‘InVINCEible’ Wilfork Takes Rightful Place in Patriots Hall of Fame
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FOXBORO — On a seemingly ordinary Tuesday in May 2022, New England Patriots legend Vince Wilfork awoke to a missed call from a 508 area code.
While Wifork may have had a hunch as to the reason behind the call from the New England area, it was not until he returned it that he discovered the call to have come from Patriots CEO and Chairman Robert Kraft.
Once Kraft’s assistant had transferred the call to Wilfork, the Pats owner informed his former star defensive lineman that he had been voted by the fans as the 32nd inductee into the Patriots Hall of Fame. It was a call which Wilfork had hoped to receive his entire career, and also one for which he was most grateful.
On Saturday, 130 days after receiving Kraft’s phone call, Wilfork finally took his rightful place among the franchise’s greatest players.
"In a word: Wilfork was simply in-VINCE-ible," Kraft said as he introduced Wilfork to the robust crowd gathered on the Enel Plaza just outside the Patriots Hall of Fame. The sizable roar emanating from the scores of Patriots fans agreeing with Kraft’s statement only cemented the fact that Wilfork deserved each and every accolade bestowed upon him.
Having joined the Patriots as the 21st overall selection in the 2004 NFL Draft, ‘Big Vince’ played 11 seasons with New England. Wilfork helped the Patriots to two Super Bowl victories, while earning five Pro Bowl selections, four combined All-Pro selections and a place on the franchise’s 50th anniversary roster. He had served as a seven-time team captain during his New England tenure.
On the field, Wilfork was a force. Whether likened to an irresistible force, or perhaps an immovable object, he frequently drew the attention of multiple offensive linemen and blockers. In fact, Patriots coach Bill Belichick often referred to Wilfork as ‘unblockable’ due to the frequency with which he encountered the double-team.
Still, Wilfork saw his time on the gridiron as simply doing his job.
"As a player I never really thought about being a Hall of Famer.” Wilfork said as he accepted his induction. “I just thought about playing football.”
Along with quarterback Tom Brady, Wilfork holds the distinction of being only one of two players able to bridge the team’s pair of championship eras. He won his first championship ring as a rookie in 2004 [defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX] and his second in the Pats’ victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. Wilfork is keenly aware that success if this type is not easy to achieve.
"We made [winning] look so easy that I think sometimes people forget, winning is hard,” Wilford said with a grin.
In addition to his prowess on the field, Wilfork has also been a regional fan favorite. As a result of the team’s unprecedented success, Wilfork has been able to share his talents and enthusiasm for the game with generations of Patriots fans throughout his career.
It was a journey he came close to abandoning before even taking an NFL snap.
During his 2002 season at the University of Miami, Wilfork’s parents tragically passed away within six months of each other. The sudden grief overwhelmed him, and made him consider walking away from the game of football. Wilfork ultimately decided to continue his dream of playing in the pros; a choice he emotionally recounted during his speech on Saturday.
"The more I thought about it, the more I came to my senses, and I picked my career back up,” Wilfork said as he struggled to keep his composure. “Fast forward, I got drafted with the first pick and I came to New England …
"I can't tell you how many times I left the practice field or left the game torn up inside. I get a chance to walk past my teammates and have their families … their mom, their dad, their brother, their sisters, and wives, and I'm hurting inside because I don't have my mother and father here to enjoy this life with me."
Despite the pain, Wilfork soon realized that the Patriots organization and its fans had provided him with a different type of family. The connections he has forged with his former teammates, coaches and fans within the region has given him comfort for which he is truly grateful and eager to reciprocate.
Unsurprisingly, the bond between player and team owner was particularly strong. As Wilfork watched from the dais, Kraft recalled their first meeting and his admiring the defensive tackle’s locket which contained the wedding photo of his late parents. When the health of Kraft’s late wife Myra began to decline, Wilfork gave him a similar locket, containing his and Myra’s wedding photo.
Kraft wore that same locket during Wilfork’s ceremony on Saturday.
New England Patriots Hall of Fame Inductee Vince Wilfork, Sept. 24, 2022.
Cred: Patriots.com
Looking sharp in his red Hall of Fame jacket, and grinning from ear-to-ear, Wilfork concluded his remarks by expressing his appreciation for the New England ‘family’ which embraced him since the moment he first donned a Patriots jersey.
"When you look at who I am as a person, what I've accomplished, you guys are not just fans to me. You are my family. I worked hard my whole life. I had the greatest teammates ever, the greatest fans, and the greatest coach ever. I want to thank everyone. Everyone is my family," Wilfork said.
In turn, Wilfork’s Patriots 'family’ returned the sentiment, through their cheers and unwavering support. They will do so once again on Sunday when Wilfork is honored during halftime of New England’s Week 3 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
However, it was fitting that the ceremony’s crescendo was provided by Belichick, for whom he played for more than a decade.
"As great of a player as he was, and he was great, he's even greater as a person and as a leader,” Belichick said of Wilfork. “You are truly not only a Hall of Famer, but you're one of the captains of this Hall-of-Fame team."
In the final analysis, Wilfork’s greatness is not to be determined by individual accomplishments, accolades, or even the evaluation of his coach. Rather, his desire to win, to lead and to perform at the highest level is what has made him a Patriots Hall-of-Famer.
As such, he may forever wear his red jacket with pride.
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