Patriots owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick were on hand in Canton, Ohio as one of the greatest receivers in NFL history was officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Belichick and Kraft surprised Randy Moss with a visit to Canton #PFHOF18 pic.twitter.com/wqO4Bvr6tI
— Cris Carter (@criscarter80) August 5, 2018
And yes, Carter confirmed, The Hooded One was wearing flip-flops for the occasion.
As for his induction speech, Moss saved his reflections on his transcendent time in New England for last...
(2/2) "You showed me how much I loved the game. You challenegd me every day to go out here and be great. You challenged me to be great, coach. And I'm sorry we did not bring it home, coach. All those individual awards don't really mean a thing to me. Football is a team sport."
— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) August 5, 2018
“I received a letter from you, telling me what you had learned from me and what an inspiration I was to you. Coach, that uplifted me so much. You have no idea, because I was down and out. I wanted to leave the game. Scar, you talked me back into the game.” https://t.co/HAQJOSaaRt
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 5, 2018
Randy Moss thanked the Kraft family for “ignoring the noise” and welcoming him with open arms. As he mentioned the late Myra Kraft, and how she shook his hand to say how happy she was to have him in New England, the emotion from Robert Kraft during the speech was palpable.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 5, 2018
The pride of Rand University is most fondly remembered for his first seven seasons with the Minnesota Vikings (1998-2004), but what he did in his first season in New England in 2007 may never be replicated. Arriving in Foxboro on a bargain after two sleepy seasons with the Oakland Raiders, Moss promptly set the NFL landscape aflame with a single-season record 23 touchdown receptions as the Patriots became the first team to complete a 16-0 regular season, before falling to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII in one of the biggest upsets in the game's history.