National Football League star Adam Vinatieri definitely got everyone’s attention on Wednesday when he announced he’s retiring after 24 seasons in the league.
“By Friday, if paperwork goes in, you heard it here first,” the 48-year-old kicker shared during the “Pat McAfee Show” about his plans to retire, according to ESPN. (RELATED: Adam Vinatieri Signs One-Year Deal With The Indianapolis Colts)
WATCH:
BREAKING: An announcement from THE NFL’S ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER, 4X SUPER BOWL CHAMPION, FUTURE HALL OF FAMER, & THE LIVING LEGEND..
THE @adamvinatieri #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/iYWPFChZ0A
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 26, 2021
The NFL’s all-time leading scorer shared the news with McAfee — his former Indianapolis Colts teammate — that he was stepping away from the game after winning four Super Bowls, three with New England and one with the Colts. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
During his career, Vinatieri made 29 winning game kicks, three of those for the Patriots from 1996-2005, ESPN noted. He also scored 2,673 points for both of those teams.
Breaking: Adam Vinatieri, the NFL’s all-time scoring leader, announced Wednesday on the “Pat McAfee Show” that he’s retiring after 24 seasons. pic.twitter.com/0t0kOlGXuh
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 26, 2021
Vinatieri’s former teammate, Reggie Wayne, learned of the news and paid tribute to him on social media, calling him the “G.O.A.T.”
“People use the term G.O.A.T. loosely these days,” Wayne tweeted. “But @adamvinatieri is truly a [goat]. Congrats on your retirement bro. It was a pleasure to sit back and watch #greatness for many years.”
People use the term G.O.A.T. loosely these days. But @adamvinatieri is truly a . Congrats on your retirement bro. It was a pleasure to sit back and watch #greatness for many years. #Automatic #colts @Colts pic.twitter.com/5Ql8K0pG0s
— Reggie Wayne (@ReggieWayne_17) May 26, 2021
Vinatieri didn’t play in the league last season after going out on injured reserve in December 2019 for a knee injury that started in training camp, according to ESPN.