INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts honored the best kicker in NFL history on Sunday. Pro Football Hall of Famer Adam Vinatieri was officially inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor during halftime of the game against the Tennessee Titans.
“It’s hard to put into words at times because I’m in awe of even having that opportunity,” Vinatieri said.
Vinatieri joined fellow Colts legends with his own spot in Indy’s Ring of Honor just two months after being enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“It’s been a whirlwind year. It’s been incredible,” Vinatieri said. “It’s unbelievable seeing my name up in the stadium. For all these years, I looked up there and saw the people that were up there and what they meant to this community and to football in general, and to have the honor to be up there with all the guys is pretty incredible.”
One of those “guys” is the Colts late owner Jim Irsay, who Vinatieri honored by wearing a special shirt during the halftime ceremony.
“Jim’s with us always, always. He’s in my heart and on my mind all the time,” Vinatieri said. “Obviously, when I was making my Hall of Fame speech, I always thought that if I made it, he was the one that was going to bring me up there… I try to honor him in every way I can, and I just saw it fitting that he was maybe on my shirt but he absolutely here with us today so just wanted to give him a salute.”
You can find Vinatieri’s name in the southwest corner of Lucas Oil Stadium, right above the Colts’ tunnel, which is appropriate since Vinatieri is still the Colts all-time leading scorer. But when you ask Vinny, he would’ve put it in a different spot.
“I just wish I was right behind the uprights so that way when the other kickers step up there they have to look between the uprights they go, ‘Dang it!'” Vinatieri laughed. “But no, it’s awesome. I love it. I absolutely love everything about it.”
Vinatieri knows how rare of an honor it is to join the Ring of Honor.
“Only so many people’s names get put up in the ring, but I could’ve never been up there without the other 10 guys on the field and all the coaches that helped along the way, and all the crowd that’s cheering supporting us along the way. It truly is a family affair here,” Vinatieri said.
Vinatieri’s now forever a member of that family.
