The 7 Greatest New England Patriots Players of All-Time

The New England Patriots have had many players represent them throughout the history of the franchise. Several of them have become NFL Hall of Fame players, allowing them to stake their claim as all-time legends. Although Tom Brady was drafted in the sixth round of the NFL Draft, his impact on the franchise will never be matched. Some of the other Patriot greats may not have the glory of Super Bowl victories, but had solid careers and endeared themselves to the loyal New England fans. In this article, we have a list of who we consider to be the 7 greatest New England Patriots of all time.

Tom Brady 

In 2000, Brady was one of many lower round NFL draft picks that was an afterthought. Few could have projected that he would enjoy the incredible career that he did. He will go down as the Greatest Of All Time, leading the Patriots to six Super Bowl wins. Many of the great Patriots players were not fortunate enough to win even a single Super Bowl, while Brady has one seven in all (including one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers).  

Brady has a legacy all of his own and statistics that will likely never be beat. Aside from the Super Bowls, he compiled 89,214 passing yards and a staggering 649 touchdown passes. Patriots fans can count themselves lucky that they got to see one of the all-time greats play for their team for two decades. 


John Hannah 

While Hannah never earned a Super Bowl championship, he was considered one of the best offensive linemen of his era. He played his entire 13-year NFL career with the Patriots and would go down as one of the best players  in franchise history. Hannah was a seven-time All-Pro and a nine-time Pro Bowler, and in 1991 he became the first Patriots player named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  


Rob Gronkowski 

In the 2010s, Rob Gronkowski proved to be a crucial offensive weapon for the success of the New England Patriots. Brady would grab the glory, but Gronkowski allowed him to excel. The two worked in tandem to push the team to greatness and seemed to have a telepathic understanding. 

In the NFL playoffs, the Brady-Gronkowski tandem would go on to set the record for most touchdowns, making them arguably the greatest quarterback-pass catcher duo in the history of the NFL. Gronkowski's individual statistics make him one of the all-time great NFL tight ends with 80 touchdowns and 7,861 receiving yards. 


Andre Tippett 

You cannot have a list of the greatest Patriots players without including Andre Tippett. He played his entire 11-year career with the Patriots, and although he only played in one Super Bowl and did not win, he was well respected as one of the NFL's best linebackers, especially in his prime in the 1980s.  

Tippett holds the Patriots franchise record with 100 career sacks, along with 19 recovered fumbles, and made 5 Pro Bowl appearances. He was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.  


Adam Vinatieri 

In terms of kickers, few come close to Adam Vinatieri in terms of their legacy in NFL history. Not only are his career statistics impressive, but he has had many clutch kicks at crucial times in games. It is fair to say that the New England Patriots were pretty much guaranteed points whenever Vinatieri lined up to kick due to how accurate he was.  

In three Super Bowls with the Patriots, the points from Vinatieri were key in deciding the games. As time expired in Super Bowl XXXVI, he drilled home a field goal from 48 yards to win the game. In the final seconds of Super Bowl XXXVIII, in virtually the same situation, he kicked the game winner to beat the Eagles, the first of back-to-back Super Bowl wins. Vinatieri handled the pressure and nailed it when it counted. 


Wes Welker 

As a wide receiver, Wes Welker played a key role during his tenure with New England. His stunning productivity meant an average of 112 catches each season. No wonder then that he earned a Pro Bowl nod in each one of his last five campaigns for the Patriots. Despite only playing six seasons with the Patriots, he still holds the team record for receptions.


Ty Law 

After ten seasons with the New England Patriots, Ty Law had cemented his reputation. Law was a crucial part of the first three Patriots Super Bowl victories. During his 10 years with the team, he caught 36 interceptions, running back six of them for touchdowns. However, it was the physical side of his game that proved most valuable with 537 solo tackles.  

Law was well respected by his own fans as well as others in the game. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. In Super Bowl XXXVI, he intercepted a pass and ran it back for a touchdown, earning his place in Super Bowl lore as the Patriots beat the Rams. Ty Law would go down as one of the greatest cornerbacks in NFL, and was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019. 


Summary 

The New England Patriots have had their share of all-time NFL greats on their roster, including the greatest of all time, Tom Brady. These players helped build a winning program and left a lasting legacy for future players to reach for.