Adam Vinatieri was one of five NFL legends officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, joining Drew Brees, Roger Craig, Larry Fitzgerald and Luke Kuechly in the Class of 2026.
Each man took their turn at the podium to accept the honor and thank those who helped them along their football journey. Vinatieri also decided to dedicate a few minutes of his speech to roasting those same people.
“Pat McAfee is here in the crowd today,” Vinatieri said after giving Peyton Manning a jab about the size of his forehead. “Great to see you, brother. The only person who enjoyed holding my balls more than my wife.” He paused to let the laughs come in before clarifying, “She held for me in the offseason when everyone else was gone. Get that right.”
The joke got a solid reaction from McAfee, Vinatieri’s wife and the crowd.
Adam Vinatieri shouts out Pat McAfee 😭
“The only person who enjoyed holding my balls more than my wife” pic.twitter.com/3mbOiadS4G
— betr (@betr) August 8, 2026
Vinatieri wasn’t done there. He also had jokes for his former coach Bill Belichick.
“Unfortunately, Bill couldn’t make it here today — there’s a lot going on at UNC right now,” Vinatieri said. “He may be on a recruiting trip right now looking for the next Lawrence Taylor. I thought it was because training camp had already started. But in truth, it’s because he’s judging his girlfriend’s cheerleading competition.
Adam Vinatieri roasted Bill Belichick in his Hall of Fame speech 😭 pic.twitter.com/DmDnXcdLbP
— PrizePicks (@PrizePicks) August 8, 2026
As Vinatieri noted, Belichick was not in attendance and thus did not have the chance to comment on the jokes, but McAfee had nothing but praise for his former teammate.
“I think the coolest part is Adam getting the chance to kind of take the flowers in,” McAfee said. “As a kicker, I don’t think you ever expect to make it to the Hall of Fame, because that’s just how it is. I think he understands the importance of the other positions, but I think everybody that has ever been a teammate of his understands the importance of having Adam Vinatieri on your team. He’s a legend. He’s a GOAT. He’s the gold standard.”
I just caught up with @PatMcAfeeShow in Canton.
No way he was missing Adam Vinatieri enshrinement in @ProFootballHOF
“He’s a legend. He’s the goat. He’s the gold standard.” @WISHNews8 | @wrtv pic.twitter.com/S0ZJLPrDCd
— Anthony Calhoun 📺 (@ACwishtv) August 8, 2026
Vinatieri is just the third exclusive kicker to be named to the Hall of Fame, joining Jan Stenerud and Morten Anderson. Several other players who kicked for their teams are also in the Hall, but their kicks came in an era when players played multiple positions. A Super Bowl champion four times over — three with the Patriots and one with the Colts — Vinatieri has a solid claim as the most clutch kicker in NFL history.
While your mileage may vary on Vinatieri’s take on humor, with five NFL legends giving heartfelt speeches about a life dedicated to the game of football, throwing in a few jokes is an admirable effort even if not every one of them lands.
About Tyler Lauletta
Tyler is a editorial contributor at Awful Announcing, with previous stops at Sports Illustrated and Business Insider during his career covering sports in digital media. He is, begrudgingly, a Truster of the Process and general Philly sports sicko.