Seymour, Harrison, Vrabel Announced As Finalists For Patriots Hall Of Fame
BOSTON (CBS) -- It's getting more and more difficult to select just one inductee into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame. This year's vote may be the toughest yet.
Richard Seymour and Mike Vrabel are back on the ballot, with hard-hitting safety Rodney Harrison joining the mix this year. The three were teammates who helped bring multiple Super Bowl titles to New England in the early 2000s, making for a rather difficult vote for Patriots fans.
Fans can vote for who they think should be the 29th person enshrined in the Hall of Fame online through May 3, and the Patriots will this year's inductee the following week.
Seymour (2001-08) spent eight of his 12 NFL seasons along the Patriots defensive line, playing an important role in delivering six division titles, four conference crowns and three Super Bowl championships to New England. He was named to five straight Pro Bowls and earned three first team All-Pro honors in a Patriots uniform, playing in five Super Bowls with the team. He helped anchor a New England defense that allowed an average of 17.8 points per game. In 2009, Seymour was voted to the Patriots 50th Anniversary Team and the 2000s All-Decade Team.
Vrabel (2001-08) joined the Patriots ahead of the 2001 season and is considered one of the best free agent signings ever by the team. After spending his first four seasons primarily as a special teams player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Vrabel put together an eight-year stint with the Patriots where he played a major role in their dynastic run from 2001-2004. In addition to showing versatility as both an inside and outside linebacker, Vrabel also had a special role on offense. He caught eight regular-season passes and two more in the playoffs with the Patriots, and all 10 of those receptions went for touchdowns, including scores in back-to-back Super Bowl wins over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXVIII and Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.
Vrabel's 48 career sacks with the team are the seventh-most in franchise history. Like Seymour, he was voted to the Patriots 50th Anniversary Team and the 2000s All-Decade Team in 2009.
Harrison (2003-08) had already made a name for himself with the San Diego Chargers before coming to New England in 2003, and he fit in immediately with his new team. He was a key piece to New England's back-to-back Super Bowls in 2003 and 2004, and had seven interceptions in his nine playoff games with the Patriots, including two in their Super Bowl XXXIX victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Harrison is the all-time leader in sacks by a defensive back with 30.5 over his 15-year career, including nine during his time with the Patriots. He is the only defensive back in NFL history with 30 sacks and 30 interceptions, with eight of those picks coming during his Patriots career. Harrison was voted a team captain in each of his six seasons with the Patriots.
Vrabel has been a finalist each of the last four years, while Seymour has been a finalist in each of his three years of his Patriots Hall of Fame eligibility.
This year's inductee will enshrined with Leon Gray, who was selected for induction by the 10-person senior selection committee in April. The date of the 2019 Hall of Fame ceremony, which is free to the public and usually held outside of the Patriots Hall of Fame, will be announced in the near future.