Adam Matthew Vinatieri (born December 28, 1972) is an American former professional football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Vinatieri is the NFL's all-time leading scorer at 2,673 points, in addition to holding the NFL records for field goals made (599), postseason points (238), and overtime field goals made (12). He is considered one of the greatest placekickers of all time.
Vinatieri joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 1996, where he played for 10 seasons, and was a member of the Colts for 14 seasons. A four-time Super Bowl winner – three with the Patriots and one with the Colts – Vinatieri has the most Super Bowl wins for a kicker. He is also the only player to score 1,000 points for two different franchises. Retiring in 2021 after a year in free agency, Vinatieri was the last active player in the NFL whose career began in the 1990s.
Celebrated for his kicking accuracy and success under pressure, Vinatieri completed several of the most crucial field goals in NFL history. During the 2001–02 NFL playoffs, he converted the game-tying and winning kicks of New England's AFC Divisional Playoff game in blizzard conditions and the game-winning kick in the final seconds of Super Bowl XXXVI, earning the Patriots their first championship. Vinatieri would again convert a final-second kick to win Super Bowl XXXVIII, establishing himself as a key contributor of the Patriots' dynasty. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026.
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Early life
Vinatieri was born in Yankton, South Dakota, on December 28, 1972, the second child of four children to Paul Vinatieri and Judy M. (Goeken). His father is of Italian descent and his other ancestry includes German and English. His younger brother Beau was a kicker at Black Hills State University before graduating in 2003.
When Vinatieri was five years old, his family moved to Rapid City, South Dakota. As a child, he struggled to read and enrolled in classes for children with learning disabilities. Vinatieri attended Central High School in Rapid City and was a letterman in football, wrestling, basketball, soccer, and track. In football, he earned first-team All-State honors as a senior. He graduated from Central High School in 1991. Before starting as a kicker, Vinatieri was a quarterback and middle linebacker. When asked in 2005, several years into his NFL career, why he no longer played one of those positions once he reached college, he replied, "I'm 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, and unfortunately the linebackers aren't that small, and neither are the quarterbacks."
College career
Vinatieri received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, but was only there for two weeks before deciding to return home, where he then enrolled at South Dakota State University. He was a four-year letterman there as a kicker and punter and he finished his collegiate career as the school's all-time leading scorer with 185 career points as well as being awarded first-team all-conference honors in each of his seasons.
Professional career
Amsterdam Admirals
After going undrafted in the 1995 NFL draft, Vinatieri received some interest from Canadian Football League teams but decided to keep training for an NFL career. In February 1996, he was selected by the Amsterdam Admirals of the World League of American Football (WLAF) in the 14th round of the 1996 WLAF draft. Vinatieri played in all ten games for the Admirals during the 1996 WLAF season, punting 41 times for 1,612 yards (39.3 average) while also converting nine of 10 field goals and four of four extra points.
New England Patriots
After the WLAF season ended, Vinatieri signed with the New England Patriots on June 28, 1996. In order to become their starting kicker, he had to compete with 17-year veteran Matt Bahr. Bahr at first seemed to be the favorite. He had a long history with Patriots coach Bill Parcells, including a Super Bowl win under Parcells in the 1990 season. However, Parcells ultimately made the decision to cut Bahr during the preseason and go with Vinatieri, mainly because Bahr was no longer capable of efficiently performing kickoffs.
In his rookie season, Vinatieri chased down and tackled Dallas Cowboys returner Herschel Walker on a kickoff, leading Parcells to tell his rookie kicker "You're not a kicker—you're a football player." In Week 4, Vinatieri converted five of six field goal attempts against the Jacksonville Jaguars, to earn AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. He converted the 40-yard game-winning field goal in overtime of the 28–25 victory. He finished his rookie season converting 39 of 42 extra point tries and 27 of 35 field goal attempts. His first Super Bowl appearance was in his rookie season of 1996 when he played with the Patriots in their 35–21 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI. All-Pro and game MVP Desmond Howard's Super Bowl-record 99-yard touchdown return ended the Patriots' bid for a comeback. The game would mark the only Super Bowl defeat of Vinatieri's career (he did not play in the Colts' loss in Super Bowl XLIV due to injury). Vinatieri was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team.
In Week 7 of the 1997 season, Vinatieri won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after converting all three extra point tries and all four field goal attempts in the 33–6 victory over the Buffalo Bills. In the 1997 season, Vinatieri converted all 40 extra point attempts and 25 of 29 field goal attempts as the Patriots went 10–6 and earned a playoff berth. He was responsible for scoring all of the Patriots' points with two field goals in their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional Round.
In Week 5 of the 1998 season, Vinatieri converted three extra point and three field goals tries in the 30–27 victory over the New Orleans Saints. His last field goal attempt was a 27-yarder with six seconds remaining to put the Patriots in position to win the game. He earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his game against New Orleans. The Saints game was the beginning of a month for Vinatieri where he won AFC Special Teams Player of the Month. He finished the 1998 season converting all 32 extra point attempts and 31 of 39 field goal attempts.
Indianapolis Colts
After the 2005 season, the Patriots chose not to place their franchise tag on Vinatieri as they had the year before, allowing him to become a free agent. He had met with the Green Bay Packers, but was set on signing in either a warm-weather climate or a team that played home games in a dome. On March 22, 2006, Vinatieri signed with the Indianapolis Colts, replacing Mike Vanderjagt, who signed with the Dallas Cowboys. Vinatieri was signed to a five-year contract and received a $3.5 million signing bonus.
