Dante Scarnecchia being inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame as a contributor is a fitting end to a great career

Posted By on April 7, 2023

Patriots owner Robert Kraft surprised former offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia at yesterday’s Patriots Hall of Fame nomination committee meeting by announcing that Scarnecchia will be inducted as a contributor into the team’s Hall of Fame. The ceremony is to be held later this year.

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The news caught Scarnecchia off guard but it is not a surprise. Scarnecchia was an integral part of the organization for 34 years and a central figure in 10 of the Patriots 11 Super Bowl appearances.

Kraft talked about Scarnecchia’s importance to the organization when he announced his induction.

“Dante Scarnecchia is recognized as one of the greatest assistant coaches of all time,” said Kraft. “He is the first Patriots assistant coach to receive this honor and I can’t think of a more deserving person. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who made greater on-field contributions over his 34 seasons with us, which propelled us to 10 of our 11 Super Bowl appearances and helped us claim five of our six Super Bowl championships. He earned the respect of his fellow coaches and players, many of whom credited Dante for making them the best they could be. I am proud that his legacy will be preserved in our Hall of Fame forever.”

Scarnecchia spent 36 years coaching in the NFL. As previously mentioned, 34 of those seasons were with the Patriots (1982-88, 1991-2013, 2016-19). He came to New England as part of Ron Meyer’s staff in 1982. In 1989, he followed Meyer to Indianapolis to coach the offensive line but returned to the Patriots two years later. During his time in New England, Scarnecchia coached special teams, tight end and the offensive line.

Scarnecchia is revered in New England. Everyone that knows Scar raves about him as a person and as a coach. Even now, at the age of 75, he dedicates his time teaching the game to high school coaches in the area. It speaks to his love of the game and his commitment to New England football.

Getting into the Patriots Hall of Fame is the culmination of a great career. A career that impacted so people in a positive way. Scarnecchia has a lot to be proud of but he would humbly tell you that he doesn’t deserve all of this attention.