Richard Seymour

 

2001 AFC – New England Patriots 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 17

Seymour started at defensive tackle. He had three tackles, two of which were for a loss.

 

2003 AFC – New England Patriots 24, Indianapolis Colts 14

Seymour started at right defensive end. He had three tackles and one pass defensed.

 

2004 AFC – New England Patriots 41, Pittsburgh Steelers 27

Seymour did not play in this game.

 

2006 AFC – Indianapolis Colts 38 New England Patriots 34

Seymour started at right defensive end. He had one tackle and two assists.

 

2007 AFC – New England Patriots 21, San Diego Chargers 12

Seymour started at right defensive end. He had one tackle and two assists.

 

Super Bowl XXXVI – New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17

Seymour started at defensive tackle. He had two tackles and one assist, one sack and one pass defensed.

 

Super Bowl XXXVIII – New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29

Seymour started at right defensive end. He had two tackles, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery.

 

Super Bowl XXXIX – New England Patriots 24, Philadelphia Eagles 21

Seymour played but did not start in this game. He had two tackles, one sack, and two passes defensed.


Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14

Seymour started at right defensive end. He had three tackles and four assists.

           

All-Pro: 2003 (AP, PFWA, SN) ● 2004 (AP, PFWA, SN) ● 2005 (AP, PFWA) 

 

All-Pro Second Team: 2006 (AP) ●   2011 (AP)

 

All-AFC: 2002 (PW) ● 2003 (PW) ● 2004 (PW) ● 2005 (PW) ● 2006 (PW) 

(7) – 2003, 2004, 2005*, 2006*, 2007*, 2011*, 2012

*Did not play

 

Patriots records held by Seymour

(Records through the 2008 season, Seymour’s final season with New England)

• [1st] Most Fumble Return Yards, Season – 68 (2004)
• [1st] Most Fumble Return Yards, Game – 68 (at Buffalo, Oct. 3, 2004)
• [1st] Longest Fumble Return – 68 (at Buffalo, Oct. 3, 2004)

 

Postseason Records

• [Tied for 4th] Most Sacks, Career – 4.5

 

• NFL All-Decade Team of 2000s

 

Team Statistical Championships

Sack Leader: 2002, 2008

Full Name: Richard Vershaun Seymour

Birthdate: October 6, 1979

Birthplace: Gadsden, South Carolina

High School: Lower Richland (SC)

Pro Career: 12 seasons, 164 games

Drafted: 1st round (6th player overall) in 2001 by New England Patriots

RICHARD SEYMOUR: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that wonderful introduction and warm welcome to football heaven. And thank you Pro Football Hall of Fame. I'm honored to be here.

I'm overwhelmed today with humility. Not because what this moment says about me, but what this moment says about we and what we can do together. 

I'm overwhelmed today with gratitude because I didn't get here alone. None of us did. None of us could have. Class of 2022: They say you can judge a man by the company he keeps. I couldn't be among better company than you. 

It's a privilege to have my name bound forever with yours in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

(Applause.) 

Thank you. 

Football may be what I do, but family is who I am. To my brilliant and beautiful bride, Tanya, my high school sweetheart and best friend who saw the first snap of my career to the last, thank you, sweetheart, for everything you've added to my life. 

(Applause.) 

I'm not standing here without you. I love you deeply. Thank you.

Scripture teaches your riches are in your family. To our wonderful kids, RJ, Kayla, Kennedy and London: You're my greatest joy. I believe in your gifts. Of everything I've accomplished, there is no greater honor than being your dad.

(Applause.)

Continue to make mom and me proud. We love you.

Of course, to my mom, I wouldn't be here without you or without Dad, who I know is watching down on us in awe and admiration. It was 31 years ago to this month when you drove me to my first football tryout, and I didn't even get out of the car.

Mom, if I told you three decades later I would be wearing a Gold Jacket, you would have no reason to believe me. But you believed in me even when I didn't believe in myself. You taught me kindness and empathy; dad taught me the value of hard work and discipline. He was my hero.

Together, you and dad instilled in me the most important thing in life. As a friend and teammate, as a husband and dad, as a man, is to stand by something, to live by your values, to lead by example, and most importantly, to keep God first.

Thank you. 

(Applause.)

Thank you, Mom and Dad for your love and faith in us. 

This day – I’m going to say it again – this day belongs to my family.

(Applause.)

Now, because of my family I was well positioned for success as a young player at the University of Georgia. The National Championship Bulldogs, I might add. Any Dawgs in the house?

All of this served me well in 2001 as I prepared for the NFL Draft. Coming out college the experts said, “Hey, Richard you'll be a top 10 pick,” and I knew exactly where I wanted to play. Someplace warm. The Lord answered that prayer and sent me south of the Mass Pike.

When the Patriots selected me sixth overall, it was one of the luckiest breaks of my life. For one, I found that my family's values were at the heart of the Patriots' values. I was fortunate to join a veteran team because I had a lot to learn.

My first year, I went around carrying pads and getting Dunkin' Donuts for the guys. I felt like the intern, but I was happy to do it. In exchange, these generous men shared their experience and wisdom. They taught me the nuances of the game. Willie Mack (McGinest) taught me to be a true professional. To really pay attention to the details. Rodney Harrison taught me what it actually meant to practice hard. O-T-I-S taught me how to take care of my body, and Ty Law taught me how to find joy in the struggle.

AP was my spiritual leader, and Vrabel was busy drawing up plays to get us open, which he's still doing to this day. We had a young quarterback, but we made it work. (Laughter.)

Together, we were in constant pursuit of that edge, that edge. We called ourselves the edgers; that edge was our culture. You see, we felt a sense of responsibility to each other, a sense of obligation. None of us wanted to be the person to let the team down, let our brothers down, and that defined us.

We never cared who got the accolades as long as we got the W. That wouldn't have happened without one of the best owners in sports. RKK, I call him the Godfather; you may know him as Mr. Kraft. To the entire Kraft family: You showed us that being consistent in the little things added up to the big things, and always with heart and humanity.

You set forth the vision and earned success the right way. RKK, thank you for being a mentor and a dear friend. You, too, will grace this stage. Patriot Nation, we have another in Canton. Thank you.

(Applause.) 

And, of course, this wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for Coach Belichick. Coach, you’re the best coach in the game. The lessons I learned from you set me up for success not just in the game but in life. Work hard, be meticulous in your preparation, support your teammates, respect your opponents and put the team first.

Coach, thank you for everything you taught me. It's these values that put me in position to serve as captain during my next act, playing for another legendary owner and franchise.

I grew up a huge Raider fan, so spending my last four years in Oakland – I see you over there – spending my last four years in Oakland learning under the late, great Al Davis was an unexpected gift.

Mr. Davis was a coach, commissioner and Super Bowl champion, but above all else, he was a great leader because he welcomed and listened to every voice. It didn't matter if you were man, woman, Black, white, gay or straight. He believed that football was a game of values.

Mark Davis continues to serve as the beacon today, lighting that torch, because he knows it makes football better, and it's the right thing to do. As the mantra goes: Once a Raider … (crowd responds: Always a Raider.)

Thank you. Thank you. For the last 31 years, football, our game, has afforded me possibilities I never could have imagined. With that privilege comes profound responsibility. The responsibility of stewardship. The responsibility to put others first, to take care of the details, to keep learning, to keep giving for the long-term strength of our game.

Let us commit today and every day to be worthy stewards of our game and its values. In recognition of these values, with reverence for those that passed them to us, with faith in the generations to whom we pass them forward, I accept this honor, the greatest of my life.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.

(Applause.)