FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots revealed one new name among this year's nominations for hall of fame consideration, as first-year eligible candidate Rob Gronkowski joins second-time finalist Adam Vinatieri and four-time finalist Logan Mankins. Vinatieri was a first-time finalist last year, while Mankins was a finalist in 2022, 2023 and 2025.
Starting today, Patriots fans are encouraged to vote for the Patriots finalist most deserving of Patriots Hall of Fame induction. Fans can vote once per day on the Patriots website at https://www.patriots.com/hof now through 11:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 28. The team will announce the selection later that week.
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. In addition to the fans annually selecting a nominee for induction, a senior selection committee has added three members to the Patriots Hall of Fame, and Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft has extended the honor to five contributors.
The New England Patriots held their annual nomination committee meeting on Wednesday, April 1, 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 2026 honoree.
More information on each of this year's finalists is listed below in alphabetical order:
Rob Gronkowski played for nine seasons (2010-18) with the Patriots after originally entering the NFL as a second-round draft pick (42nd overall) out of Arizona in the 2010 NFL Draft. He was a part of nine AFC East Division Championship teams, eight conference final teams, five AFC Championship teams and three Super Bowl Championships with the Patriots. He totaled 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdown receptions in the regular season and posted 81 receptions for 1,163 yards and 12 touchdowns in the postseason. He ranks first in Patriots history with 80 total touchdowns (79 receiving and one rushing), and his 7,861 receiving yards are second in team history. In 2011, he set an NFL single-season record with 17 touchdown receptions by a tight end and a then record of 1,327 receiving yards (now sixth in NFL history). He earned five Pro Bowl selections (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017) and four Associated Press First-Team All-Pro honors (2011, 2014, 2015 and 2017). After retiring following the 2018 season, Gronkowski returned to the NFL and finished his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he earned a fourth Super Bowl ring in 2020. He is a member of the Patriots All-Dynasty Team and 2010s All-Decade Team. He became the first tight end in NFL history to post three seasons of 1,000 yards receiving and 10-plus touchdowns (2011, 2014 and 2015). In addition, he became the first tight end in NFL history with three straight 10-plus touchdown seasons (2010-12). Gronkowski's 1,389 postseason receiving yards are fourth in NFL history and his 15 postseason receiving touchdowns are third in NFL history. His 32 100-yard receiving games are the second among all tight ends. He finished his career ranked sixth among all tight ends with 9,286 receiving yards and third with 92 touchdown receptions.
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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 the top 10 in eight of his nine seasons with the team - 2005 (7), 2007 (1), 2008 (5), 2009 (3), 2010 (8), 2011 (2), 2012 (1) and 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 fourth straight time.
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Adam Vinatieri earned the reputation as one of the greatest and most clutch placekickers in the history of professional football during his 24 years in the NFL. After joining New England as a first-year free agent out of South Dakota State in 1996, he helped kick off the Patriots dynasty through 2005. He then spent the final 14 years of his career with Indianapolis from 2006-2019, winning a fourth Super Bowl in 2006. Vinatieri is the NFL's all-time leading scorer with 2,673 points, as well as the NFL record-holder for most field goals made (599), postseason points scored (238) and overtime field goals made (12). He is also a member of the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. As a member of the Patriots, Vinatieri was responsible for several of the most crucial field goals in NFL history. In 2001, Vinatieri connected on a 45-yard field goal in blizzard conditions to send the AFC Divisional Playoff game vs. the Oakland Raiders to overtime, and he then won the game on a 23-yard field goal. New England went on to Super Bowl XXXVI that season, and Vinatieri kicked the game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired to give the Patriots their first Super Bowl victory. Two years later in Super Bowl XXXVIII, Vinatieri kicked a 41-yard field goal with four seconds left in the game to secure a second Super Bowl victory for the Patriots in 2003. In his third Super Bowl with New England in 2004, Vinatieri converted a field goal and three extra points in a three-point victory, 24-21, over Philadelphia in Super Bowl XXXIX. His career as a Patriot earned him positions on the New England Patriots All-1990s Team, All-2000s Team, 50th Anniversary Team and All-Dynasty Team. Vinatieri will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer.
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About The Patriots Hall of Fame presented by RTX
The Patriots Hall of Fame presented by RTX 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 RTX 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.
