Richard Seymour fell short of election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, but he has found his way into the one operated by the Patriots.
The team announced on Monday that Seymour got more fan votes than fellow finalists Bill Parcells and Mike Vrabel in this year’s election and will be the 30th person enshrined in the team’s hall as a result. The date of his enshrinement has not been announced yet.
“Richard Seymour laid the foundation for a defense that helped propel the Patriots to three Super Bowl championships in his first four seasons in the NFL,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “Richard was the consummate professional and leader, always accepting the roles he was assigned, putting team goals ahead of personal ones, and in turn, raising the game of everyone around him.”
Seymour won three Super Bowls and was named a first-team All-Pro three times in his eight seasons with the Patriots. He was traded to the Raiders before the 2009 season.