SANTA CLARA, CA (Dakota News Now) -Former South Dakota State standout and the National Football League’s all-time scoring leader, Adam Vinatieri, was announced Thursday night as a member of the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
Born in Yankton and raised in Rapid City, Vinatieri played at South Dakota State from 1991-94 and earned all-North Central Conference honors both as a kicker (1992) and punter (1992-94). He also was an NCAA Division II All-America selection as a punter by both CoSIDA and Football Gazette his senior season.
Vinatieri set the Jackrabbits’ single-season record for punting average at 43.5 yards per attempt in 1994, established an SDSU mark for the longest field goal at 51 yards (accomplished twice) and held the program record for most points scored by a placekicker, at 195. He also set SDSU records for most career PATs, 104, and most career field goals, 27. All his school records have since been broken.
After beginning his professional career in NFL Europe with the Amsterdam Admirals, Vinatieri signed as a free agent with the New England Patriots in 1996. He went on to set 15 NFL records, including 2,673 points, 599 field goals and 21 100-point seasons. He became the NFL’s career scoring leader in 2018.
As a member of the Patriots from 1996-2005, Vinatieri played on three Super Bowl-winning teams and kicked game-winning field goals in both Super Bowl XXXVI against the St. Louis Rams and again in Super Bowl XXXVIII versus the Carolina Panthers.
He added a fourth championship ring while helping lead the Indianapolis Colts to a victory in Super Bowl XLI. Vinatieri will become the second Jackrabbit to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, joining Jim Langer, who was inducted in 1987. Langer who played at SDSU from 1967-69 and also was an All-American in baseball, played center on every offensive down during the Miami Dolphins’ perfect season in 1972. He was a first-team All-Pro four times and was selected to play in six Pro Bowl games. Langer played in three Super Bowl games as a member of the Dolphins from 1970-79 before finishing his career with the Minnesota Vikings from 1980-81. He passed away in September 2019.
Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are scheduled for Aug. 8 in Canton, Ohio. The remainder of the five-member class announced during the NFL Honors awards show were quarterback Drew Brees, running back Roger Craig, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and linebacker Luke Kuechly.
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