The New England Patriots Hall of Fame has a new member as Patriots owner Robert Kraft has used his executive privilege for just the fourth time since the Hall of Fame was established.
At Thursday’s Patriots Hall of Fame Committee meeting, Kraft announced that offensive line guru Dante Scarnecchia would be a 2023 inductee in the contributor category. The coach received a standing ovation after the decision was announced in front of Scarnecchia who is a member of the committee.
“Dante Scarnecchia is recognized as one of the greatest assistant coaches of all time,” said Kraft. “He is the first Patriots assistant coach to receive this honor and I can’t think of a more deserving person. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who made greater on-field contributions over his 34 seasons with us, which propelled us to 10 of our 11 Super Bowl appearances and helped us claim five of our six Super Bowl championships. He earned the respect of his fellow coaches and players, many of whom credited Dante for making them the best they could be. I am proud that his legacy will be preserved in our Hall of Fame forever.”
Scarnecchia will join William H. “Billy” Sullivan, Jr., Gil Santos, and Tracy Sormanti as the only other contributors in the Hall of Fame.
Dante Scarnecchia had an Impressive Career With the New England Patriots
Scarnecchia spent 36 years in the NFL and 34 seasons with the Patriots (1982-88, 1991-2013, 2016-19).
He joined the Patriots as an assistant in 1982 where he spent his first six seasons coaching special teams and tight ends before joining the Indianapolis Colts staff as offensive line coach in 1989. Scarnecchia returned to the Patriots after two seasons with the Colts and remained with the team until retiring following the 2013 season. He was then rehired as the offensive line coach in 2016 before retiring for the second time after the 2019 season.
Being inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame isn’t the only honor that Scarnecchia has received recently. In March he was selected to receive an Award of Excellence from the Pro Football Hall of Fame and will be honored in a ceremony in Canton, Ohio in June.
NFL Draft Expert Predicts New England Patriots Draft Quarterback in First Round
With Mac Jones‘ status in New England appearing more and more unstable, one NFL Draft expert believes that the Patriots could select a quarterback in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein projected the Patriots to draft Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson with the 14th overall pick in his latest mock draft.
“There’s reportedly tension between Bill Belichick and Mac Jones,” Zierlein wrote. “In this scenario, the Patriots look to deal Jones for a draft pick and choose to develop the dynamic but raw Richardson.”
Zierlein is a big fan of Richardson and even believes his NFL comparison is Cam Newton.
Richardson’s frame, arm talent and mobility will demand respect as a potential first-round option,” Zierlein wrote. “He has the ability to make plays on the move that very few of his NFL peers will be able to make.
In 2022, Richardson threw for 2,549 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions per Sports Reference.
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Former Assistant Coach Named to Patriots Hall of Fame