Rooke Interview: Bledsoe voted into Patriots Hall of Fame
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
I’m sure there are many who can remember where the franchise was before Bledsoe’s arrival in Foxboro: His individual performances, his favorite receivers in Ben Coates, Terry Glenn and others. I remember Drew however, for his willingness to play hurt, for elevating a once-moribund franchise into the rarified air of contenders, and for his severed artery injury at the hands of New York Jets’ linebacker Mo Lewis in 2001 that ultimately cost him his job, and could have cost him his life. Maybe those aren’t the best individual moments, but they are significant nevertheless…because they helped define Bledsoe as a player, a quarterback, and as a leader.
The Patriots announced Monday afternoon that Bledsoe has been voted into the Patriots Hall of Fame as the 17th player, and 18th member overall to enter the Hall. The team reports that since a new process for induction began in 2007 (including a player or a coach each year), Bledsoe received the highest percentage of votes for any candidate – and becomes the first player to be selected by the fans in his first year of eligibility.
“Drew Bledsoe played such an integral role in our efforts to rebuild the Patriots brand,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. “He gave fans hope for the future and provided many memorable moments during his record-breaking career. I will never forget Drew’s record-setting performance in that come-from-behind victory against Minnesota the year I bought the team. It sparked a seven-game win streak and put the Patriots back in the playoffs for the first time in a decade. For a franchise that had only hosted one playoff game in its first 35 years, winning the AFC Championship Game at home in Foxboro and taking the Patriots to the playoffs for three consecutive years were unimaginable goals prior to his arrival.”
“Obviously this is a tremendous honor, to be elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame,” Bledsoe told reporters via conference call. “It was a little overwhelming this morning to receive the call from Mr. (Robert) Kraft – honestly a little more emotional than I thought it would have been. Just to be considered in the company of Bill Parcells and Houston Antwine (also on the ballot) was a great honor in and of itself. And then to be elected to the hall of fame was really a tremendous honor. I’m really looking forward to getting back there in September and (it is) obviously a great honor. It means a lot to me and a lot to my family.”
Bledsoe was the first pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, and remained the face of the franchise for the next eight years. During his nine-year New England career, he broke numerous team records for attempts (4518), completions (2544) and yards (29,657). Bledsoe still holds the team record for single season passing attempts (691), completions (400) and is the only player in franchise history with multiple 400-yard passing performances (4). Bledsoe also still holds the NFL record for season attempts (691 in 1994) and attempts and completions in a single game (40-for-75) against Minnesota in 1994 that sparked a seven game win streak, and led the team to their first playoff berth in eight years. Ultimately, Bledsoe led the Patriots to the playoffs four times in his first six seasons, back-to-back division titles and the second Super Bowl berth in team history.
“The game against the Vikings in 1994 that started our seven-game win streak to get us into the playoffs was a huge memory,” Bledsoe recalled. “1996 having the two playoff games in Foxborough stands out really clearly in my mind. The start of the Steelers game with the fog settling in there and the crowd was as loud as Foxboro ever was in my recollection – that playoff game against the Steelers in ‘96 and then winning the AFC championship game there in front of our fans that were so deserving was a great memory.
“And then, obviously, in ’01, getting hurt and watching Tom Brady take over and beginning what’s been just a spectacular run of his, and to come back in and play in the AFC championship game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh and help us win that game is a memory that stands out very clearly,” Bledsoe added.
Bledsoe will enter the Patriots Hall of Fame with Jon Morris, who was selected for inclusion by a senior selection committee. The two former Patriots will be inducted in a public ceremony outside The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon on Saturday, September 17. The event will be free to the public to attend.
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