Adam Vinatieri had Raiders fans hearing it again on Sunday, and he knew exactly what he was doing.
At halftime of New England’s game against the Raiders, the Hall of Fame kicker received his Pro Football Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence, then used the moment to jab at Las Vegas. The crowd at Gillette Stadium responded loudly when Vinatieri looked out at the silver and black and said, “Seeing those Raider jerseys takes me way back,”
He kept going from there.
“[It] takes me back to that snowy night when we beat Oakland to win Super Bowl 36. Then years later, I was fortunate enough to be the all-time leading scorer.
We did that in Oakland, as well. At the time I thought we owned the Raiders and you know what?
Thanks to Tom, we actually do.”
The Patriots were honoring Vinatieri at halftime on a day that only made the old wounds feel fresher for Raider fans. The quote landed hard because it touched the same sore spots that always come with New England: the Tuck Rule game, the Brady connection, and the fact that Tom Brady now has a role in the organization that still leaves some fans uneasy.
Brady’s involvement has earned some belief after what was described as one of the most encouraging offseasons in recent memory, but the point remains that Fernando Mendoza ended up in Las Vegas - and so did Klint Kubiak - because the team was so bad in 2025.
And if that wasn’t enough, Sunday got even uglier because Josh McDaniels left the stadium looking pleased, which only gave Patriots fans more material to work with for the rest of the season.
The old villain was front and center again, and the day belonged to New England in every way that mattered.
In Other News...
Patriots Fans Got An Intriguing First Look At The Raiders Top Pick
Fernando Mendoza finally got his first NFL action Sunday, and it came in a tough spot for the Raiders against the Patriots. The No. 1 overall pick entered in the fourth quarter and wasted little time looking comfortable, giving Las Vegas a glimpse of the kind of poise that made him such a central part of the franchises plan.
Mendoza completed his first five pass attempts and helped move the offense into New England territory before the drive bogged down. Even with the Raiders playing from behind, his debut offered a small but encouraging snapshot of what he might bring once he gets a fuller chance to settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Maxx Crosby Could Wreck A Patriots Plan The Raiders Must Respect
The Patriots are heading into their matchup with the Raiders with some momentum after a strong offensive showing against Buffalo, but the bigger storyline around the game is how thin theyve become in the secondary. New England is already dealing with significant injury issues at wide receiver and cornerback, which means the supporting cast is being asked to do more, and the defensive side of the ball will have to survive another test without much margin for error.
That makes Maxx Crosby the obvious Raiders player the Patriots have to account for, because he can wreck an opposing plan before it ever gets settled. With New Englands defense stretched and linebacker Matt Spillane potentially carrying expanded responsibilities, the pressure on the Patriots only grows if Crosby starts dictating protection and forcing quick decisions. Even after the Bills game gave them a lift, the Patriots are still walking into a matchup where one elite pass rusher could tilt the entire afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
Josh McDaniels Might Deserve More Credit For One Raiders QB Call
Josh McDaniels Raiders tenure is remembered mostly for the stumble that led to his firing, but his post-Raiders coaching path has not been as simple as that one chapter. He has bounced from that setback to a Super Bowl team, and now one of the sharper what-ifs from his time in Las Vegas is resurfacing because of how the quarterback class has played out.
Before the 2023 draft, there was no clean agreement in the Raiders building on which passer belonged at the top of the board, and the difference mattered for a franchise still searching for long-term stability. Bryce Youngs recent rise has given that debate a new life, while C.J. Strouds 2026 start has only sharpened the discussion around how close Las Vegas came to making a very different call. The frustrating part for McDaniels is that the broader story of his offenses remains murky, especially with the reasons behind the struggles in New England still not fully sorted out. [Read more 🡒]