Former Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri has reached pro football's pinnacle, while wide receiver Reggie Wayne finds himself waiting, once again.
The most prolific scorer in NFL history is making his way to football immortality.
On Thursday night, during the NFL Honors, it was announced that former Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri is among the five members of the 2026 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Vinatieri joins quarterback Drew Brees, senior inductee running back Roger Craig, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and linebacker Luke Kuechly. The group will officially be inducted later this summer during Hall-of-Fame weekend in Canton, Ohio.
Vinatieri is Canton-bound in his second year of eligibility after earning finalist status last year, which grandfathered him in as a finalist this year.
An argument could be made that Vinatieri, the NFL's all-time leading scorer (2,673 points), had two Hall-of-Fame careers; first with the New England Patriots (1996-2005) and then with the Colts (2006-2019).
Vinatieri won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and another with the Colts, for a total of four. He was a three-time First-Team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler. He was a member of the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Along with leading NFL history in points, Vinatieri is the league's all-time leader in field goals made (599) and attempted (715), consecutive field goals made (44), and overtime field goals (11), among numerous other marks.
Colts owner & CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon released a statement about Vinatieri following the news:
“Adam Vinatieri is one of the most accomplished athletes football or any other sport has ever seen, and he is unequivocally the greatest kicker in NFL history. His iconic, game-winning kicks, his multitude of league records, and his amazing longevity are legendary, and now, they have rightly earned him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We send our congratulations to Adam and his family, and we can’t wait to join with Colts Nation in celebrating this phenomenal achievement."
Unfortunately for the Colts, as Vinatieri made the cut, wide receiver Reggie Wayne must wait, once again, despite being eligible since 2020.
At the time he retired in 2015, Wayne was seventh in NFL history in receptions (1,070), eighth in receiving yards (14,345), and 22nd in receiving touchdowns (82). He's one of just nine players in NFL history with 1,000-plus catches, 14,000-plus receiving yards, and 80-plus receiving touchdowns (h/t Garrison Carr).
The numbers are even more rare when you consider the postseason. He retired with his 93 playoff receptions ranking second only to Jerry Rice (151). Wayne's 1,254 receiving yards were fourth, and his nine receiving touchdowns were tied for seventh.
Wayne has played the most games in Colts franchise history (211), and he ranks second to Marvin Harrison in essentially every receiving category.
Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL.