Dante Scarnecchia named to Patriots Hall of Fame
BOSTON -- The most dedicated and successful assistant coach in Patriots history will soon take his place in the team's hall of fame.
The Patriots announced on Thursday that Dante Scarenecchia has been named to the team hall of fame as a lifelong contributor by owner Robert Kraft, thus bypassing the nomination and voting process typically required for entry.
"Dante Scarnecchia is recognized as one of the greatest assistant coaches of all time," Kraft said. "He is the first Patriots assistant coach to receive this honor and I can't think of a more deserving person. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who made greater on-field contributions over his 34 seasons with us, which propelled us to 10 of our 11 Super Bowl appearances and helped us claim five of our six Super Bowl championships. He earned the respect of his fellow coaches and players, many of whom credited Dante for making them the best they could be. I am proud that his legacy will be preserved in our Hall of Fame forever."
The 75-year-old Scarnecchia retired in 2013 but rejoined Bill Belichick's staff in 2016. He retired for good in 2019, ending a one-of-a-kind career in New England. Scarnecchia's tenure in Foxboro began way back in 1982, when he served as the special teams coach and tight ends coach for seven seasons.
He briefly left the organization, working two seasons for the Colts, before returning to New England in 1991. He stayed there for the remainder of his career, working for Bill Parcells, Pete Carroll and then Belichick. After working as the special teams coach, tight ends coach, special assistant, and defensive assistant, Scarnechcia became the team's offensive line coach in 1999. He retained that position when Belichick took over as head coach a year later, with Scarnecchia also being named assistant head coach -- a position he held through his first retirement in 2013.
In total, Scarnecchia spent 34 seasons coaching for the Patriots, and he was the longest-tenured NFL coach when he retired after the 2019 season.
Last month, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that Scarnecchia was receiving an Award of Excellence, and Thursday's news ensures that Scarnecchia's incredible career will be properly celebrated in 2023.
