be recognized for their contributions to the success of the franchise.
2nd Down: Willie McGinest
Willie McGinest is another piece to the Patriots’ legendary defense from the early 2000s who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
A former first-round draft pick out of USC, McGinest played the majority of his career in a Patriots uniform before finishing his career with the Cleveland Browns.
He played 171 games in 12 years with the Patriots and was another staple of the defense that helped win three championships. He recorded 482 tackles, 78 sacks, and 15 fumble recoveries.
During the playoffs, McGinest stepped up in a big way for the Patriots. In 18 career playoff games, he recorded 53 tackles and 16 sacks.
McGinest, in my opinion, has a better chance than Bruschi to make the Hall of Fame because he was a two-time Pro Bowler … but that is about it.
However, it doesn’t matter to me about individual statistics, because if the Patriots are considered to be one of the greatest teams of all time, then their players should be recognized for their contributions to the team’s success.
3rd Down: Troy Brown
I believe that if Troy Brown was not a member of the Patriots offense early in Tom Brady’s career, Brady would’ve been as successful — at least not that fast. He was the security blanket for Brady and the offense. He was Deion Branch, Wes Welker, and Julian Edelman before they were Brady’s go-to receivers.
Brown was Mr. Reliable for the Patriots during their early Super Bowl run of three championships. He was so reliable that he even took some reps on defense at cornerback in 2004. He was always there to answer the call whenever the Patriots needed him.
Brown is another player that was not recognized for his hard work and contributions but did earn a Pro Bowl selection … but that is all. Just like Bruschi, there were a handful of receivers that were more successful than Brown around the league, so he didn’t get a lot of recognition from the league.
Seeing how Brady was so successful early on in his career, Brown was a primary reason for that and should be recognized for his contributions to the offense.
4th Down: Rodney Harrison
Rodney Harrison is probably the only one on this list that is a lock to earn a Hall of Fame nod at some point.
He was recognized as one of the top safeties in the NFL and certainly one of the most feared. He played during a time that defense meant everything because they could hit as hard as they possibly could every time. If a receiver went over the middle, then they would expect to have their head knocked off by Harrison.
Before coming to New England, Harrison spent nine years with the San Diego Chargers and then played six years with the Patriots. During his time with New England, he played in 63 games, and in those games, he recorded eight interceptions, nine sacks, and 317 tackles.
He was also responsible for the team winning two Super Bowls in three years and could’ve been the MVP of Super Bowl 39.
Unlike Bruschi, McGinest, and Brown, Harrison was recognized for his skills by earning two All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections. He was one of the top safeties in the league during his time in the NFL.
All in all, some people may not think these four players deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, but their contributions to the Patriots’ success in the early 2000s should warrant a spot in Canton.