The Hall of Fame career of former Patriots and Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri had many highlights. Nearly all of them were memorable and important kicks.
He had another one — he tackled Herschel Walker.
Walker was returning a kick during a December 1996 game between the Cowboys and Patriots. Walker fielded the kick, weaved through traffic, broke to the left sideline, and was gone.
Making Vinatieri’s tackle more impressive was the fact that he didn’t have an angle on Walker. Vinatieri chased Walker down from behind once Walker had a clear path to paydirt.
“That’s probably the most athletic moment,” Vinatieri said on Thursday night’s Hall of Fame Game pregame show when asked where the Herschel tackle ranks among Vinatieri’s top career highlights. “I think that one probably shocks more people than any kick. . . . I think I earned a little bit of respect from my teammates when that happened.”
On the day Vinatieri becomes the third kicker to be immortalized in Canton, it’s worth remembering the time he chased down a guy who entered pro football with the presumption that he’d be getting a bronze bust, too.
