FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon has acquired artifacts from the Patriots 41-13, division-clinching win over the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 14 at Gillette Stadium.
Kicker Stephen Gostkowski became the Patriots all-time leader in points, passing Adam Vinatieri (1,158), with a 35-yard field goal in the Week 15 win vs. the Dolphins. Gostkowski's game-worn jersey and the ball he kicked to become the Patriots all-time leading scorer are now on display at The Hall.
Gostkowski, who enters Week 16 with 1,165 career points, needed just nine seasons to rewrite the Patriots scoring record. Vinatieri, who played 10 seasons in New England, passed Patriots Hall of Famer Gino Cappelletti to become the franchise's all-time leading scorer in his final season with the team in 2005.
Tight end Rob Gronkowski also achieved a notable milestone in the win vs. Miami. Gronkowski eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in a season for the second time in his career after reeling in a 34-yard reception in the third quarter. Gronkowski is now one of nine tight ends in NFL history with two 1,000-yard receiving seasons and the only Patriots tight end to achieve that feat. The 34-yard catch was also Gronkowski's 300th career reception and extended his consecutive games with a catch streak to 64. The ball Gronkowski caught to reach 1,000 yards is now on display at The Hall, along with the gloves he wore to catch the ball.
The Hall preserves history as it's made by displaying artifacts from milestones and record-setting performances that occur throughout the 2014 season. Artifacts currently on display include:
- The jersey worn by Tom Brady when he eclipsed 50,000 career passing yards on Oct. 5 against the Bengals in Week 5, along with the ball he threw to accomplish the feat.
- The gloves worn by defensive lineman Chris Jones and the ball he blocked during a game-winning field goal attempt to preserve a Patriots' 27-25 victory over the New York Jets in Week 7 on "Thursday Night Football."
- The gloves and jersey worn by Gronkowski when he caught his 50th career touchdown pass in his 59th career game on Nov. 2 against the Broncos. Gronkowski became the second-fastest player (tied with Randy Moss) to reach the 50-touchdown reception plateau. Gronkowski wore the same jersey on Oct. 26 against the Chicago Bears, when he teamed with Brady to set a franchise record for most touchdown connections between a quarterback and receiver of any position. The tandem entered the game having connected for 45 career touchdowns (tied with Drew Bledsoe and Ben Coates for most in franchise history), but Gronkowski's three touchdown receptions against the Bears established a new team record.
- The headset worn by head coach Bill Belichick during his 200th career regular-season win against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2. Belichick enters Week 12 fifth all-time in NFL history with 207 career regular-season wins.
- The game-worn jersey and ball running back Jonas Gray carried to score his fourth touchdown of a career-best performance against Indianapolis in Week 11. Gray finished the game with 201 rushing yards and scored a team-record four rushing touchdowns with one touchdown in each quarter. Gray's performance earned him the NFL's AFC Offensive Player of the Week award for Week 11.
Additionally, fans can visit The Hall's featured exhibit, "New England Faithful: 20 Seasons with the Krafts," which looks back at the Kraft family's first 20 years of ownership and highlights the team's and the owner's many accomplishments over two decades. The exhibit touches on Robert Kraft's purchase of the team and its rise to prominence in the NFL.
The Hall is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Check www.thehallatpatriotplace.com for schedule changes and closings. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and active military with ID and $5 for children ages 5 to 12.
ABOUT THE HALL AT PATRIOT PLACE PRESENTED BY RAYTHEON
The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon is the crown jewel of Patriot Place and the only sports and education experience of its kind. Through a dazzling array of interactive multimedia exhibits and artifacts never before viewable by the public, The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon 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 expected to visit each year. For more information, please visit www.thehallatpatriotplace.com.
