Logan Mankins, Bill Parcells, Mike Vrabel selected as finalists for Patriots Hall of Fame
BOSTON -- The New England Patriots announced the three finalists for induction into the team hall of fame on Thursday, with former head coach Bill Parcells, former linebacker Mike Vrabel, and former guard Logan Mankins being selected by the voting committee.
Fans will now vote to determine which former Patriot will earn enshrinement.
Parcells only coached the Patriots for four seasons (1993-96), but he's largely credited with establishing credibility with the Patriots in the football world, after the franchise had gone 14-50 over the four seasons prior to Parcells' hiring in 1993. Though his departure after a Super Bowl berth at the end of the 1996 season was messy, Parcells coached the Patriots to two winning seasons and a 2-2 playoff record.
Mankins is the rare nine-year Patriot during the 2000s who didn't win a Super Bowl, as he was drafted in 2005 and was traded away before the 2014 season. During his nine seasons in Foxboro, though, he was as reliable as they come, earning six Pro Bowl selections and six All-Pro honors. He played in 130 regular-season games and 17 postseason games during his career, earning a psot on the Patriots' 50th Anniversary Team.
Vrabel won three Super Bowls with the Patriots after joining the team from Pittsburgh in 2001. In 125 games over eight seasons in New England, Vrabel recorded 48 sacks, 11 interceptions, 13 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, one defensive touchdown, and 606 total tackles. In 17 playoff games, he had eight sacks with three forced fumbles and 84 total tackles. He also worked as a secret weapon at tight end for Tom Brady, catching 10 passes (all touchdowns) in his regular-season career while also catching two more passes (both touchdowns) in two Super Bowls.
Mankins is a Patriots Hall of Fame finalist for the second straight season, while Vrabel is a finalist for the seventh straight year. Parcells was not a finalist last year, but this marks his fifth time being selected as a finalist. Last year, Vince Wilfork was selected as the inductee.
Voting will be open at Patriots.com/HOF through May 2. The winner will be announced later that week, and the induction will take place later in the summer, with former assistant coach Dante Scarnecchia already slated to be inducted as a contributor.
