Richard Seymour 'Ecstatic' To Take Place In Patriots Hall Of Fame
FOXBORO (CBS) -- Richard Seymour arrived in New England in 2001 a 21-year-old kid looking to wreak some havoc in the NFL. He's back in Foxboro this weekend with a few grey hairs in his beard -- and a red jacket -- as the newest member of the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Seymour will be enshrined in The Hall at Patriot Place on Saturday afternoon, a ceremony that you can watch on TV38 and stream online on CBSN at 3 p.m. "Big Sey" was fitted for his red jacket on Friday, and cannot wait to take his place among the greatest to suit up for New England.
"This is a tremendous honor and a part of my legacy. I'm truly ecstatic to be a newly inducted member of the Patriots Hall of Fame," Seymour said Friday. "I'm excited to be here and we're going to have a great time this weekend."
Seymour said that having Bill Belichick -- whom he called the greatest defensive mind ever -- drafting him sixth overall in 2001 was a massive boost to his confidence coming into the league out of Georgia. Belichick said Friday that "everything" about Seymour made him a unique player.
"Richard was a tremendous player. He had a tremendous skill set. He had great length, was explosive. Very quick for his size. He could do everything," said Belichick.
"He had a lot of roles and played in a lot of different situations," the Patriots head coach continued. "We won a lot of games with him. He was a great player. He certainly deserves to be in the Patriots Hall of Fame and the [Pro Football] Hall of Fame. Hopefully, that'll be coming shortly for him as well."
Seymour was a key cog along the defensive line for eight seasons in New England, winning three Super Bowls and appearing in a fourth. Belichick called Seymour the "centerpiece" of those New England defenses, and the most disruptive player on the unit.
Seymour was an absolute menace on the defensive front, whether he swallowing up running backs, sending quarterbacks to the ground or blocking anyone in sight. His unique athleticism for a 6-foot-6, 317-pound behemoth was on full display when he scooped up a Drew Bledsoe fumble and ran it back for a 68-yard touchdown in a win over Buffalo in 2004. It was a play that he and his family enjoyed seeing a replay of during their visit to Foxboro ahead of Friday's jacket fitting.
"I guess I had a little bit of speed," Seymour said with a laugh.
Things did not end well for Seymour in New England, with Belichick trading him to the Oakland Raiders ahead of the 2009 season. But he looks back fondly on everything that he accomplished with the Patriots,
"My time here, I enjoyed my time with a lot of great memories," he said. "I think about my teammates, colleagues, family, and what we accomplished and those memories. The things we experienced are forever, that will never be taken away."
Now, as Belichick alluded to on Friday morning, Seymour awaits his call to Canton. He has been a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame the past three years, and is hoping to finally get the nod next February.
Until then, he'll enjoy his red jacket, and his spot among the greats of the New England Patriots.
