The Top 5 New England Patriots Players Ever

When it comes to the NFL and American football, the New England Patriots are one of the most decorated teams in history, winning 6 Super Bowls and 11 AFC Championships. Without a doubt there have been specific players that served the Patriots, helping them become the legacy team they are today.

You might’ve heard of most of these players before, considering we think they’re the best, but in this article, we’ll outline the top 5 New England Patriots players ever, including who they were, how long they played for, what position they played, and what their stats are like.

5. John Hannah – Offensive Guard (1973 – 1985)

Widely considered not just the best offensive guard for the Patriots, but perhaps the greatest offensive lineman of all time. In his 183 games played, he’d start all 183 with 10 fumble recoveries, 1 resulting in a touchdown. He’d play in 9 Pro Bowls, make 10 All-Pro selections, win NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year 4 times, and win the Super Bowl in 1985. With stats like these, there’s no doubt Hannah was one of the most special offensive linemen to grace the sport.

4. Adam Vinatieri – Kicker (1996 – 2005)

Adam Vinatieri is easily the best kicker to ever join the New England Patriots. In his 365 total games, he’d attempt 715 field goals, making a whopping 599 of them. In terms of conversion, that’s an 83.7% success rate between the posts. Even more impressive is his 898 extra point attempts to which he made 874 of them! It’s almost like he never missed, giving him the nickname “Automatic Adam”, where he’d make the NFL All-Pros and NFL Pro-Bowlers on three separate occasions.

3. Vince Wilfork – Defensive Tackle (2004 – 2014)

Vince Wilfork was a legendary defensive tackle for the Patriots who played 158 total games while battling a major Achilles tendon injury. In his 10 years of service, he’d commit 16 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions, and 516 total tackles all to protect the legendary Tom Brady. Of those 516 tackles, 366 were solo tackles, showcasing Wilfork could easily get the job done on defense. In the end, he’d retire with 5 Pro Bowls, 1 All-Pro, and 2 Super Bowl trophies.

2. Wes Welker – Wide Receiver (2007 – 2012)

Welker began his career with the New England Patriots in 2007, serving the team for 5 seasons while also acting as one of Brady’s high-priority targets, and for good reason. He’d make 672 receptions for a total of 7,459 yards while averaging 11 yards per reception throughout his career. In addition to all this, he’d score 37 touchdowns for the Patriots which over just 5 seasons is truly incredible! In addition to his 5 Pro Bowl selections, he’d set the franchise record for receptions and is only 1 of 12 players to score a 99-yard touchdown. Despite all this, Welker would never achieve a Super Bowl with the Patriots.

1. Tom Brady – Quarterback (2000 – 2019)

If you’re wondering why Brady is at the top of this list, maybe you’re looking for a different article entirely. Playing a total of 285 games for the Patriots, absolutely no player will be remembered more than the legendary quarterback known as Tom Brady. Totaling 6,377 completions, Brady averaged 319 completed receptions a season, truly one of the highest statistics in the NFL to date ending with a 63.8% completion rate. He’d showcase one of the highest quarterback reception yards, totaling 74,571 thrown yards for the Patriots alone, helping the team score a whopping 541 touchdowns. In addition to everything, Brady propelled the Patriots to 6 Super Bowl wins, 9 AFC wins and 17 AFC East titles. It may not be the most original choice, but you really can’t look anywhere else for the best Patriot of all time.