"When the Colts called, I told my agent, 'Let's not screw around,'" said Vinatieri, in his first extensive comments regarding his departure from New England. "I told him, 'If Indy is interested, let's get this done.'" Vinatieri said he has no regrets about not giving the Patriots a chance to counter the offer.
With the Colts, Vinatieri had been a perfect 10-of-10 in kicks in the RCA Dome. He finished the 2006 season converting all 38 extra point attempts and 25 of 28 field goal attempts. He won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performances in Week 1 against the New York Giants and Week 8 against the Denver Broncos. In the Divisional Round, Vinatieri kicked five field goals in the Colts' 15–6 upset of the favored Baltimore Ravens.
The Colts reached Super Bowl XLI after defeating the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. It was Vinatieri's fifth Super Bowl appearance, and his first with the Colts. The Colts defeated the Chicago Bears 29–17. Chicago rookie Devin Hester returned Vinatieri's opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Through 2026, it remains the only touchdown return of an opening kickoff in Super Bowl history. All the subsequent kickoffs by Vinatieri were squib kicks directed away from Hester. Vinatieri converted three of four field goal attempts and one of two extra point attempts in the game, the miss when punter/holder Hunter Smith fumbled the snap on the extra-point attempt after the Colts' first offensive touchdown. He missed a 36-yard kick wide left at the end of the first half—the third time he had missed a kick in the Super Bowl. Super Bowl XLI was Vinatieri's fourth Super Bowl victory.
Vinatieri finished his playoff run with 49 total points and 14 field goals, which both set new league records for one postseason that still stand (Evan McPherson tied his field goal record in the 2021–22 NFL playoffs). Vinatieri also became the first (and so far only) player have three or more field goals in four consecutive postseason games.
Retirement
On May 26, 2021, Vinatieri announced his retirement from the NFL after 24 seasons on the daily radio show of former Colts teammate and punter Pat McAfee. He retired as the NFL's all-time leading scorer, as well as the last active player to have played in the 1990s, and the last to play before Tom Brady. His 365 games were the second most by an NFL player all-time, behind Morten Andersen's 382.
NFL career statistics
Career highlights
Awards and honors
NFL
4× Super Bowl champion (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLI)
6× AFC Champion (1996, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009)
3× First-team All-Pro (2002, 2004, 2014)
3× Pro Bowl (2002, 2004, 2014)
NFL scoring leader (2004)
NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
PFWA All-Rookie Team (1996)
New England Patriots All-1990s Team
New England Patriots All-2000s Team
Indianapolis Colts All-2010s Team
New England Patriots 50th Anniversary Team
New England Patriots All-Dynasty Team
Ranked No. 98 in the Top 100 Players of 2015
First kicker on NFL Top 100 list
5× AFC Special Teams Player of the Month (October 1998, September 1999, November 2004, November 2015, October 2016)
19× AFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 4, 1996; Week 7, 1997; Week 5, 1998; Week 12, 1998; Week 14, 2001; Week 17, 2002; Week 9, 2004; Week 3, 2005; Week 1, 2006; Week 8, 2006; Week 9, 2008; Week 10, 2010; Week 17, 2010; Week 11, 2013, Week 17, 2013; Week 5, 2016; Week 5, 2017; Week 8, 2018; Week 8, 2019)
NFL records
Most points scored: 2,673
Most field goals made: 599
Most field goals attempts: 715
Most consecutive seasons scoring: 24 (1996–2019)
Most regular-season wins by a kicker: 226
Second most regular-season wins by a single player in any position: 226 (behind Tom Brady)
Most seasons with 100+ points: 21 (1996–2008, 2010, 2012–2018)
Most postseason field goals in a career: 56
Most consecutive games in a single postseason with 3+ field goals: 4
Most points in postseason, career: 238
Oldest player to make a 50+ yard field goal: (55 yards) – 46 Years, 303 days.
Oldest player to make 2 or more 50+ yard field goals in a single game: (2) – 46 Years, 303 days.
Oldest player to make a 55+ yard field goal: (55 yards) – 46 Years, 303 days.
Most points in a single postseason: 49
Most field goals in a single postseason: 14 (shared with Evan McPherson)
Most extra points in Super Bowls: 13
Most field goals in overtime: 12
Personal life
Vinatieri grew up in the Black Hills of western South Dakota. His great-great-grandfather was Felix Vinatieri, an Italian immigrant who served as Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer's bandmaster. Vinatieri stated that Custer told Felix Vinatieri to head back to camp instead of going ahead with the regiment to the Battle of the Little Bighorn, a direction that saved his life. Vinatieri is also a third cousin to daredevil Evel Knievel and second cousin to scientist and author Tim Foecke (their mothers are first cousins).
Vinatieri's sister is Christine Erickson, who is currently serving as mayor of Sioux Falls, the largest city in South Dakota. Vinatieri's nephew, Chase, followed in his footsteps as a kicker at South Dakota State.
Vinatieri has an interest in motor racing and co-owns Miller Vinatieri Motorsports with former racing driver Jack Miller, which competes in multiple series in the Road to Indy.
Vinatieri has three kids with his wife, Valarie. One of his sons, A. J., was a kicker and punter at University of Louisville before entering the transfer portal. He played for Lindenwood University during the 2025–26 season.
Vinatieri once starred in a television commercial for the Snickers candy bar with the tagline, "Split the Uprights with Adam Nougatieri."
Vinatieri starred in a FanDuel commercial alongside tight end Rob Gronkowski, in which he coached Gronkowski on how to effectively kick a field goal.