Playing his college ball at South Dakota State, Vinatieri began his pro career with the Amsterdam Admirals of the World League of American Football.  The New England Patriots signed him after and in 1996, he was officially a National Football League player.

New England was a team on the rise and if we are to agree that New England has been the best team in the last 20 years, it was Vinatieri’s kick in the snow that began the dynasty.  Against the Oakland Raiders in the playoffs, Vinatieri booted a 45 Yard Field Goal in a blizzard to send the game in Overtime, which he would win for them with a 23 Yard FG.  The Patriots would then beat the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, with Vinatieri again kicking the winning Field Goal, this time from 48 Yards out.  He would go to two Pro Bowls and earn two First Team All-Pro Selections as a Patriot, and would also win two more Super Bowls.

Vinatieri signed with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006 and he would win his fourth Super Bowl in his debut season in the Hoosier State.  He played for Indianapolis until 2019, and left the game as the all-time leader in Points (2,673) and Field Goals (599), and if any kicker has a shot at first ballot induction, it is Vinatieri.

John Denney played his college ball at BYU, and when he was undrafted in 2005, he found his niche in the National Football League as a Long Snapper.

Denney landed with the Miami Dolphins, and he became one of the more dependable Long Snappers in the NFL.  The former Cougar was named to the Pro Bowl twice (2010 & 2012), and appeared in 224 Games in the National Football League.

We know that Long Snappers will never make the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but if there is ever a specific Hall for this type of player, Denney is a fringe player for this type of institution.

After establishing himself as one of the top college players in Duke history, Redick was taken by the Orlando Magic with the 11^th Overall Pick.  The Shooting Guard would become known for his skills from behind the arc, and in 2015-16, when he was with the Los Angeles Clippers, he led the NBA in Three-Point Percentage (.475).  Redick would have seven seasons where he cracked the 15 Points per game mark, and would retire with a career 12.8 PPG.

Redick also played for Milwaukee, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Dallas.

While Redick’s NBA career does not scream Hall of Fame, the institution does recognize collegiate accomplishments, of which Redick has in spades.  Playing at Duke, the sharpshooter won the AP Player of the Year in 2006, as well as capturing the John R. Wooden Player of the Year, Naismith College Player of the Year and the Sporting News Player of the Year.  He also won the ACC Player of the Year twice and the Rupp Trophy twice.  The Blue Devils also retired his #4.

Joakim Noah, the son of International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee, Yannick Noah, was a two-time NCAA Champion with the Florida Gators and a Final Four MVP.  Naturally, this is a pedigree of a Lottery Pick, which he would be in 2007, when the Chicago Bulls drafted him Ninth Overall.

The 6’ 11” Center would not become a potent scorer, only having five years in the NBA where he had at least 10 Points per Game, but he developed into one of the most complete defensive players in Basketball.  Noah had four seasons of 10-plus Rebounds per Game, and six straight with at least 1.4 Blocks per Game.  An All-Star for Chicago in 2013 and 2014, and was a First Team All-Defensive Selection in both of those years.  Noah earned the prestigious Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2014, and he did have the league’s highest Defensive Rating.

Noah would also play for New York, Memphis and the Los Angeles Clippers.