Adam Vinatieri has spent enough time in front of big crowds this year to know he may need to keep a little something in reserve.
The Colts great said Thursday that with so many honors piling up, he is trying not to repeat himself when he speaks again this weekend at his Colts Ring of Honor induction.
“I’ve written a lot of speeches,” he admitted Thursday. “Now I’m trying not to duplicate anything.”
That’s a pretty good problem to have. Vinatieri was a hit in Canton this past summer during his Hall of Fame speech, then went back on stage last weekend for the Patriots’ 2001 championship reunion and had enough left to land a few more laughs.
Now the setting shifts to Lucas Oil Stadium, and that changes the tone a bit. Vinatieri said being honored by the Colts carries a different weight because it comes in the place where his name still means something every day.
“Being in the Ring of Honor means something different, maybe even more special in the sense that you are a part of a community. This is Indiana. This is Colts football,” Vinatieri said.
He’s been retired for seven years, but the connection clearly hasn’t faded. If anything, the last few months have only sharpened how much he still matters to the organization - and to the guys who followed him.
Long snapper Luke Rhodes didn’t hesitate when asked about Vinatieri.
“One of a kind,” said long snapper Luke Rhodes. “I mean, he helped shape Rigo and I.”
Punter Rigoberto Sanchez echoed that sentiment, pointing to the example Vinatieri set every day.
“The thing I admired about him was just the way he showed up every single day,” punter Rigoberto Sanchez added. “He deserves it all.”
So on Sunday, the Colts will give him the kind of recognition reserved for the very top shelf. The numbers speak for themselves: 14 years with the organization, 336 field goals, one Super Bowl.
Still, Vinatieri sounded less interested in reciting a résumé than in saying what he really wanted people to hear.
“I really just want to tell the Irsay family, my fans, and my teammates, thank you for allowing me to be a part of such an amazing organization,” he said.
The speeches may keep coming, but if Vinatieri’s history is any guide, he’ll probably handle this one too.
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