Patriots legend named honorary game captain in AFC Championship

Story byDanny Jaillet, Patriots WireSat, January 24, 2026 at 5:53 PM UTC·1 min readNew England Patriots legendary kicker Adam Vinatieri will be the honorary captain for the AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos. Vinatieri is arguably the greatest kicker in NFL history and a current finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026. He kicked the game-winning field goals in Super Bowl XXXVI and Super Bowl XXXVIII. He also had a very famous kick as he booted the overtime winner on a 23-yard field goal against the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Divisional Game, which is widely recognized as the "Tuck Rule Game."AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementVinatieri became widely regarded as one of the most clutch kickers of all time. Vinatieri being made the honorary game captain should bring back a lot of memories with him being back on the field as a Patriot.