When people think about the New England Patriots dynasty that produced six Super Bowl championships from 2002 to 2019, they probably think of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick first.
Those two didn’t do it all by themselves, however. They had plenty of help from lesser-known heroes along the way, one of whom was new Patriots Hall of Famer Dante Scarnecchia.
Dante Scarnecchia Helped Transform Patriots Into Contenders
Scarnecchia was with New England long before Belichick and Brady arrived on the scene, joining the organization when Brady was only 5 years old and when Belichick was still an assistant coach for the New York Giants. After 12 years as an assistant coach in the college ranks, Scarnecchia got his first NFL job with the Patriots in 1982 as their special teams and tight ends coach. After going 2-14 a year earlier, New England immediately enjoyed a major turnaround in Scarnecchia’s first season, making the playoffs for the first time in four years.
During today’s Patriots Hall of Fame nomination committee meeting, Robert Kraft showed up to announce that he is naming Dante Scarnecchia as a 2023 inductee — in the contributor category.
Scarnecchia, in attendance as a member of the committee, was stunned.
Standing ovation.
It wasn’t a fluke, either. The Patriots never finished below .500 during Scarnecchia’s initial run with the team, which lasted through the 1988 season. He helped them reach their first Super Bowl during the 1985 campaign and return to the postseason the following year. For the first time in franchise history, New England was a perennial contender.
The team instantly regressed when Scarnecchia left for the Indianapolis Colts in 1989, going 6-26 in the two years without him. Fortunately for the Patriots, Scarnecchia returned in 1991 and helped build the team back up. New England’s record improved by five wins in his first year back, and by the mid-’90s the Patriots were contenders again.
Dante Scarnecchia Contributed to All 6 Patriots Titles
With Scarnecchia still onboard, New England became a juggernaut in the 2000s. Belichick took over in 2000 and, in addition to drafting Brady, promoted Scarnecchia from offensive line coach to assistant head coach and offensive line coach. Scarnecchia proved up to the task, as the Patriots won their first championship during his second year in the role.
Two more titles quickly followed after that, with New England’s Scarnecchia-coached offensive line playing a significant role in the team’s success. Brady hadn’t developed into an elite statistical quarterback yet, so the Patriots relied more on their power run game than they did later on in his career. New England was one of the better-rushing teams in the NFL during this time, ranking top 10 in rushing touchdowns in 2001 and 2004, for instance.
Robert Kraft on Dante Scarnecchia’s selection into @TheHall.
Scarnecchia briefly retired from coaching following the 2013 season but continued to work for the team, helping them raise another banner during the 2014 campaign. After a two-year absence from coaching, he returned to the sidelines as the offensive line coach in 2016 and immediately helped New England win another championship. The Patriots’ O-line improved following his return, allowing just 16 sacks in his first season back. He remained with the club through 2019, helping them win one more Super Bowl during the 2018 season before retiring again.
For nearly four decades, Scarnecchia was a key member of the New England organization, playing a part in all of their 11 Super Bowl appearances and six titles. On April 6, 2023, Patriots owner Robert Kraft honored Scarnecchia’s contributions by making him the first assistant coach in the team’s Hall of Fame.
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Dante Scarnecchia Played Critical Role in Patriots Dynasty