John Thune: “Today I recognize the selection of South Dakota's Adam Vinatieri as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of…”

“Today I recognize the selection of South Dakota's Adam Vinatieri as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest kickers in NFL history, scoring 2,673 career points and winning four Super Bowls during his 24-year career. He is the third kicker and the second South Dakota State University--SDSU--Jackrabbit to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Adam's rise to fame began in my home State of South Dakota. He was born in Yankton, SD, and attended Rapid City Central High School where he earned All-State honors in football in 1989 and 1990. Continuing his punting and kicking career, he then attended SDSU in Brookings, SD, where he finished his collegiate career as the school's all-time leading scorer. In his senior year at SDSU, Vinatieri earned NCAA Division II All-America recognition after setting the school's single-season punting record of 43.5 yards per attempt. Additionally, he set SDSU's then-record for career field goals, 27; extra points, 104; points by a kicker, 195; and longest field goal, 51 yards. Adam initially went undrafted by the NFL, but he did not let the adversity stop his passion and love for the game.”