Dante Scarnecchia Induction into New England Patriots Hall of Fame: 'Thank You'
FOXBORO — Perhaps there is no greater professional compliment a coach can receive than to be called "one of the greatest of all time" by the person to whom he ultimately reported for 24 of his 49 years on the bench.
Such was the case on Saturday as longtime New England Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia took his rightful place among the franchise's coaching elite under the praise of team owner and CEO Robert Kraft.
“Dante set a standard of professionalism, which in my opinion is second to none.” Kraft said of Scarnecchia. " He is the longest tenured and most respected assistant coach in franchise history.”
The 75-year-old was enshrined as the 33rd member, and just the fourth contributor to the Patriots Hall of Fame in a weekend ceremony forced indoors to the Gillette Stadium's Cross Pavilion due to inclement weather.
Still, the steady rain falling across the Southern New England skies could not dampen the warmth shown to a coach who pushed his players to the best of their ability. Accordingly, he relayed his gratitude all who made this day possible.
"Today is all about the words 'thank you,'" Scarnecchia said, while adding that his wife of nearly 50 years, Linda, would have qualified for "48 Pro Bowls" had there been an all-star game for coaches' wives.
Amid the love and admiration he expressed for his family and friends, Scarnecchia acknowledged his appreciation for the coaches and players with which he worked throughout his near 50-year coaching career. From current Patriots Trent Brown and David Andrews to former Pats linemen Dan Koppen, Sebastian Vollmer and fellow Patriots Hall of Famer Matt Light, Scarnecchia had a pointed and thankful message for each of his former pupils — each of which were in attendance to honor the gritty, yet cerebral coach who helped to shape the course of their respective careers.
"Thank you for being attentive. Thank you for buying in. Thank you for hard work in the meeting room and on the practice field. Thank you for practicing like winners and playing like champions. Thank you for establishing and maintaining a culture that was conducive to winning."
New England Patriots Coaches Dante Scarnecchia (left) and Bill Belichick
Lastly, Scarnecchia paid tribute to Patriots fans, many of which watched the franchise fixture receive his honors from home. While the weather may have prevented the majority of them from joining in on the festivities, the legendary coach reminded Patriots Nation that they will forever hold a special place in his heart.
"I want to address Patriots fans," Scarnecchia said with a smile. "I've always defined Patriots fans as hard but fair. If we play out there and we stink it up they boo like hell, and they have a right to. If we play good, they cheer really good. And when we win the championship, there's a half million of them in Boston yelling like crazy."
Scarnecchia — a six-time Super-Bowl champion who had previously retired after the 2013 season and returned in 2016 — has rightfully earned his place as one of the Patriots most respected and revered coaches in franchise history.
Throughout his 49-year tenure, Scarnecchia coached at his alma mater, California Western, and made stops at Iowa State, Pacific, Northern Arizona and Southern Methodist before joining Ron Meyer’s Patriots staff in 1982. He later spent two seasons as offensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts under Meyer, and landed back in New England under Dick MacPherson in 1991.
With the Patriots, Scarnecchia held the titles of special teams coach, tight ends coach, special assistant and defensive assistant. He’d be named offensive line coach in 1999, and remained in that capacity following Bill Belichick’s arrival as head coach at the start of the millennium. He was officially on Belichick’s staff for five Super Bowl winning teams, earning his sixth ring while serving as a consultant on the 2014 (Super Bowl XLIX) squad.
In 2015, Scarnecchia received the Pro Football Writers of America’s Paul ‘Dr. Z’ Zimmerman Award — named for the late, longtime Sports Illustrated writer — recognizing his lifetime achievement as an NFL assistant coach.
In June, Scarnecchia was honored as a recipient of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Awards of Excellence for his contributions to the NFL, and the game, as a whole.
