Adam Vinatieri scores his 2,547 point to claim all-time record.
The GOAT gets GOATier. Less than a month after setting the record for most career field goals made (566), Adam Vinatieri has passed Morten Anderson to become the NFL’s all-time leading scorer after scoring his 2,547th career point.
It came on a 25-yard field goal, following making an extra point and field goal earlier in the first half. It is the cherry on top of Vinatieri’s 23-year career, which also includes four Super Bowl titles and three Pro Bowl selections.
Vinatieri came into the game with a groin injury, something that caused him to miss several kicks and look awkward last week in the team’s rout of the Buffalo Bills, and him playing wasn’t a sure-thing. Over the course of his career, Vinatieri has made at least 20 field goals in every season since 1996 (sans for his injury-shortened 2009 year) and set a career-high in makes with 35 in 2013.
Vinatieri’s records will likely never be broken, as the next active players behind him are Sebastian Janikowski in 10th place with 1,840 points and Phil Dawson in 439 field goals, although if Stephen Gostkowski (1,677/353) follows in the footsteps of the former Patriots kicker, maybe in ten years we’ll be having another conversation. But today, there is no equal to Adam Vinatieri, and we must respect the brand.
The best part about him setting the record is that it came in a Colts win. He has to be most proud about that team accomplishment.