FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Two former players and a former head coach have been selected as finalists for this year's induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame presented by Raytheon Technologies. This year's finalists (listed in alphabetical order) are offensive lineman Logan Mankins, head coach Bill Parcells and linebacker Mike Vrabel.
All three finalists have been selected by the nomination committee as finalists before. For Vrabel, this year marks his seventh straight time as a finalist (2016-20, 22-23), while Parcells was nominated for the fifth time (2011-12, 2014, 2020 and 2023) and Mankins for the second straight time (2022-23).
Starting today, Patriots fans are encouraged to vote for the Patriots finalist most deserving of Hall of Fame induction. Fans can vote on the Patriots website https://www.patriots.com/hof through midnight EDT on May 2. The team will announce the fans' selection of the 2023 Patriots Hall of Famer later that week.
This year's inductee will join Dante Scarnecchia, who was named as a contributor to the Patriots Hall of Fame by Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft during the selection committee meeting. Scarnecchia became the 33rd person to be named to the Patriots Hall of Fame. This year's induction ceremony will be held on the Enel Plaza outside the Patriots Hall of Fame presented by Raytheon Technologies. The outdoor ceremony is free and open to the public. Patriots fans of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend. The date and time of this year's ceremony will be announced at a later date.
Beginning in 2007, the Patriots started a new tradition, inducting at least one player into the team's hall of fame each year. The process involves a panel of media, alumni and staff who collectively nominate the players or head coaches most deserving of induction. After the nominations are made, the committee votes and the top-three tallies become that year's finalists. The Patriots then give fans the opportunity to vote online to select each year's inductee. The Patriots are the only team in the NFL that allows its fans to make the final selection for enshrinement into the franchise's highest individual honor. In addition to the fans annually selecting one of the three finalists, every other year either a contributor or a player who has been retired for at least 25 years is added to the Patriots Hall of Fame.
The New England Patriots held their annual nomination committee meeting on Thursday, April 6, to discuss, deliberate and vote for this year's candidates for induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame. Now it is up to the fans to select the 2023 honoree.
More information on each of this year's finalists is listed in alphabetical order below:
Logan Mankins is recognized as one of the best offensive linemen in franchise history. He played nine of his 11 NFL seasons with the New England Patriots after joining the team as a first-round draft pick in 2005. The three-time team captain earned six Pro Bowl selections and six All-Pro honors (2007, 2009-13) during his time with New England, including first-team Associated Press All-Pro honors following the 2010 season. Despite playing his entire collegiate career as a left tackle, Mankins was moved to left guard when he joined the Patriots and was immediately inserted into the starting lineup. Mankins started all 130 regular season and 17 postseason games in which he appeared as a member of the Patriots. With Mankins in the lineup, the Patriots offense finished in top 10 in eight of his nine seasons with the Patriots - 2005 (7), 2007 (1), 2008 (5), 2009 (3), 2010 (8), 2011 (2), 2012 (1), 2013 (7). Mankins finished his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2014-15), earning a seventh Pro Bowl berth in his final season in 2015. He is a member of two of the Patriots All-Decade Teams (2000s and 2010s) and their 50th Anniversary team. Mankins is a finalist for the team's hall of fame for the second straight year.
Bill Parcells was the head coach of the New England Patriots for four seasons (1993-96) and led the team to two playoff berths. After inheriting a team that had finished 14-50 in the previous four years, including an NFL worst 2-14 season in 1992, he brought the clout of a two-time Super Bowl Champion to the Patriots sidelines, infusing instant credibility in 1993 and finished his Patriots career with a 34-34 record, including 2-2 in the playoffs. In 1994, a season-ending seven-game win streak allowed the Patriots to clinch their first playoff berth in eight years. The performance earned Parcells NFL Coach of the Year honors. After finishing 6-10 in 1995, the Patriots rebounded with an 11-win season in 1996, tying the then franchise record for wins and earning their first division title in 10 years. After a convincing victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-3 in the divisional playoff game in foggy Foxborough, the Patriots hosted their first AFC Championship game and defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars, 20-6, to earn a trip to the Super Bowl for just the second time in franchise history. This is the fifth time that the Patriots Hall of Fame Nomination Committee has nominated Bill Parcells for Patriots Hall of Fame induction (2011, 2012, 2014, 2020 and 2023). On Feb. 2, 2013, Parcells was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is the only coach in NFL history ever to lead four different teams to the playoffs and three different teams to a conference championship game. He is a member of the Patriots 1990s All-Decade Team.
Mike Vrabel is a three-time Super Bowl Champion and is recognized as one of the most versatile linebackers and best free agent signings in team history. He joined the team before the 2001 season, following a four-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he was used primarily on special teams and as a reserve linebacker. During his eight-year tenure in New England, Vrabel 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 touchdown 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, he played a major role when the defense set a then-franchise record by allowing just 14.8 points per game. Vrabel is a Patriots Hall of Fame finalist for the seventh straight time.
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.
- Houston Antwine (2015)
- Bruce Armstrong (2001)
- Drew Bledsoe (2011)
- Troy Brown (2012)
- Tedy Bruschi (2013)
- Nick Buoniconti (1992)
- Gino Cappelletti (1992)
- Raymond Clayborn (2017)
- Ben Coates (2008)
- Sam Cunningham (2010)
- Bob Dee (1993)
- Kevin Faulk (2016)
- Leon Gray (2019)
- Steve Grogan (1995)
- John Hannah (1991)
- Rodney Harrison (2019)
- Mike Haynes (1994)
- Jim Lee Hunt (1993)
- Ty Law (2014)
- Matt Light (2018)
- Willie McGinest (2015)
- Stanley Morgan (2007)
- Jon Morris (2011)
- Jim Nance (2009)
- Steve Nelson (1993)
- Vito "Babe" Parilli (1993)
- Richard Seymour (2020)
- Andre Tippett (1999)
- Vince Wilfork (2022)
Contributors:
- William H. "Billy" Sullivan, Jr. (2009)
- Gil Santos (2013)
- Tracy Sormanti (2021)
- Dante Scarnecchia (2023)
